Groundwater Quality Evaluation Using Hydrogeochemical and GIS Techniques in the Southwest Part of Sohag, Egypt

Abstract

Quaternary groundwater is the unique source of freshwater in the desert fringes of the Nile Valley at Sohag, Egypt. This area contains many urban, industrial and agricultural sustainable projects. These activities and the unconfined condition of the Quaternary aquifer have adversely impacted the groundwater quality. This study aims to demonstrate the chemical techniques to understand groundwater conditions and to identify potential hazards of solute dispersion that may exist in the study area, 24 groundwater samples were collected from the study area in August 2019 and analyzed physically and chemically. The results showed that the pH is slightly alkaline and the Total Dissolved Solids of the groundwater was about 1289 mg/l. Most of the studied samples aren’t acceptable for drinking owing to high TDS>1000mg/l and toxic heavy metals, especially As and Pb. The recorded high concentrations of the Total Dissolved Solids and ions can be attributed to sediment salt leaching, agriculture drainage, domestic wastewater, and the applied pesticides, and fertilizers in the study area. Salinity and sodium hazards adversely impact the suitability of most samples for irrigation, but all the studied heavy metals were within the permissible limit for irrigation. Finally, more attention and monitoring of the Quaternary aquifer in the Nile Valley must be considered for the protection of this important aquifer and human health.