Geochemical and geostatistical appraisal of fluoride contamination: An insight into the Quaternary aquifer.

Fluoride (F) in groundwater poses a severe public health threat in the Dwarka River Basin (DRB) of West Bengal, India, where many cases of fluorosis have been reported. This research evaluates the spatial distribution patterns of major cations and anions, delineates zones of high F concentrations within alluvial sediments of the DRB, and identifies both the sources and the geochemical processes responsible for the release of F to groundwater. A total of 607 groundwater samples were collected from shallow and deep tube wells located within the DRB, encompassing an area of 435 km and including 211 villages.