National scale evaluation of groundwater chemistry in Korea coastal aquifers: evidences of seawater intrusion

Pollution of groundwater by seawater intrusion poses a threat to sustainable agriculture in the coastal areas of Korea. Therefore, seawater intrusion monitoring stations were installed in eastern, western, and southern coastal areas and have been operated since 1998. In this study, groundwater chemistry data obtained from the seawater intrusion monitoring stations during the period from 2007 to 2009 were analyzed and evaluated. Groundwater was classified into fresh (<1,500 μS/cm), brackish (1,500–3,000 μS/cm), and saline (>3,000 μS/cm) according to EC levels. Among groundwater samples (n = 233), 56, 7, and 37% were classified as the fresh, brackish, and saline, respectively. The major dissolved components of the brackish and saline groundwaters were enriched compared with those of the fresh groundwater. The enrichment of Na⁺ and Cl⁻ was especially noticeable due to seawater intrusion. Thus, the brackish and saline groundwaters were classified as Ca–Cl and Na–Cl types, while the fresh groundwater was classified as Na–HCO₃ and Ca–HCO₃ types. The groundwater included in the Na–Cl types indicated the effects of seawater mixing. Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, SO₄ ²⁻, and Br⁻ showed good correlations with Cl⁻ of over r = 0.624. Of these components, the strong correlations of Mg²⁺, SO₄ ²⁻, and Br⁻ with Cl⁻ (r ≥ 0.823) indicated a distinct mixing between fresh groundwater and seawater. The Ca/Cl and HCO₃/Cl ratios of the groundwaters gradually decreased and approached those of seawater. The Mg/Cl, Na/Cl, K/Cl, SO₄/Cl, and Br/Cl ratios of the groundwaters gradually decreased, and were similar to or lower than those of seawater, indicating that Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, SO₄ ²⁻, and Br⁻, as well as Cl⁻ in the saline groundwater can be enriched by seawater mixing, while Ca²⁺ and HCO₃ ⁻ are mainly released by weathering processes. The influence of seawater intrusion was evaluated using threshold values of Cl⁻ and Br⁻, which were estimated as 80.5 and 0.54 mg/L, respectively. According to these criteria, 41–50% of the groundwaters were affected by seawater mixing.     

Potassium leaching in undisturbed soil cores following surface applications of gypsum

Displacement studies on leaching of potassium (K⁺) were conducted under unsaturated steady state flow conditions in nine undisturbed soil columns (15.5 cm in diameter and 25 cm long). Pulses of K⁺ applied to columns of undisturbed soil were leached with distilled water or calcium chloride (CaCl₂) at a rate of 18 mm h⁻¹. The movement of K⁺ in gypsum treated soil leached with distilled water was at a similar rate to that of the untreated soil leached with 15 mM CaCl₂. The Ca²⁺ concentrations in the leachates were about 15 mM, the expected values for the dissolution of the gypsum. When applied K⁺ was displaced with the distilled water, K⁺ was retained in the top 10–12.5 cm depth of soil. In the undisturbed soil cores there is possibility of preferential flow and lack of K⁺ sorption. The application of gypsum and CaCl₂ in the reclamation of sodic soils would be expected to leach K⁺ from soils. It can also be concluded that the use of sources of water for irrigation which have a high Ca²⁺ concentration can also lead to leaching of K⁺ from soil. Average effluent concentration of K⁺ during leaching period was 30.2 and 28.6 mg l⁻¹ for the gypsum and CaCl₂ treated soils, respectively. These concentrations are greater than the recommended guideline of the World Health Organisation (12 mg K⁺ l⁻¹).     

非均质土柱中溶质迁移的连续时间随机游走模拟

非均质介质中溶质迁移往往出现非费克现象,传统的对流弥散方程(ADE)则难以较好地描述这种现象.采用连续时间的随机游走理论(CTRW)研究1250cm长一维非均质土柱中溶质运移问题,探讨CTRW模型中参数及非费克迁移的变化特征.研究结果表明,β值的大小与介质的非均质特征有关,非均质性越强,β值越小,但β值具有相对的稳定性,然而ADE的弥散系数则具有随尺度增大而增大的现象.对于介质非均质性较强和非费克现象较明显的溶质穿透曲线,尤其是在拖尾部分,与ADE相比,CTRW具有较高的模拟精度.     

Experimental study of migration of potassium ion through a two-layer soil system

A barrier system based on the hydraulic trap design concept for a landfill was proposed. To study the field scenario in which a clay liner is underlain by a granular layer functioning as a secondary leachate drain layer, a laboratory advection–diffusion test was performed to investigate factors controlling the transport of contaminants in a two-layer soil system. The soils used for this study were Ariake clay and, the underlying layer, Shirasu soil from the Kyushu region of Japan. Potassium (K⁺) was selected as the target chemical species with an initial concentration of 905 mg L⁻¹. The effective diffusion coefficients (D _e) of K⁺ for Ariake clay and Shirasu soil were back-calculated using an available computer program, Pollute V 6.3. Values of D _e derived from this experiment are consistent with previously published ones. The Ariake clay has lower D _e than the Shirasu soil. The hypothesis that mechanical dispersion can be considered negligible is reasonable based on both the observation that the predicted values well fit the experimental data and the analyses of two dimensionless parameters. Parametric analyses show that transport of K⁺ through soils is controlled by advection–diffusion rather than diffusion only, whereas at low Darcy velocity (i.e., ≤10⁻⁹ m s⁻¹), transport of K⁺ will be controlled by diffusion. Applications of the test results and parametric analysis results in practical situations were reviewed.     

Hydrochemical characteristics and quality assessment of shallow groundwater in a coastal area of Southwest Bangladesh

In this study, the hydrochemical characteristics of shallow groundwater in a coastal region (Khulna) of southwest Bangladesh have been evaluated based on different indices for drinking and irrigation uses. Water samples were collected from 26 boreholes and analyzed for major cations and anions. Other physico-chemical parameters like pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and total dissolved solids were also measured. Most groundwater is slightly alkaline and largely varies in chemical composition, e.g. EC ranges from 962 to 9,370 μs/cm. The abundance of the major ions is as follows: Na⁺ > Ca²⁺ > Mg²⁺ > K⁺ = Cl⁻ > HCO₃ ⁻ > SO₄ ²⁻ > NO₃ ⁻. Interpretation of analytical data shows two major hydrochemical facies (Na⁺–K⁺–Cl⁻–SO₄ ²⁻ and Na⁺–K⁺–HCO₃ ⁻) in the study area. Salinity, total hardness, and sodium percentage (Na%) indicate that most of the groundwater samples are not suitable for irrigation as well as for domestic purposes and far from drinking water standard. Results suggest that the brackish nature in most of the groundwaters is due to the seawater influence and hydrogeochemical processes.     

Geochemical modeling of coal mine drainage, Summit County, Ohio

 Geochemical modeling was used to investigate downstream changes in coal mine drainage at Silver Creek Metro-park, Summit County, Ohio. A simple mixing model identified the components that are undergoing conservative transport (Cl^–, PO₄ ^3–, Ca²⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺ and Na⁺) and those undergoing reactive transport (DO, HCO₃ ^–, SO₄ ^2–, Fe²⁺, Mn²⁺ and Si). Fe²⁺ is removed by precipitation of amorphous iron-hydroxide. Mn²⁺ are removed along with Fe²⁺ by adsorption onto surfaces of iron-hydroxides. DO increases downstream due to absorption from the atmosphere. The HCO₃ ^– concentration increases downstream as a result of oxidation of organic material. The rate of Fe²⁺ removal from the mine drainage was estimated from the linear relationship between Fe⁺² concentration and downstream distance to be 0.126 mg/s. Results of this study can be used to improve the design of aerobic wetlands used to treat acid mine drainage. Received: 4 June 1996 · Accepted: 17 September 1996     

Vertical transport of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in different particle-size fractions of sandy soils

Vertical transport of selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in different particle-size fractions of sandy soils was investigated by simulation experiments in soil columns. Tested soil samples were fractionized into three particle-sizes including sand, coarse silt and fine silt (2,000–50, 50–20 and <20 μm). Rainfall simulations were conducted in artificially PAHs contaminated soil columns with 30 cm length and 5 cm diameter in 40 days. PAHs were extracted from soil samples and determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results showed that the residue level of PAHs in fine silt fraction reached 35.85 mg/kg, which was significantly higher than those in sand and coarse silt fraction (16.28 and 11.80 mg/kg, respectively), probably because PAHs in macroporous fractions were prone to volatilize or degrade compared with that in microporous fractions. Linear relationship between the residue levels of individual PAH (R _PAHs) and the value of partition coefficient (log K _oc) was regressed as R _PAHs = 1.55 × log K _oc − 5.86, R ² = 0.91, n = 9. These results indicated that vertical transport of the mixed PAHs in soils were controlled both by the nature of PAHs (i.e. log K _oc, molecular weight), soil particle size and soil organic contents, which could influence the transport of PAHs.     

Origin and distribution of saline groundwaters in the upper Miocene aquifer system, coastal Rhodope area, northeastern Greece

 This paper describes the origins and distribution of saline groundwaters in the coastal area of Rhodope, Greece. The aquifer system includes two aquifers within coarse-grained alluvial sediments in the coastal part of the study area. Two major water-quality groups occur in the study area, namely Ca²⁺-rich saline groundwater and Ca²⁺-poor, almost fresh groundwater. The main process controlling the groundwater chemistry is the exchange of calcium and sodium between the aquifer matrix and intruding seawater. The natural salt water in the study area is probably residual water that infiltrated the aquifer system during repeated marine transgressions in late Pleistocene time. Seawater intrusion into the coastal aquifer system occurs as a result of overpumping in two seawater wedges separated vertically by a low-permeability layer. The rate of intrusion averages 0.8 m/d and is less than expected due to a decline of the aquifer's permeability at the interface with the seawater. The application of several hydrochemical techniques (Piper and Durov diagrams; Na⁺/Cl^–, Ca²⁺/Cl^–, Mg²⁺/Cl^–, and Br^–/Cl^– molar ratios; Ca²⁺/Mg²⁺ weight ratio; and chloride concentrations), combined with field observations, may lead to a better explanation of the origin of the saline groundwater. Received, May 1997 / Revised, May 1998, December 1998 / Accepted, February 1999     

Simulation modelling of pollutant transport from leachate in Shiraz landfill

A one-dimensional mathematical model based on convection–dispersion equation in unsaturated porous media is presented to compute inorganic total solid concentration in the soil column under the Shiraz landfill. In addition, a dynamic mathematical model is formulated to simulate concentrations of ions such as Ca²⁺ , Mg²⁺, Fe²⁺, K⁺, Na⁺, Cl⁻, SO₄ ²⁻ and HCO₃ ⁻ as well as PH and EC in soil profile under the Shiraz landfill. Leachw model was applied to simulate water flow, water content and hydraulic conductivity in soil depth. The model was calibrated and verified by using different sets of data collected from several segments of soil depth in the study area. The numerical solution obtained using finite element method. The simulated values for the parameters were compared with measured values as well as analytical solution. The simulated results are in good agreement with measured values. This model could be applied to field scale problems for the landfill management.     

Escalation of salinity levels in the quaternary aquifers of the Ganga alluvial plain,India

A detailed water quality analysis was carried out in the quaternary aquifer system of the marginal alluvial plain (Ganga Plain) in Bah Tahsil, Agra district, India. The electrical conductivity of 50 samples each from dug wells, hand pumps and tube wells was analysed for the study of salinity levels in shallow, intermediate and deep aquifers. Out of 50, 20 samples of each were also analysed for other chemical constituents such as Na⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻, F⁻ and TDS. The analyses show drastic changes in the salinity levels of shallow, intermediate and deep aquifers. The deep aquifers are more saline compared to the shallow and intermediate aquifers. On the contrary, the concentration of chemical constituents such as Na⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻ and F⁻ was more in the shallow aquifers compared to the deep aquifers. Moreover, there is an indication that the salinity and concentration of the above chemical constituents also escalate with time in each aquifer. The chemical constituents such as Na⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻, F⁻ and TDS range from 51 to 165 mg/l, 1 to 14 mg/l, 224 to 1,459 mg/l, 0 to 1.5 mg/l and 750 to 2,650 mg/l, respectively. Over a 3-year period, the salinity levels have sharply increased and the average F level has increased by 0.1–0.3 mg/l. An attempt has been made here to discuss the factors causing the variation and escalation of chemical constituents and salinity in the water of the three aquifers.     

Fluid chemistry and processes at the Porgera gold deposit, Papua New Guinea

The Porgera gold deposit in Papua New Guinea is a world-class example of an alkalic-type epithermal gold system (stage II), which overprints a precursor stage of magmatic-hydrothermal gold mineralization (stage I). Gas and ion chromatographic analyses of fluid inclusions contained in vein minerals from both mineralization stages have been carried out in order to constrain the compositions of the fluids involved in, and the processes attending, ore deposition. These data indicate the presence of three end-member liquids, the most dilute of which was present throughout the mineralization history and is interpreted to represent evolved groundwater of meteoric origin. Its composition is estimated to have been approximately 500 mM Na⁺, 10 mM K⁺, 5 mM Li⁺, 250 mM Cl⁻, 0.15 mM Br⁻, and 0.01 mM I⁻, plus significant concentrations of dissolved gases. More saline liquids were also present during the two main stages of ore formation, and although their compositions differ, both are interpreted to have been derived at least in part from magmatic fluids, and to have been the media by which gold was introduced into the system. Stage I minerals contain fluid inclusions which decrease in salinity towards this dilute end-member composition through the vein paragenesis, reflecting progressive dilution at depth of the magmatic fluid source by groundwaters. Ore deposition is thought to have been caused largely by simple cooling and/or wallrock reactions, although limited in situ fluid mixing may also have occurred. The most saline fluids, present in early quartz and pyrite, contain at least 810 mM Na⁺, 530 mM Ca²⁺, 130 mM K⁺, 12 mM Li⁺, 87 mM SO₄ ²⁻, 960 mM Cl⁻, 1.1 mM Br⁻, and 0.05 mM I⁻, plus significant but variable concentrations of dissolved gases. Fluid inclusions from stage II hydraulic breccia veins reveal the presence of two distinct liquids with contrasting salinities, which were present at different times during vein formation. A higher salinity liquid appears to have predominated during mineralization, whereas lower salinity groundwaters filled the structures during intervening periods. The ore-forming fluid may have been forcibly injected into the veins from depth during fracturing and depressurization events, displacing the resident groundwaters in the process. The original composition of this fluid is estimated to have been at least 1770 mM Na⁺, 59 mM K⁺, 180 mM Li⁺, 210 mM SO₄ ²⁻, 680 mM Cl⁻, 1.4 mM Br⁻, and 0.09 mM I⁻, plus 1.5 mol% CO₂, 0.19 mol% CH₄, and 0.04 mol% N₂. Gas chromatographic analyses of fluid inclusions from stage II samples show a decrease in total gas content between early unmineralized veins and post-mineralization vuggy quartz (suitable samples could not be obtained from the ore stage itself). Post-mineralization samples plot along an experimental gas-saturation curve in the CO₂-CH₄-H₂O-NaCl system, obtained at conditions similar to those attending stage II ore deposition at Porgera (200–300 bar, ˜165 °C). These results are interpreted to indicate a period of depressurization-induced phase separation during hydraulic fracturing, which resulted in rich ore deposition. Volatile gases such as CH₄ and N₂, in addition to CO₂ in solution, are shown to have a significant negative effect on total gas solubility. This effect may be of critical importance in lowering the temperature and increasing the depth (pressure) at which phase separation can occur in epithermal systems. Received: 28 November 1995 / Accepted: 17 July 1996     

Groundwater chemistry and occurrence of arsenic in the Meghna floodplain aquifer,southeastern Bangladesh

Dissolved major ions and important heavy metals including total arsenic and iron were measured in groundwater from shallow (25–33 m) and deep (191–318 m) tube-wells in southeastern Bangladesh. These analyses are intended to help describe geochemical processes active in the aquifers and the source and release mechanism of arsenic in sediments for the Meghna Floodplain aquifer. The elevated Cl⁻ and higher proportions of Na⁺ relative to Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and K⁺ in groundwater suggest the influence by a source of Na⁺ and Cl⁻. Use of chemical fertilizers may cause higher concentrations of NH₄⁺ and PO₄³⁻ in shallow well samples. In general, most ions are positively correlated with Cl⁻, with Na⁺ showing an especially strong correlation with Cl⁻, indicating that these ions are derived from the same source of saline waters. The relationship between Cl⁻/HCO₃⁻ ratios and Cl⁻ also shows mixing of fresh groundwater and seawater. Concentrations of dissolved HCO₃⁻ reflect the degree of water–rock interaction in groundwater systems and integrated microbial degradation of organic matter. Mn and Fe-oxyhydroxides are prominent in the clayey subsurface sediment and well known to be strong adsorbents of heavy metals including arsenic. All five shallow well samples had high arsenic concentration that exceeded WHO recommended limit for drinking water. Very low concentrations of SO₄²⁻ and NO₃⁻ and high concentrations of dissolved Fe and PO₄³⁻ and NH₄⁺ ions support the reducing condition of subsurface aquifer. Arsenic concentrations demonstrate negative co-relation with the concentrations of SO₄²⁻ and NO₃⁻ but correlate weakly with Mo, Fe concentrations and positively with those of P, PO₄³⁻ and NH₄⁺ ions.     

Environmental geochemistry and quality assessment of surface and subsurface water of Mahi River basin, western India

The hydrogeochemical study of surface and subsurface water of Mahi River basin was undertaken to assess the major ion chemistry, solute acquisition processes and water quality in relation to domestic and irrigation uses. The analytical results show the mildly acidic to alkaline nature of water and dominance of Na⁺ and Ca²⁺ in cationic and HCO₃ ⁻ and Cl⁻ in anionic composition. In general, alkaline-earth elements (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺) exceed alkalis (Na⁺ + K⁺) and weak acids (HCO₃ ⁻) dominate over strong acids (SO₄ ²⁺ + Cl⁻) in majority of the surface and groundwater samples. Ca²⁺–Mg²⁺–HCO₃ ⁻ is the dominant hydrochemical facies both in surface and groundwater of the area. The weathering of rock-forming minerals mainly controlled the solute acquisition process with secondary contribution from marine and anthropogenic sources. The higher concentration of sodium and dissolved silica, high equivalent ratios of (Na⁺ + K⁺/TZ⁺), (Na⁺ + K⁺/Cl⁻) and low ratio of (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺)/(Na⁺ + K⁺) suggest that the chemical composition of the water is largely controlled by silicate weathering with limited contribution from carbonate weathering and marine and anthropogenic sources. Kaolinite is the possible mineral that is in equilibrium with the water, implying that the chemistry of river water favors kaolinite formation. Assessment of water samples for drinking purposes suggests that the majority of the water samples are suitable for drinking. At some sites concentrations of TDS, TH, F⁻, NO₃ ⁻ and Fe are exceeding the desirable limit of drinking. However, these parameters are well within the maximum permissible limit except for some cases. To assess the suitability for irrigation, parameters like SAR, RSC and %Na were calculated. In general, both surface and groundwater is of good to suitable category for irrigation uses except at some sites where high values of salinity, %Na and RSC restrict its uses.     

Influence of hydrogeochemical processes on temporal changes in groundwater quality in a part of Nalgonda district, Andhra Pradesh, India

Geochemical processes that take place in the aquifer have played a major role in spatial and temporal variations of groundwater quality. This study was carried out with an objective of identifying the hydrogeochemical processes that controls the groundwater quality in a weathered hard rock aquifer in a part of Nalgonda district, Andhra Pradesh, India. Groundwater samples were collected from 45 wells once every 2 months from March 2008 to September 2009. Chemical parameters of groundwater such as groundwater level, EC and pH were measured insitu. The major ion concentrations such as Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻, and SO₄ ²⁻ were analyzed using ion chromatograph. CO₃ ⁻ and HCO₃ ⁻ concentration was determined by acid–base titration. The abundance of major cation concentration in groundwater is as Na⁺ > Ca²⁺ > Mg²⁺ > K⁺ while that of anions is HCO₃ ⁻ > SO₄ ²⁻ > Cl⁻ > CO₃ ⁻. Ca–HCO₃, Na–Cl, Ca–Na–HCO₃ and Ca–Mg–Cl are the dominant groundwater types in this area. Relation between temporal variation in groundwater level and saturation index of minerals reveals the evaporation process. The ion-exchange process controls the concentration of ions such as calcium, magnesium and sodium. The ionic ratio of Ca/Mg explains the contribution of calcite and dolomite to groundwater. In general, the geochemical processes and temporal variation of groundwater in this area are influenced by evaporation processes, ion exchange and dissolution of minerals.     

The threshold value of epikarst runoff in forest karst mountain area

Hydrochemical investigations were carried out in Damagh area, Hamadan, western Iran, to assess chemical composition of groundwater. Forty representative groundwater samples were collected from different wells to monitor the water chemistry of various ions. Chemical analysis of the groundwater showed that the mean concentration of the cations is in the order Na⁺ > Ca²⁺ > Mg²⁺ > K⁺, while that for anions was HCO₃⁻ > Cl⁻ > SO₄^{2 −} > NO₃⁻. All of the investigated groundwaters present two different chemical facies (Ca–HCO₃ and Na–HCO₃) which is in relation with their interaction with the geological formations of the basin, cation exchange between groundwater and clay minerals and anthropogenic activities. The principal component analysis (PCA) performed on groundwater identified three principal components controlling their variability in groundwater. Electrical conductivity, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, SO₄²⁻, and Cl⁻ content were associated in the same component (PC1) (salinity), determined principally by anthropogenic activities. The pH, CO₃^{2 −}, HCO₃⁻, and Ca²⁺ (PC2) content were related to the geogenic factor. Finally, the NO₃⁻, Cl⁻ and K⁺ (PC3) were controlled by anthropogenic activity as a consequence of inorganic fertilizers.     

In situ push-pull tests for the determination of TCE degradation and permanganate consumption rates

A simple, single-well push-pull test was conducted at a TCE-contaminated site to estimate the site-specific TCE degradation and permanganate (MnO₄⁻) consumption rate. Known quantities of a conservative tracer (Br⁻) and permanganate were rapidly injected into a saturated aquifer then periodically sampled during extraction from the same well. Concentrations of Br⁻, TCE, and MnO₄⁻ were measured; breakthrough curves (BTCs) for all species of solute were determined. Data analysis of BTCs for bromide and TCE showed that the first-order rate constant of TCE degradation by MnO₄⁻ is 1.67 ± 0.152 h⁻¹. Further, the in situ MnO₄⁻ demand rate by TCE and aquifer materials is estimated to be 0.54 ± 0.371 h⁻¹. This study demonstrates that in situ push-pull tests are useful and economical tools for field investigations to determine contaminant reaction and oxidant consumption rates, which may then be used to optimize groundwater remediation designs.     

Modeling preferential water flow and solute transport in unsaturated soil using the active region model

Preferential flow and solute transport are common processes in the unsaturated soil, in which distributions of soil water content and solute concentrations are often characterized as fractal patterns. An active region model (ARM) was recently proposed to describe the preferential flow and transport patterns. In this study, ARM governing equations were derived to model the preferential soil water flow and solute transport processes. To evaluate the ARM equations, dye infiltration experiments were conducted, in which distributions of soil water content and Cl⁻ concentration were measured. Predicted results using the ARM and the mobile–immobile region model (MIM) were compared with the measured distributions of soil water content and Cl⁻ concentration. Although both the ARM and the MIM are two-region models, they are fundamentally different in terms of treatments of the flow region. The models were evaluated based on the modeling efficiency (ME). The MIM provided relatively poor prediction results of the preferential flow and transport with negative ME values or positive ME values less than 0.4. On the contrary, predicted distributions of soil water content and Cl⁻ concentration using the ARM agreed reasonably well with the experimental data, with ME values higher than 0.8. The results indicated that the ARM successfully captured the macroscopic behavior of preferential flow and solute transport in the unsaturated soil.     

Environmental research of groundwater in the urban and suburban areas of Attica region,Greece

In this study, 92 groundwater samples were collected from the Attica region (Greece). Moreover, geographical information system database, geochemistry of groundwater samples and statistics were applied. These were used for studying the chemical parameters (NO₃ ⁻, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Cl⁻, and Na⁺) and conductivity spatial distribution and for assessing their environmental impact. The ranges of chemical parameters of the water samples (in mg L⁻¹) are: NO₃ ⁻ 1–306, Mg²⁺ 2–293, Ca²⁺ 3–453, Cl⁻ 5–1,988, and Na⁺ 4–475. The elevated concentrations of sodium, Mg²⁺, Cl⁻ are attributed to natural contamination (seawater intrusion). On the other hand, NO₃ ⁻ elevated concentrations are attributed to anthropogenic contamination (nitrate fertilizers). The results of the GIS analysis showed that elevated values of Na⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl⁻ are related to shrubby and sparsely vegetated areas, while elevated values of NO₃ ⁻ are connected with urban and agricultural areas.     

Controls on the chemical composition of groundwater from alluvial aquifers in the Wanaka and Wakatipu basins, Central Otago, New Zealand

 Groundwater in alluvial aquifers of the Wakatipu and Wanaka basins, Central Otago, New Zealand, has a composition expressed in equivalent units of Ca²⁺≫Mg²⁺≅Na⁺>K⁺ for cations, and HCO₃ ^–≫SO₄ ^2->NO₃ ^–≅Cl^– for anions. Ca²⁺ and HCO₃ ^– occur on a 1 : 1 equivalent basis and account for >80% of the ions in solution. However, some groundwater has increased proportions of Na⁺ and SO₄ ^2-, reflecting a different source for this water. The rock material of the alluvial aquifers of both basins is derived from the erosion and weathering of metamorphic Otago Schist (grey and green schists). Calcite is an accessory mineral in both the grey and green schists at <5% of the rock. Geological mapping of both basins indicates that dissolution of calcite from the schist is the only likely mechanism for producing groundwater with such a constant composition dominated by Ca²⁺ and HCO₃ ^– on a 1 : 1 equivalent basis. Groundwater with higher proportions of Na⁺ and SO₄ ^2- occurs near areas where the schist crops out at the surface, and this groundwater represents deeper and possibly older water derived from basement fluids. Anomalously high K⁺ in the Wakatipu basin and high NO₃ ^– concentrations in the Wanaka basin cannot be accounted for by interaction with basement lithologies, and these concentrations probably represent the influence of anthropogenic sources on groundwater composition. Received, June 1996 Revised, March 1997, July 1997 Accepted, July 1997     

A geoelectrical-hydrogeochemical investigation of shallow groundwater occurrence in Ibadan, southwestern Nigeria

 An integrated geological, geoelectrical and hydrochemical investigation of shallow groundwater occurrence in the Ibadan area, southwestern Nigeria, is presented. The primary objective was to characterise the groundwater in a typical low-latitude environment underlain by Precambrian crystalline basement complex rocks. The dominant rocks comprise suites of gneisses and quartzites. Chemical analyses of the groundwater show that the mean concentration of the cations is in the order Na>Ca>Mg>K while that for the anions is Cl>HCO₃>NO₃>SO₄. Statistical analyses, using the product-moment coefficient of correlation, indicate positive correlations between the following pairs of parameters: TDS and conductivity (r=0.96); Na⁺+Mg²⁺ and Cl^– (r=0.95); Na⁺+K⁺ and Ca²⁺ (r=0.43); Na⁺+K⁺ and HCO₃ ^– (r=0.17); Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ (r=0.74); Ca²⁺ and HCO₃ ^– (r=0.33); Ca²⁺+Mg²⁺ and HCO₃ ^– (r=0.31) and pH and HCO₃ ^– (r=0.54). A very weak negative correlation was recorded between pH and Cl^–, with r=–0.003. Five groundwater groups have been identified, namely, (1) the Na-Cl, Na-Ca-Cl, Na-Ca-(Mg)-Cl; (2) the Ca-(Mg)-Na-HCO₃-Cl, Na-Ca-HCO₃-Cl, and Ca-HCO₃-Cl; (3) the Ca-(Mg)-Na-HCO₃, Ca-Na-HCO_3; (4) Ca-Na-Cl-(SO₄)-HCO₃ and (5) the Ca-(Mg)-Na-SO₄-HCO₃. The different groups reflect the diversity of bedrock types and consequently also of the products of weathering. Most of the water sampled is unfit for drinking on account of the high NO₃ ^– content. It can, however, be used for irrigation purposes as the sodium hazard is low while the salinity hazard ranges from low to medium. Resistivity soundings indicate the presence of a thick weathering profile, which could be up to 60 m. Such sites should be the target for any long-term and sustainable groundwater development in the area. Received: 15 April 1998 · Accepted: 4 July 1998