Assessment of the Evolution of Groundwater Chemistry and Its Controlling Factors in the Huangshui River Basin of Northwestern China, Using Hydrochemistry and Multivariate Statistical Techniques.

Bing Zhou,Qianqian Zhang,Huiwei Wang

doi:10.3390/ijerph18147551

Abstract

Groundwater is an eco-environmental factor and critical resource required for human life and socioeconomic development. Understanding the evolution of groundwater chemistry and its controlling factors are imperative for preventing its deterioration and ensuring its sustainable use. We studied the characteristics of groundwater chemistry in the Huangshui River Basin in Qinghai Province, China using hydrochemical techniques. Additionally, we identified the controlling factors of groundwater chemistry in this region using multivariate statistical techniques. Seventeen hydrochemical parameters of groundwater were investigated at 156 sites in June 2019. The results showed that total hardness, Fe, NO3−, SO42−, and Cl− were primary pollution factors of groundwater in this region, and that 33.3%, 35.3%, 8.97%, 23.1%, and 7.69% of the samples exceeded Grade III standards for groundwater quality in China, respectively. Land use types also significantly affected groundwater hydrochemistry. The hydrochemical composition of groundwater in industrial areas is more strongly influenced by human activities. The major hydrochemical types identified in the region were HCO3-Ca·Mg and HCO3·SO4-Ca·Mg. Additionally, high proportions of SO4 (50.6%), Na (32.1%), and Cl (13.5%) groundwater types revealed the influence of anthropogenic activities on the groundwater hydrochemistry. Rock weathering was the major factor influencing the groundwater hydrochemistry, while evaporation–condensation and anthropogenic activities also influenced the hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater. The hydrochemical composition of groundwater was mainly controlled by silicate rock weathering. The main controlling factors of groundwater hydrochemistry were water–rock interactions, “physicochemical” factors (nature processes), domestic sewage, chemical fertilizer, and industrial sewage (human activities).

Highlights

IntroductionGroundwater is an eco-environmental factor and a critical resource required for human life and socioeconomic development [1]
Understanding the characteristics and controlling factors of groundwater hydrochemistry is important for preventing the deterioration of water quality and ensuring sustainable groundwater use [3]
Considering that the eigenvalue is greater than 1, we identified three PCs using the principal component analysis (PCA) method, and determined that the cumulative variance was 75.7%

Summary

Introduction

Groundwater is an eco-environmental factor and a critical resource required for human life and socioeconomic development [1]. Groundwater is an important source of drinking water for human beings [2], especially in arid regions. Understanding the characteristics and controlling factors of groundwater hydrochemistry is important for preventing the deterioration of water quality and ensuring sustainable groundwater use [3]. The characteristics of groundwater chemistry are closely linked to natural factors, such as hydrogeological conditions, lithology of the vadose zone, water–rock interactions, and seawater intrusion [4]. Water–rock interactions lead to the dissolution of

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