Nanayakkara Uditha Sandali Dissanayake✉, Daham Tharanga Jayawardana, Sandani Buddhima, Hasini Mapatuna and Hisho Ravilojan
Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Gangodawila, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka.
Received: 16 Feb 2023/ Revised: 6 Mar, 2023/ Accepted: 12 Mar, 2023
(✉) Corresponding Author: sandalidissanayake@sci.sjp.ac.lk
Abstract
In the North Central province; Sri Lanka, high levels of hardness, Ca, Mg, NO3–, PO43-, F– and, heavy metals in groundwater intake are turning into a severe health concern. The current study looked at the quality of groundwater in the Anuradhapura district, Padaviya, Medawachchiya, and Rajanganaya area, as well as the removal efficiencies of this groundwater by a laterite soil-based water purification cylinder. To determine the quality of groundwater, chemical parameters (hardness, Ca, Mg, NO3–, PO43-, F–, Cr, Cd, and Pb) were examined. Hardness was 471 mg/L on average and ranged from (21-1730) mg/L. Ca and Mg levels were also found to be high in Anuradhapura, with an average of 122 mg/L and ranging starting (5-429) mg/L and 40 mg/L (2-160) mg/L, in that order. However, Phosphate, Nitrate and Fluoride concentrations ranged from 0.02 to 0.83 mg/L with an average of 0.08 mg/L, (0.05-6.5) mg/L with an average of 0.59 mg/L and (1.8-4.0) mg/L with the average of 2.3 mg/L, respectively. Heavy metal concentrations that were lower than the permissible levels, such as those of chromium, cadmium, and lead, had no noticeable impact. The average removal rates by a laterite soil-based water purification cylinder for hardness were 89.7%, Ca was 89.32%, Mg was 86.87% P was 100%, NO3– was 92.6%, and F– was 81.6%. The findings showed that well water in the dry zone of Sri Lanka needs to be treated in advance so it can be used up. In terms of getting rid of high hardness, Ca, Mg, P, NO3– and F–, the laterite soil-based water filter showed good performance.
Keywords: Groundwater quality, Laterite, Adsorption, Removal efficiency, Hardness, Fluoride
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How to cite this article
Dissanayake, N. U. S., Jayawardana, D. T., Buddhima, S., Mapatuna, H. and Ravilojan, H. (2023). Groundwater Quality Assessment in Anuradhapura District of the Dry Zone for Domestic Purposes and the Effectiveness of Laterite Soil-based Domestic Water Filter as an Adsorbent for Groundwater Purification. Chemical and Environmental Science Archives, Vol. 3(1), 15-23. https://doi.org/10.47587/CESA.2023.3103
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