DETERMINING WATER QUALITY IN BANGLADESH GROUNDWATER

The focus of this research is to analyze the results of shallow groundwater data already measured throughout two 1 km transects in Araihazar, Bangladesh. Using an already existing geochemical dataset of groundwater quality, we compare vast quantities of elemental data to provisional and recommended standards set by agencies such as the WHO and EPA. In doing so, we test whether more (i.e., Be, Na, Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, and Cd) and less (such as Li, Mg, Si, S, K, Ca, Ti, V, Co, Sr, Mo, etc.) traditionally tracked elements comply with existing (if any) recommended water quality standards. Excess levels of elements like arsenic, iron, chromium, and mercury in water is poisonous, and together with the presence or absence of other critical/detrimental elements, we use the already existing dataset to make more contextual and meaningful conclusions about water quality and groundwater geochemical heterogeneity in Araihazar, Bangladesh.