Concentration,composition and sources of PAHs in the coastal sediments of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Qatar,Arabian Gulf

Surface sediments were collected from sixteen locations in order to assess levels and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments of Qatar exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Samples were analyzed for 16 parent PAHs, 18 alkyl homologs and for dibenzothiophenes. Total PAHs concentration (∑PAHs) ranged from 2.6 ng g⁻¹ to 1025 ng g⁻¹. The highest PAHs concentrations were in sediments in and adjacent to harbors. Alkylated PAHs predominated most of the sampling locations reaching up to 80% in offshore locations. Parent PAHs and parent high molecular weight PAHs dominated location adjacent to industrial activities and urban areas. The origin of PAHs sources to the sediments was elucidated using ternary plot, indices, and molecular ratios of specific compounds such as (Ant/Phe + Ant), (Flt/Flt + Pyr). PAHs inputs to most coastal sites consisted of mixture of petroleum and combustion derived sources. However, inputs to the offshore sediments were mainly of petroleum origin.     

Geochemistry of the High Dam Lake sediments,south Egypt： implications for environmental significance

The goal of the present work is to perform a geochemical assessment of High Dam Lake bottom sediments for determining the fate, dispersion and levels of trace elements causing environmental pollution, and provided an access to their probable sources. The sediment samples were analyzed using ICP-MS for 20 elements; Ag, Ba, Cr, Cu, Ga, Hf, Mn, Pb, Rb, Sc, Se, Sn, Sr, Ta Th Ti, T1, U, V and Zr, and their obtained data were treated using statistical, graphical and mapping techniques. The results showed the data set of all analyzed elements affected by outliers and extreme values that caused deviation away from normality. Kruskal-Wallis test revealed that median of some trace element levels in Lake sediments, was not significantly different and other elements rejected the Null hypothesis. Most analyzed elements had high values of median and mean in sediments of Lake Nubia rather than Lake Nasser and their normalization gave the same results of calculated environment factors. Subsequently, Lake Nubia sediments possessed high combined EF levels ofTh, Sc, Sn, Ag, Zr, Hf, Ta, Sr, U, Ti, V, Cr, and Mn, causing significant contamination, which was great potentially related to industrial, agricultural, urbanization and mining activities. Whereas, combined EF of Se, Cu, Ga, Pb, Ba, Rb, and Tl, which are highly elevated in southern Lake Nasser sediments owing to their source are great possibly derived from Lake Nubia and geogenic activities. With decreasing distance towards the High Dam body, the contaminant elements were diminished due to reduction in the environmental factors and Sudanese pollution sources leading to the northern Lake Nasser considered to be less contaminated. Overall, the present study is an environmental alert for contaminated sediments that carried contaminants and considered the secondary source of pollution impact on ecosystem, and subsequently, their environmental risk on Human health.     

Hydrogeochemistry and groundwater salinization in an ephemeral coastal flood plain: Cap Bon,Tunisia

Abstract

The Wadi Al Ayn plain is a coastal system on the eastern coast of Cap Bon in northeastern Tunisia. The area is known for its intensive agriculture, which is based mainly on groundwater exploitation. The aim of this study is to identify the sources of groundwater salinization in the Wadi Al Ayn aquifer system and deduce the processes that drive the mineralization. Surface water and groundwater samples were taken and analysed for major ions and stable isotopes. The geochemical data were used to characterize and classify the water samples based on a variety of ion plots and diagrams. Stable isotopes are useful tools to help us understand recharge processes and to differentiate between salinity origins. The oilfield brines infiltrated from the sandy bed of Wadi Al Ayn comprise the main source of groundwater salinization in the central part of the plain, while seawater intrusion is mainly responsible for the increased salinity in the groundwater of the coastal part of the plain (at Daroufa).

Citation Chekirbane, A., Tsujimura, M., Kawachi, A., Isoda, H., Tarhouni, J., and Benalaya, A., 2013. Hydrogeochemistry and groundwater salinization in an ephemeral coastal flood plain: Cap Bon, Tunisia. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (5), 1097–1110.     

Improving the assessment of ICESat water altimetry accuracy accounting for autocorrelation

Given that water resources are scarce and are strained by competing demands, it has become crucial to develop and improve techniques to observe the temporal and spatial variations in the inland water volume. Due to the lack of data and the heterogeneity of water level stations, remote sensing, and especially altimetry from space, appear as complementary techniques for water level monitoring. In addition to spatial resolution and sampling rates in space or time, one of the most relevant criteria for satellite altimetry on inland water is the accuracy of the elevation data. Here, the accuracy of ICESat LIDAR altimetry product is assessed over the Great Lakes in North America. The accuracy assessment method used in this paper emphasizes on autocorrelation in high temporal frequency ICESat measurements. It also considers uncertainties resulting from both in situ lake level reference data. A probabilistic upscaling process was developed. This process is based on several successive ICESat shots averaged in a spatial transect accounting for autocorrelation between successive shots. The method also applies pre-processing of the ICESat data with saturation correction of ICESat waveforms, spatial filtering to avoid measurement disturbance from the land–water transition effects on waveform saturation and data selection to avoid trends in water elevations across space. Initially this paper analyzes 237 collected ICESat transects, consistent with the available hydrometric ground stations for four of the Great Lakes. By adapting a geostatistical framework, a high frequency autocorrelation between successive shot elevation values was observed and then modeled for 45% of the 237 transects. The modeled autocorrelation was therefore used to estimate water elevations at the transect scale and the resulting uncertainty for the 117 transects without trend. This uncertainty was 8 times greater than the usual computed uncertainty, when no temporal correlation is taken into account. This temporal correlation, corresponding to approximately 11 consecutive ICESat shots, could be linked to low transmitted ICESat GLAS energy and to poor weather conditions. Assuming Gaussian uncertainties for both reference data and ICESat data upscaled at the transect scale, we derived GLAS deviations statistics by averaging the results at station and lake scales. An overall bias of −4.6 cm (underestimation) and an overall standard deviation of 11.6 cm were computed for all lakes. Results demonstrated the relevance of taking autocorrelation into account in satellite data uncertainty assesment.     

Gravity and magnetotelluric investigations to elicit the origin of Hammam Faraun hot spring,Sinai Peninsula,Egypt

There is a clear correlation between the principal areas of current geothermal development and the seismically active boundaries of the moving segments of lithosphere defined by the plate tectonic models of the Earth. The tectonic position of Egypt in the northeastern corner of African continent suggests that the most important areas for geothermal exploration are in the region where a cluster of hot springs with varied temperatures was located around the Gulf of Suez. Gravity and magnetotelluric surveys were made in the area of Hammam Faraun hot spring, which represents the most promising area for geothermal development in Egypt. These surveys were carried out for the purpose of eliciting the origin of Hammam Faraun hot spring. The results of the analyses and interpretations of these data show that the heat source of the hot spring is due to uplift of hot basement rock. This uplift may cause deep circulation and heating of the undergroundwater.     

Hydrogeophysical investigation of groundwater potential in the El Bawiti, Northern Bahariya Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt

The future development of agriculture, industry, and civil activity planned to be in the Western Desert. This strategy need to the groundwater resource. Vertical electrical soundings (VES) and electromagnetic (TEM) measurements conducted in the El Bawiti, northern Bahariya Oasis. The measurements give detailed information about the geometry of the different hydrogeological layers in the aquifer system and depth to them. A total of 22 VES and TEM were carried out within El Bawiti area. Thirty-one sub soil samples were collected from eight sites to determine the chemical characteristics and address the effects of lithogenic source and anthropogenic activity on them. The geoelectrical measurements and borehole information indicate the presence of five geoelectrical units, from top to base; the surface cover, sand and shale, upper aquifer (Nubian sandstone), sand and shale, and lower aquifer (Nubian sandstone). Surface cover was equally distributed in thickness and composed of dry sand, gravel, and clay deposits. The regional resistivity of the upper aquifer increased in the southwestern part and decline in the northern, eastern, southern, and western parts. The decline in the resistivity reflects the high water yields and potentiality, as well as low salinity. The resistivity of the lower aquifer increased due the northwestern part and the southwestern part. The information collected during this research provides valuable data for estimating the fresh- to brackish-water resources and for development of a groundwater management plan. The integrated analyses carried out represent a significant and cost-effective method for delineating the main aquifer in this area. In turn, future well locations can be placed with more confidence than before, in accordance with the evaluation of the potentiality of the groundwater aquifers in the area. The electrical conductivity of the soil ranges from 302 to 8,490 μS/cm, increases in the western and central-northern parts. It is attributed to the location from the salt-affected soils (playa), the relatively lower elevation units (depressions) and the position in landscape in the Oasis. Sodium adsorption ratio ranges from 0.44 to 11 and the exchangeable sodium ratio ranges from 0.11 to 5. The estimated magnesium hazard fluctuated below 50%. The statistical analyses were accomplished in soil chemistry and discussed.     

GIS-based subsurface databases and 3-D geological modeling as a tool for the set up of hydrogeological framework: Nabeul–Hammamet coastal aquifer case study (Northeast Tunisia)

The subsurface data are a basic requirement for the set up of hydrogeological framework. Geographic information systems (GIS) tools have proved their usefulness in hydrogeology over the years which allow for management, synthesis, and analysis of a great variety of subsurface data. However, standard multi-layered systems are quite limited for modeling, visualizing, and editing subsurface data and geologic objects and their attributes. This paper presents a methodology to support the implementation of hydrogeological framework of the multi-layered aquifer system in Nabeul–Hammamet (NH) coastal region (NE, Tunisia). The methodology consists of (1) the development of a complete and generally accepted hydrogeological classification system for NH aquifer system (2) the development of relational databases and subsequent GIS-based on geological, geophysical and hydrogeological data, and (3) the development of meaningful three-dimensional geological and aquifer models, using GIS subsurface software, RockWorks 2002. The generated 3-D geological models define the lithostratigraphy and the geometry of each depositional formation of the region and delineate major aquifers and aquitards. Where results of the lithologic model revealed that there is a wide range of hydraulic conductivities in the modeled area, which vary spatially and control the groundwater flow regime. As well, 17 texturally distinct stratigraphic units were identified and visualized in the stratigraphic model, while the developed aquifer model indicates that the NH aquifer system is composed of multi-reservoir aquifers subdivided in aquifers units and separated by sandy clay aquitards. Finally, this study provides information on the storing, management and modeling of subsurface spatial database. GIS has become a useful tool for hydrogeological conceptualization and groundwater management purposes and will provide necessary input databases within different groundwater numerical models.     

Burial history determination of the Triassic succession of Central and Northern Tunisia using clay minerals

The Oued Belif 48 and Koudiat El Halfa 5 borehole samples have been analysed in order to reveal the mineralogical composition of the Triassic successions and their burial history within the geological evolution of the Tethysian southern margin. Oued Belif 48 borehole belongs to Nefza district which is a part of the “Nappe zone” (Tellian unit, north-western Tunisia). Koudiat El Halfa 5 borehole crosses the Koudiat El Halfa diapir (north–west of the north–south axis, Central Atlas). In this paper, the burial degree of evaporitic Triassic samples was determined by the “illite crystallinity” index and by the evolution of the other phyllosilicates, essentially chlorite, talc and illite/chlorite and illite/smectite mixed layers. The studied samples of the two boreholes are characterized by the presence of abundant clay minerals. The <2-μm grain-size fraction of the samples is mostly composed of illite, chlorite and smectite and may contain a slight percentage of swelling layers (illite/smectite and illite/chlorite). The illite crystallinity value measured on ethylene glycol solvated oriented mounts of the Oued Belif 48 samples oscillates globally between 1 and 2.5 characterizing the epizonal zone with a range of 300–400 °C temperatures. The measures of Koudiat El Halfa 5 samples crystallinity index show a value ranging from 2 to 4, which indicates the anchizone and early epizone burial stage (temperatures around 200 °C). These data can be explained by Miocene magmatic activities characterizing the Triassic material of Nefza district and also by burial phenomena effects.