STATISTICAL APPRAISAL OF FLUORIDE ENRICHMENT IN AREAS OF MALDA AND SOUTH DINAJPUR DISTRICT, WEST BENGAL, INDIA

Abstract

The present study was conducted in some randomly selected area of Malda and SouthDinajpur district of West Bengal to find out the level of fluoride in groundwater and itsassociation with other inorganic constituents through statistical modeling and chemicalindices. Results revealed that the considerable variation of different parameters, amongthem 7.90% sample showed F- levels beyond the WHO recommended value. Moreover,F- shows positive correlation with Na+ (p < 0.467*) and negative correlation with Ca2+(p < -0.289) which is again well supported by factor analysis study. From the results ofMultiple linear regression model and piper diagram revealed the significant relationshipof F- with Na+, alkaline pH and Ca2+ and dominancy of F- due to high Na-HCO3enrichment respectively. The higher level of F- in groundwater is the consequence offluoride containing sedimentary rock weathering.