Nitrate contamination of groundwater: An issue for livelihood in Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka

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dc.contributor.author Prabagar, J.
dc.contributor.author Prabagar, S.
dc.contributor.author Thuraisingam, S.
dc.date.accessioned 2021-11-12T10:22:47Z
dc.date.available 2021-11-12T10:22:47Z
dc.date.issued 2020
dc.identifier.citation Prabagar,J., Prabagar,S. and Thuraisingam,S.(2020).Nitrate contamination of groundwater: An issue for livelihood in Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka.African Journal of Agricultural Research,16(7):1025-1032,,doi:10.5897/AJAR2020.14740. en_US
dc.identifier.issn 1991-637X
dc.identifier.uri http://drw.jfn.ac.lk/handle/123456789/153
dc.description.abstract Groundwater stored in large cavities and channels of Miocene limestone is the only source of portable water in Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka. It is increasingly exploited and polluted by various contaminants that results in less availability of potable water. Nitrate contamination in drinking water is one of the major concerns which causes severe health impacts, such as methemoglobinemia especially in infants and oesophageal and stomach cancers. The current nitrate levels in drinking water in Jaffna peninsula are much higher than the WHO and SLS levels. The nitrate-N content of groundwater in the Jaffna Peninsula ranges from 0.1 to 45 mg/L as per the literature though the permissible nitrate-N level in drinking water is 10 mg/L. Further, the nitrate concentration in groundwater varies seasonally and is found to be higher during the wet season than the dry season. Research studies carried out at different localities in the Peninsula from 1983 to 2018 have shown that nitrate content of groundwater has increased over this period. A recent investigation in the Chunnakam area revealed nitrate-N level of 45 ppm. Hence, nitrate contamination of groundwater in the Jaffna Peninsula is found to be the most challenging issue in the water management system. en_US
dc.language.iso en en_US
dc.subject Groundwater en_US
dc.subject Nitrate en_US
dc.subject Jaffna Peninsula en_US
dc.subject Contamination en_US
dc.title Nitrate contamination of groundwater: An issue for livelihood in Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka en_US
dc.type Journal Article en_US
dc.identifier.doi doi:10.5897/AJAR2020.14740. en_US
dc.identifier.journal African Journal of Agricultural Research en_US


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