Abstract
The study of the hydrochemical characteristics and the water–rock interaction of karst groundwater is very important for the rational exploitation of karst groundwater and its pollution control. In this paper, the systematic clustering method was used to analyze the hydrochemical characteristics of different types of groundwater, combined with hydrochemical graphic analysis and correlation analysis to explore the impact of chemical acidic wastewater on the evolution of karst aquifer in the Dawu water source area, northern China. The results show that the chemical acid wastewater, sourcing from discharges/spillages from the local chemical industries, has different degrees of pollution impact on karst groundwater, causing the total hardness of all karst groundwater and the total dissolved solids, Cl− and SO42− in nearly half of the karst groundwater to exceed the quality indexes of class III water in China’s standard for groundwater quality (GB/T 14848-2017). Hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid in the wastewater can be buffered by the dissolution of carbonate rocks, resulting in a nearly neutral pH (pH-buffering effect) and an increase in Ca2+, Mg2+, Sr, Cl− and SO42− concentrations in karst groundwater.
Highlights
IntroductionKarst groundwater provides an important water resource guarantee for social and economic development
Groundwater samples were divided into four clusters of the used as the cluster variables [33,34]
Groundwater samples were divided into four clusters of the groundwater groundwatersamples samples(namely
Summary
Karst groundwater provides an important water resource guarantee for social and economic development. Karst groundwater provides drinking water for 10% of the world’s population, and is an indispensable resource for ecosystems, agriculture and groundwaterdependent activities [1,2]. Karst groundwater resources are vulnerable to contamination resulting from intense agriculture and other anthropogenic activities, and the quality of karst groundwater continues to deteriorate, resulting in water quality-based water shortages in karst regions [7,8,9,10]. The concentrations of total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), SO4 2− and Cl− are increasing continuously, which is one of the main manifestations of karst groundwater quality deterioration [11,12,13,14]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
