Assessment of groundwater chemistry in a coastal region (Kunsan, Korea) having complex contaminant sources: a stoichiometric approach |
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Authors: | Kangjoo Kim Natarajan Rajmohan Hyun Jung Kim Gab-Soo Hwang Min Joe Cho |
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Affiliation: | (1) School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Kunsan National University, Kunsan, 573–701 Jeonbuk, Korea;(2) Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, 305–350 Daejeon, Korea |
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Abstract: | Groundwater chemistry in a coastal region (Kunsan, Korea) having complex contaminant sources was investigated. Water analysis data for 197 groundwater samples collected from the uniformly distributed sixty-six wells were used. Chemical analysis results indicate that groundwaters show wide concentration ranges in major inorganic ions, reflecting complex hydrochemical processes. Due to the complexity of groundwater chemistry, the samples were classified into four groups based on Cl and NO3 concentrations and the processes controlling water chemistry were evaluated based on the reaction stoichiometry. The results explained the importance of mineral weathering, anthropogenic activities (nitrification and oxidation of organic matters), and Cl-salt inputs (seawater, deicer, NaCl, etc.) on groundwater chemistry. It was revealed that mineral dissolution is the major process controlling the water chemistry of the low Cl and NO3 group (Group 1). Groundwaters high in NO3 (Groups 2 and 4) are acidic in nature, and their chemistry is largely influenced by nitrification, oxidation of organic matters and mineral dissolution. In the case of chloride rich waters (Group 3), groundwater chemistry is highly influenced by mineral weathering and seawater intrusion associated with cation-exchange reactions. |
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Keywords: | Coastal aquifer Anthropogenic contamination Seawater intrusion Mineral weathering Stoichiometric analysis Kunsan |
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