Sodium Toxicity in Ground Water and its Hazardous Effect on Life –A Study in Tiptur Town and its Surrounding Areas.

S. B. Basavaraddi¹, Hina Kouser²,  Puttaiah .E.T.³

²Departmentof Environmental Science, Kuvempu University. Shankargatta-577451 Karnataka India

³ Vice Chancellor Gulbarga University. Gulbarga, Karnataka

*Corresponding Author’s Email: ronsubhasbasavaraddi@rediffmail.com;  

 Tel: 9916704280 

Accepted 11 June, 2012

Abstract

Sodium is the sixth most abundant element on the earth and is widely distributed in soil, plants, water and food. Most of world has significant deposits of sodium containing minerals, most notably sodium chloride (salt). Sodium and chloride occur in naturally in water as a result of erosion or salt water intrusion. Sodium may reach ground water and surface water supplies as result of residential, commercial and industrial activity such as road salting. It is generally agreed that sodium is essential to human life. There is no agreement on minimum daily requirement. However it has been estimated that a total in take 120 to 400 mg will meet the daily needs of growing infants and young children and 500mg to those of adults. Sodium salts are not acutely toxic because of efficiency with which mature kidney excrete sodium. However acute effect and deaths have been reported following accidental over doses of sodium chloride. Acute effects may include nausea, Vomiting convulsions, Cerebral and pulmonary Oedema, excessive salt intake seriously aggravates chronic congestive heart failure and ill effects. Due to high level of sodium in drinking water which increase hypertension sensitivity in human beings. Sodium has low acute toxicity in the animals. High doses effects pregnant rats, affects the reproductive rates,   hypertension sensitive in rats and same effect was found in related animals. Sodium is major element in igneous rocks, mainly contains 60% feldspars like Na-Ca feldspars. Sodium content in the ground water is a function of weathering of sodium plagioclase from the bed rock following exchange of Ca⁺² for sodium ion on surface of newly formed clay mineral. In addition ground water can contain large amount of sodium from solution of evaporites from salt water intrusion and small amount sea salt in original precipitation. Hence keeping in view that high sodium intake by human beings as well as animals in drinking water, food and accidentally, may cause toxic and hazardous effects on consumers. Since Tiptur people depend on ground water resources for drinking .With this back ground investigation has been made .The study reveals that Na% was ranged between 12.78% to 64 %, which was with in the limits of IS2490 Part –I (BIS) and SAR estimated in all sampling locations were < 10 indicating the good water, as index of sodium hazard according to US ionic regional laboratory. Analysis concludes tiptur ground water was free from sodium toxicity and sodium hazard, can be used for drinking and irrigation.

Keywords:  Sodium toxicity, Ground water, SAR, Igneous rocks, Sodium Hazard, feldspars.