Major Cations Research Articles

Hydrochemical Investigation and Quality of Groundwater in Erbil-Pirmam Area, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

The chemical analysis of groundwater for any region is very important for water resources and estimating the suitability of this important natural resource. Sixty two groundwater samples were collected during two recharge periods in October 2021, which represent the minimum recharge period and May 2022 which represent the maximum recharge period. The physical analysis include electrical conductivity, pH, and temperature while the chemical analysis includes major cations and anions. A piper diagram was used to classify the groundwater water in the area to determine water type which all water samples are categorized as bicarbonate water type for both periods. To establish the appropriateness of groundwater as drinking water in the area, different standards were employed as standard of water use. All water samples in the study area are fresh water and of medium salinity water except one well which is high salinity water. The groundwater quality in the studied area is suitable for drinking because all parameters are under permissible limit except one well which have a high nitrate concentration. According to the Total Dissolved Solids the water is acceptable for irrigation and do not cause harmful effects on crops except two water samples that can be used and adversely affected crops that were susceptible to salt, and suitable according to SAR ratio and low sodium hazard. The aim of this study is to determine water quality and evaluate groundwater for different uses including drinking, agriculture and irrigation purposes.

Spatiotemporal Analysis of Water Quality Using Water Quality Index and Heavy Metal Pollution Index: A Case Study of Al-Diwaniyah River, Iraq

The current study aims to assess the water quality of the Al-Diwaniyah River in the city of Al-Diwaniyah to drink in terms of chemical properties and heavy metals and their impact on the health of the local population. The results showed that most of the parameters in the river water are of low concentrations due to the limited human activities in polluting the river water. The study concluded that the water quality is suitable for drinking depending on major cations and anions in all seasons. The Heavy Metal Pollution Index (HPI) showed that the river water was clean and safe, except two slightly polluted samples. The study concluded that river water for drinking or various domestic uses does not pose any danger to human health if there are no other polluting factors.

Changing Water Chemistry in One Thousand Norwegian Lakes During Three Decades of Cleaner Air and Climate Change

AbstractWe present long‐term changes in Norwegian lake water quality across regional gradients in atmospheric pollution, air temperature, hydrology, and vegetation using (a) a national representative lake survey carried out in 1995 and 2019 (ThousandLakes), and (b) an annual lake survey from acid‐sensitive catchments (78 lakes, TrendLakes) from 1990 to 2020. Our analysis encompasses all major chemical constituents, for example, anions and cations, dissolved organic matter (DOM), nutrients, iron (Fe), and silicate (SiO2). During these decades, environmental changes included declines in sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) deposition, climate warming, and increase in forest biomass. Strong chemical recovery from acidification is found, attributed to large reductions in atmospheric deposition, moderated by catchment processing from land use and climate change. Browning counteracted chemical recovery in some regions, while Ca increased unexpectedly. We suggest that increased weathering, from enhanced terrestrial productivity, is an important driver of increased Ca—substantiated by widespread, substantial increases in SiO2. Light‐ and nutrient‐limitation has become more prevalent, indicated by higher DOM, lower nitrate (NO3), and lower NO3to total phosphorous ratios. Declines in lake NO3 occurred independently of N deposition, suggesting increased catchment N retention, possibly from increased terrestrial productivity. We conclude that decreased air pollution continues to be a dominant driver of long‐term trends in lake chemistry, but climate‐induced increase in terrestrial weathering processes, governed by increased biomass, is likely to have an increasing impact on future lake acidity, nutrient, and light status, that may cascade along the aquatic continuum from rivers to the coast.

Sulfuric acid weathering counteracts CO2 drawdown from silicate weathering in mountainous catchments from southwest China

Sulfide oxidation, coupled with carbonate weathering is thought to be a source of CO2 over geological timescales to offset CO2 drawdown from silicate weathering. Its impact on the carbon budget of weathering at the catchment scale is generally constrained by utilizing riverine water chemistry and the isotope value (δ34S) of sulfate. However, the multiple origins of riverine sulfate and the high variability of sulfide-derived δ34S certainly limit the determination of sulfate sources and thus our understanding of the role of sulfuric acid-induced weathering in the carbon budget. In this study, to quantify the carbon budget between weathering by carbonic and sulfuric acids in mountainous catchments (the Yinjiang River, the Shiqian River, and the Yuqing River) in southwest China, a Monte Carlo inversion model is employed for major element concentrations and sulfate δ34S (δ34SSO4). This inversion quantitatively partitions the cations and sulfate between different sources, and further identifies the pyrite-derived δ34S and the flux ratios of alkalinity to dissolved inorganic carbon (ΔALK/ΔDIC). Inversion results reveal that the majority of major cations (>90 %) is derived from carbonate (calcite and dolomite) dissolution, and that riverine sulfate budget is predominately contributed by pyrite oxidation and precipitation. In the Yinjiang River, the average δ34SSO4 is 8.4 ‰ in the upper and middle reaches, but declines significantly to 0.4 ‰ in the lower reaches. In the Shiqian River and Yuqing River, δ34SSO4 mainly cluster around 3.6–5.7 ‰ and 5.5–8.5 ‰, respectively. Inversion results suggest that the primary controls on δ34SSO4 are the variability of lithology and the variation in the proportional contribution of pyrite oxidation to riverine sulfate. In the Yinjiang River, the fraction of H2SO4-driven weathering is highly variable, and higher in the lower reaches than in the upper reaches, attributing to distinct underlying lithology in the catchment (a widespread distribution of coal-bearing strata). The weathering fluxes with 1 < ΔALK/ΔDIC < 2 evidenced that the negative alkalinity flux from carbonate weathering driven by sulfuric acid from both pyrite oxidation and acid deposition counteracts much of the alkalinity flux from silicate weathering. This is implicated on the timescale between marine carbonate precipitation and sulfate reduction (>5–10 kyr and <10 Myr), indicating that weathering in these catchments acts as short-term sinks of atmospheric CO2 but long-term sources of it. Moreover, reanalysis of prior datasets of karst-dominated catchments in China also highlight the important role of pyrite oxidation and acid precipitation in the carbon budget.

Microbial contamination effects on the hydrochemical parameter in a Thettiyar watershed, Kerala, India, using GIS.

The present study has been carried out to assess the quality of groundwater and surface water resources of Thettiyar watershed, Kerala, India. Sixty-six water samples were collected during pre-monsoon (April, 2019) and monsoon (July, 2019) season, and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness and major cations and anions and microbiological parameters as well. According to the piper diagram's plot, Ca and Mg dominate over Na among the cations, and Cl is the most prevalent anion in groundwater throughout both the studied seasons. The hydrochemical analysis of water samples revealed that all the parameters are within the permissible limit except for pH. For microbiological analysis, the samples were tested for total coliform and fecal coliform. Most of the groundwater samples collected have higher total coliform and fecal coliform (E. coli) content than the recommended count by BIS (2012). The pre-monsoon surface water samples owned a maximum number of 3700cfu/100ml (TNTC-too numerous to count) of total coliform and 1400cfu/100ml (TNTC) of fecal coliform. In monsoon, the number of total coliform and fecal coliform has increased to 3800cfu/100ml and 1900cfu/100ml respectively. E. coli and total coliform are effectively correlated with each other in both seasons, in accordance with the statistical study. Domestic, sewage dump, and other household wastes are the main sources of bacterial contamination in the study area, which in turn nourishes contaminant organisms. According to the results, the government or municipality should implement an appropriate system for managing solid waste and should take all necessary measures to clean up the study area.

Trace metals in CO 2 -rich Green River springs, Utah, USA: an analogue for engineered storage

Abstract Sedimentary rocks with high natural CO 2 concentrations provide invaluable analogues for the long-term engineered storage of CO 2 . Some previous studies have reported high trace metal concentrations in sandstone aquifers exposed to CO 2 , a cause for concern should stored CO 2 leak into underground sources of drinking water. However, the intensively studied Jurassic sandstone aquifer in the San Rafael–Green River (Utah, USA) area has trace metal concentrations that are within US Environmental Protection Agency's limits for drinking water. Exceptions are As which is plausibly introduced into the aquifer by saline brines external to the aquifer, and salinity which largely is. This shows that CO 2 in aquifers does not inevitably cause trace metal contamination. CO 2 –water–rock batch experiments elucidated the controls on the trace metal concentrations. After the addition of CO 2 , the experiments reproduce Cu, Cd, Hg, Ni and Zn well, with less good agreement for Cr and Pb although these are still low compared to drinking water standards. Major cations used as fingerprints for mobilization mechanisms suggest that the trace metals are largely derived by desorption, possibly from grain-coating Fe-oxides, rather than by the dissolution of mineral phases. Possible exceptions are Pb and Ni, plus As which is derived from saline brines.

Hydrogeochemical Characteristics, Water Quality, and Human Health Risks of Groundwater in Wulian, North China

Groundwater shortage and pollution are critical issues of global concern. In Wulian County, a typical hilly area, groundwater is the main source of water supply. This study investigates the current situation of groundwater pollution in Wulian City through the analysis of groundwater water chemistry characteristics, water quality evaluation, and health risk evaluation. After the analysis of the controlling factors of chemical components in groundwater and the analysis of ion sources, the main ion sources in groundwater were determined. The results showed that the major cations in groundwater were Ca2+ and Na+ and the major anions were HCO3− and SO42−. Nevertheless, NO3− exceeded the standard to different degrees in pore water (PW), fissure pore water (FPW), and fissure water (FW). The minimum NO3− concentration exceeded the standard in FW. Under the influence of rock weathering and salt rock dissolution, the main hydrochemical types of groundwater were the HCO3-Ca, HCO3-Ca·Mg, and SO4·Cl-Ca·Mg types. According to the water quality evaluation and health risk assessment, the FW area in the south had the highest water quality, where Class I water appeared and potable water was more widely distributed. The PW and FPW areas in the north had lower water quality, with higher health risks. Category V water gradually appeared in the FPW area, which is not suitable as a water supply source. Factor analysis and ion ratio analysis showed that the study area is strongly affected by anthropogenic factors. These research methods have important reference value to the research of groundwater pollution status.

Hydrogeochemical processes of critical zone developed in Tégulines Clay, Paris Basin: Hydrogeochemical and multi-isotopic approach (δ13C, δD, δ18O, 87Sr/86Sr and 14C)

Water transfers and processes governing the chemistry of groundwaters and clay pore waters were investigated in the critical zone developed in Tégulines Clay in the area of Brienne-Le-chateau, at east of the Aube alluvium plain (France). A pit-digging campaign along two-stepped west-facing hillslopes along the Brevonne valley and the Aube/Brevonne paleo-valley gives evidence of a thin Quaternary clay silty and carbonate-free loams overlying Tégulines Clay, mobile regolith along the slopes and the presence of a carbonate alluvium layer in pits of the Brevonne valley. Groundwaters at the first ridgetop attest of a temporary perched water table, while groundwaters at top of Tégulines Clay along the first west-facing steep slope toward the Brevonne River provide evidence of lateral groundwater transfers and runoff of waters toward the valley which is a discharge zone belonging to the present-day Aube alluvium plain. Groundwaters have low concentrations of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS < 600 mg/L) and are calcic-carbonate waters. Their δ18O and δD of groundwaters are consistent with local meteoric values. An 18O and D enrichment in groundwaters at the bottom of the second hillslope and in waters from reservoirs indicates evaporation processes. The δ13CCO2 of dissolved inorganic carbone in groundwaters is essentially due to degradation of organic matter. The composition of the pore waters from Tégulines Clay in boreholes are chemically heterogeneous and different from groundwaters. They are Ca-Mg-SO4-rich and show a large range of TDS concentrations (592–6457 mg/L). The highest values are measured in the most intensely weathered clay developed in the first 10–15 m under the first ridge top and the low east-facing slope of the Aube/Brevonne paleo-valley. This latter seems to represent a large intermediate discharge zone between the coarse ridgetops (recharge zones) and the current Aube alluvium plain. The δ18O and δD of pore waters are alined along the local meteoric water line, indicating that meteoric waters have diffused through the clay formation during post-depositional history and replaced original connate seawater. On contrary the 87Sr/86Sr ratios of pore waters remain almost similar to that of Lower Cretaceous seawater, suggesting a limited diffusion of Sr since the formation deposition. Toward the top of the formation in the Aube/Brevonne paleovalley, major cation and anion concentrations, 18O and D enrichment and a slight increase of the 87Sr/86Sr ratios suggest the diffusion of evaporated waters. The δ13C, δ18O,87Sr/86Sr ratios and 14C activity of concretions at top of Tégulines Clay show that they precipitated from evaporated old groundwaters, the oldest one at ∼ 34 ky in the TPH2-1 pit at the ridgetop of the second hillslope and a younger age of ∼ 8 ky in the TV4-1 pit.

Geoquímica e processos hidroquímicos de águas subterrâneas no aquífero Egbako, Bacia de Bida do Norte, Nigéria

ABSTRACT Thirty-five groundwater samples from the aquifer were collected and analyzed for major cations and anions to understand the groundwater chemistry and hydrochemical processes in the Egbako aquifer. Laboratory studies identified the major ions while the results were analyzed using different graphical methods and ionic plots. The abundance of the major cations and anions are Ca2+&gt;K+&gt;Na+&gt;Mg2+ and HCO3-&gt;NO3-&gt;Cl-&gt;SO42- respectively. The dominant hydrochemical facies are calcium-bicarbonate (Ca-HCO3), sodium-bicarbonate (Na-HCO3) and mixed calcium-sodium bicarbonate (Ca-Na-HCO3) water types. Interpretation of bivariate and scatter plots indicate silicate weathering, simple dissolution and ion exchange as the dominant processes in the aquifer. Saturation indices reveals evaporites (halite, gypsum and anhydrite) undersaturation, supersaturation in most samples with respect to silicates (quartz and kaolinite) and few samples for carbonate (calcite, aragonite, dolomite). Assessment of the water quality indicate that they are chemically suitable for human consumption except in the agricultural fields of southwestern areas where high nitrate concentration is present.

Development of low-phytate maize inbred lines through marker-assisted introgression of lpa1

Context Phytic acid is the major storage form of phosphorus in cereals and is considered an anti-nutritional factor because it chelates major mineral micronutrient cations, resulting in micronutrient malnutrition in humans. For monogastric animals fed maize (Zea mays L.) grains, the stored phosphorus does not release into the digestive tract, leading to phosphorus deficiency and environmental pollution. Aims The aim of the study was to develop maize lines with a lower level of phytic acid that might substantially enhance the nutritional value of maize. Methods The lpa1 mutant allele conferring low phytic acid was transferred into the parental lines of popular maize hybrid DMH 121 (i.e. BML 6 and BML 45) through marker-assisted backcross breeding. Foreground selection was performed using a co-dominant single nucleotide polymorphism marker through a high-resolution melting approach, and background selection was undertaken using 50–55 polymorphic sequence-tagged microsatellite site markers. Key results Near-isogeneic lines were produced with &gt;90% recurrent parental genome and reduction of phytic acid content by up to 44–56% compared with the original lines. Conclusions The near-isogeneic lines carrying lpa1 can be used to reconstitute DHM 121 with low phytate content. Implications The low-phytate maize hybrids produced can be useful in reducing micronutrient malnutrition in humans, as well as environmental pollution.

The 1st method Parfait-Hounsinou used for the detection of saltwater intrusion in groundwater

This study presents the 1st method Parfait-Hounsinou, a method that makes it very easy to detect saltwater intrusion in groundwater. The method relies on the commonly sampled ion concentrations. This method involves several steps, namely: Chemical analyzes to determine the concentrations of majors ions and TDS in groundwater, production and study of the spatial distribution of chemical parameters in groundwater (TDS, Cl−…), delimitation of a probable area of saltwater intrusion in groundwater and the production and the study of spie chart where area of pie slices represents ions contents or group of ions content in the groundwater sample of the probable area of the saltwater intrusion in groundwater and radius length represents the Relative Content Index. The method is applied to groundwater data collected from the municipality of Abomey-Calavi in Benin. The method is also compared to other methods used for saltwater intrusion including the Scholler-Berkaloff and Stiff diagrams and the Revelle Index. Comparatively to Scholler-Berkaloff and Stiff diagrams, the 1st method Parfait –Hounsinou, at spie chart level, the area of pie slices make it easier to compare the major cations between them and the majors anions between them and the Relative Content Index of the chloride ion allows further confirmation of the saltwater intrusion and its extent.•There are frequent saltwater intrusion into groundwater which are important freshwater reserves for our planet.•Governments around the world should delineate the levels of ocean intrusion into groundwater using scientific methods such as this method and seek to limit this saltwater intrusion.•In this article we have proposed a simple and reliable method based on a series of irrefutable proofs of saltwater intrusion into groundwater.

Hydrochemical evolution processes of multiple-water quality interfaces (fresh/saline water, saline water/brine) on muddy coast under pumping conditions.

A thorough understanding of the evolution of coastal brine-bearing groundwater systems under the influence of human activities contributes to the sustainable use of coastal groundwater resources. Therefore, this study comprehensively investigated the processes associated with hydrochemical changes in groundwater during brine exploitation based on long-term monitoring data. The dataset comprised 102 samples (including groundwater, seawater, rain and river samples) collected from 1966 to 2021 to capture the hydrochemical variability. Significant changes in the brine water table and concentration between the pre-overexploitation period (1965-2000) and the exploitation period (2000-2021) are observed. From the relationship between stable isotope (δ18O and δ2H) values and Cl- contents, shallow saline water (SSW) near the drawdown cone (with δ18O and δ2H values of -4.66 ‰ ~ -3.57 ‰ and - 42.1 ‰ ~ -32.8 ‰, respectively) is similar geochemically to the brine inside the drawdown cone (with values of -4.30 ‰ ~ -3.10 ‰ and - 39.0 ‰ ~ -32.3 ‰, respectively), indicating that the SSW has a recharge effect on the underground brine. The delta values of major cations were calculated to analyze the hydrochemical processes at different water quality interfaces (saline/freshwater interface, salinewater/brine interface). The results demonstrated that the SSW and deep saline water (DSW) at the offshore brine/saline water interface undergo seawater intrusion, where SSW undergoes a salinization process with cation exchange (Na+ is exchanged for Ca2+ and Mg2+ in clay), while DSW undergoes a freshening process. The SSW at the saline/freshwater interface is affected by freshwater pumping, and the DSW undergoes a salinization process influenced by brine intrusion presenting the common salinization process with cation exchange. The hydrochemical model shows that the brine concentration recovered during the restricted exploitation stage due to the dissolution of gypsum and halite. If no measures are taken to restrict exploitation, then brine will eventually be replaced by saline water.

SOURCE IDENTIFICATION AND VARIATION IN THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF RAINWATER IN THE COASTAL AND INDUSTRIAL AREAS: A CASE STUDY OF IKOT ABASI, SOUTH-EASTERN NIGERIA

Studies on precipitation Chemistry were carried out with the aim to understand the nature and sources of rainwater at Utaewa (Location 1), a coastal village and Ikpetim, near Ibom Power Station (Location 2), all in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area, southern, Nigeria. These locations respectively represent the coastal and industrial regions. The rainwater samples, collected at these locations, were analyzed for major cations, anions, electrical conductivity and pH with the aim of identification of variation in the physiochemical compositions of the rainwater samples. The analysis of the rainwater samples gave a pH at locations 1 and 2 as 5.62 ± 0.26 and 5.77± 0.25 respectively during the wet season, while the pH of the rainwater at locations 1 and 2 during dry season were 5.41 ± 0.14 and 5.84 ± 0.21 respectively. The pH values indicated acidic water and were below the World Health Organisation (WHO) Standard of 6.5 to 8.5, but close to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) optimum pH value of 5.6 for rainwater from unpolluted continental areas. The predominance of 𝐶𝑙−and𝑁𝑎+ were observed in the coastal environment whereas, calcium, sulphate, nitrate and ammonium ions predominate in industrial environment where there are power generating plants, Aluminium smelting company and gas station. The total anion (37.9%) at Utaewa is less influenced by anthropogenic activities whereas total anion (72.5%) at Ikpetim, near Power Plant is influenced by pollutants emitted by anthropogenic activities. The ratio:𝐻+/(NO3- + SO42-) was observed as 0.04 and 0.008 for Utaewa and Ikpetim respectively, which are close to zero, indicating that 99 % of acidity in the rainwater is neutralized in the study area with no consequence of acidity impact on the soil, surface waters and groundwater in the study area. Ca2+ , K+ and Na+ play important roles in neutralization of acidic ions in rainwater. For source identification, correlation matrix analysis was established, which showed that at locations 1 and 2,strong correlation exists between the acidic ions SO42- and NO3-, indicating their origin from anthropogenic activities. This is viewed to be attributed to the similarity in their behaviour in precipitation and the co-emissions of their precursors, which are SO2 and NO2. The major ion enrichment factors (EF) followed the order at location 1 during the dry season;𝐶𝑎2+𝑁𝑎+⁄ (8.58) &gt;𝐾+𝑁𝑎+⁄ (4.32) &gt;𝑆𝑂42−𝑁𝑎+⁄ (0.68) &gt;𝐶𝑙−𝑁𝑎+⁄ (0.11), while the enrichment factor (EF ) during the wet season at location 1 followed the order , 𝐶𝑎2+𝑁𝑎+⁄ (11.92 )&gt;𝐾+𝑁𝑎+⁄ (3.78) &gt;𝑆𝑂42−𝑁𝑎+⁄ (0.88) &gt;𝐶𝑙−𝑁𝑎+⁄ (0.11).

MONITORING SEASONAL VARIATION IN GROUND WATER QUALITY AND EVALUATION OF ITS SUITABILITY FOR IRRIGATION IN THE NIMRUD AREA SOUTH –EAST OF MOSUL –IRAQ

Sixteen water wells have been chosen in different locations within Nimrud district, to study the variation of ground water quality during the dry and the wet season. Analysis including salinity, pH, temperature, total hardness, major cations and anions were performed. Ground water salinity (EC) has significant variation and ranged from (0.81 to 5.82) and (0.88 to 5.77) ds m-1 in dry and wet seasons respectively. About 75% of water samples have a higher EC in the wet season compared with the dry season. All samples are very hard water class. Half of the wells have higher calcium and chloride concentration in the wet season than in the dry season. Two third of samples have higher Magnesium in the dry season than the wet season. Around 87% of wells have higher sodium and potassium in the wet season than dry season. About three quarters of wells have a higher sulphate in the wet season in compared with the dry season. About 80 % of samples have a higher nitrate concentration in the dry season compared to the wet season. Water quality for irrigation has been evaluated using several parameters. All samples fall into three category groups, C4S1, C4S2 and C3S1 according to the US salinity diagram.

Assessment of deep aquifer groundwater quality in a geographically unique climatic region of Southern Western Ghats, India using water quality indices

AbstractWater quality index (WQI) models are generally used in hydrochemical studies to simplify complex data into single values to reflect the overall quality. In this study, deep groundwater quality in the Chittur and Palakkad Taluks of the Bharathapuzha river basin of Kerala, India, was assessed by employing the WQI method developed by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME). The assessment of overall water quality is indispensable due to the specific characteristics of the study area, such as geography, climate, over‐drafting, and prevalent agricultural practices. Forty representative samples were collected from the study area for monsoon (MON) and pre‐monsoon (PRM) seasons. The results showed a general increase of contents from MON to PRM. The major cations were spread in the order Ca2+&gt;Na+&gt;Mg2+&gt;K+ and the anions HCO3−&gt;Cl−&gt;CO32− based on their relative abundance. Among various parameters analysed, alkalinity and bicarbonate levels during MON were comparatively high, which is indicative of carbonate weathering, and 90% of the samples failed to meet the World Health Organization (WHO, 2017)/Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS, 2012) drinking water guidelines. The CCME WQI analysis revealed that nearly 50% of the samples during each season represented good and excellent categories. The samples in the poor category comprised 10% in MON and 15% in PRM. The overall WQI exhibited 15% of poor category samples as well. The spatial depiction of CCME WQI classes helped to expose zones of degraded quality in the centre to eastward parts. The spatial and temporal variations of CCME WQI classes and different physicochemical attributes indicated the influence of common factors attributing to the deep groundwater quality. The study also revealed inland salinity at Kolluparamba and Peruvamba stations, where agricultural activities were rampant with poor surface water irrigation.

Assessment and Prediction of the Water Quality Index for the Groundwater of the Ghiss-Nekkor (Al Hoceima, Northeastern Morocco)

Water quality index (WQI) is the primary method applied to characterize water quality in the world. The current study employed the statistical analysis and multilayer perceptron (MLP) approaches for predicting groundwater quality in the Ghiss-Nekkor aquifer, northeast of Al Hoceima, Morocco. Fifty sampled groundwater were identified and analyzed for major anions and cations throughout May 2019. Several physicochemical parameters of all the samples were identified in this investigation, such as TDS, pH, EC, Na, K, Ca, Mg, HCO3, NO3, Br, SO4, and Cl. The entropy-weighted groundwater quality index (EWQI) was calculated from these parameters. The WQI procedure determined the suitability of groundwater for consumption. The WQI value varied from 90.98 to 337.28. The EC, TDS, WQI, and Cl− spatial distribution showed that EC and Cl− are associated with poor groundwater quality. A single sample (W16) represented unsuitable water for drinking purposes and offered a WQI value of 337.28, indicating poor drinking quality due to seawater intrusion, overexploitation, and harsh weather conditions. The majority of the values obtained for the parameters exceeded the recommended limit of the World Health Organization (WHO)’s guidelines for consumption. The findings show that using parameters is a straightforward method for predicting water quality indexes with sufficient and suitable precision. The MLP model shows good predictive performances in terms of the coefficient of determination R2, mean absolute error (MAE), and root-mean-square error (RMSE) with values of 0.9885, 5.8031, and 4.7211, respectively. The ANN approach was applied to develop a model that can accurately predict WQI utilizing mineralization, TH, NO3, and NO2 as inputs. The MAE for the model’s performance was calculated to be 4.72. A Bland–Altman test was used to validate that the model is suitable. Following the test, it was determined that the model is appropriate for predicting WQI, with an error of just 0.1%.

Hydrogeochemistry, solute source identification, and health risk assessment of groundwater of cancer-prone region in India

Abstract The Bathinda district of Punjab, India has been reported with the highest per capita number of cancer patients. Groundwater is the major source of drinking and irrigation in the district. The hydrogeochemical analysis indicated Na-HCO3 and Na-SO4/Cl type water in the district, and rock-water interaction and irrigation return flow influenced the major cations. Only 10% of samples were in the very poor category for drinking purposes, which increased to 95% in the post-monsoon period due to elevated U, As, Ni, F and NO3 concentrations. Further, the average cumulative risk posed by the contaminants in the drinking water was &amp;gt;1 for almost all the samples indicating a higher risk of non-cancerous health issues. The average carcinogenic risk to males, females, and children due to ingestion of groundwater laden with As, Ni, Cr, and Pb was 1643 × 10−6, 1415 × 10−6, and 3066 × 10−6 during pre-monsoon and 2091 × 10−6, 1802 × 10−6, and 3904 × 10−6 during post-monsoon period respectively. The principal component analysis (PCA) indicated NO3 of anthropogenic origin and other contaminants of geogenic origin, and nitrate further influences the mobilization of U. Removal of U, As, Ni, F, and NO3 from the groundwater samples will help in changing the status of 100% and 85% of groundwater samples to the low-risk category for pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods respectively.

Arsenic in groundwater from Southwest Bangladesh: Sources, water quality, and potential health concern

Arsenic (As) poisoning in groundwater has become one of the greatest environmental concerns around the world. In this study, As concentration in the groundwater samples (depth: 52–70 m) of southwestern Bangladesh was evaluated using Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS) to know the current status, possible source(s), and probable health risk of As. In addition, the other relevant water quality parameters (pH, temperature, EC, TDS, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl−, NO3−, SO42−, HCO3−, Fe, and Mn) were also measured using various instruments such as portable bench meter, Flame photometer, AAS, and Ion Chromatograph to evaluate the suitability of the water for drinking and irrigation purposes. Arsenic concentration (μg L−1) ranged from 13.10 to 292 (mean ± SD: 156.9 ± 100.31), which is alarmingly, and 15 times higher than the WHO recommended value for drinking water. pH values of collected groundwater samples ranged from 7.17 to 8.09, which exhibits a lightly alkaline nature. The average abundance of major cation follows the order of Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Na+ > K+, and the average abundance of major anions follows the order of HCO3− > Cl− > NO3− > SO42−, with Ca2+and HCO3− being the dominant cation and anion, respectively. Based on water quality assessments utilizing the water quality index and entropy water quality index, the groundwater in the region of interest was not suitable for drinking or irrigation purposes. The Piper tri-linear diagram suggests the dominant water type in the study area was the Ca-HCO3 type, where Ca and HCO3− are the principal cations and anions, respectively. A bivariate analysis of different hydro-chemical parameters revealed that silicate weathering controls the hydrogeochemical processes in groundwater. Principal component and hierarchical cluster analysis indicate As in groundwater are geogenic in origin under reductive dissolution processes. The moderate correlation between As, Fe, and Mn indicate reductive dissolution of FeOOH and MnOOH plays a vital role in releasing As from sediment to groundwater. Probable cancer risk assessment for both adults and children revealed a higher value than the recommended value of 10−6 according to United Nations Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), suggesting that people in the area of interest were at high carcinogenic risk.

Reckoning Groundwater Quality and Hydrogeochemical Processes for Drinking and Irrigation Purposes under the Influence of Anthropogenic Activities, North India

The present study was carried out near an industrial area with a high-density urban population and large-scale agricultural activities. These anthropogenic activities lead to groundwater pollution and depletion of the water table. This study attempted to classify pollution sources and hydrochemical facies that help to ensure the suitability of water for agriculture and drinking. Irrigation suitability indexes, water quality index (WQI), principal component analysis (PCA), and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were applied to twenty-six groundwater samples that were analysed during May 2018 for major cations and anion concentrations. The results revealed that the mechanism of groundwater chemistry has been controlled by the evaporation process with the dominance of hydrochemical facies viz., Ca-Mg-HCO3, Na-K-Cl-SO4, Ca-Mg-Cl, and Na-K-HCO3. The mean dominant concentration for cations is in the order of Ca2+ &gt; Na+ &gt; Mg2+ &gt; K+ while anions are HCO3− &gt; SO4− &gt; Cl− &gt; NO3− &gt; CO32− &gt; F−. Irrigation suitability indexes indicated that groundwater in the study area is high in saline and low to medium alkali hazards due to industrial activities. The PCA and HCA also recognized that most of the variations are elucidated by anthropogenic processes, predominantly due to excessive population, industrial emissions, and agricultural activities. Further, the WQI of the study area suggested that 15% of the samples were unsuitable, 69% poor, and the remaining 16% only suitable for drinking purposes. The present article helps to understand the suitability and hydrochemical processes of groundwater for irrigation and drinking, which will help policymakers in water supply planning and management.

Evaluation of water quality and its non-cancer risk in the rural environment of Bundelkhand region: geochemical and statistical approaches

ABSTRACT The Bundelkhand region of Central India has been facing increasing severity of droughts, water-level depletion and deterioration in water quality. In this perspective, an attempt has been made for a qualitative evaluation of surface and groundwater resources belonging to the rural environment of this region to understand the contaminant’s source and probable human health risk due to the intake of the available water. The water samples collected from this region were analysed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), turbidity, total hardness (TH), major anions (F−, Cl−, HCO3 −, SO4 2−, NO3 −) and major cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+). The observations revealed a near-neutral to slightly alkaline nature of the studied water samples. The computed water quality index implies that around 82% water samples are of good to excellent category for drinking uses. Turbidity, TDS, TH and NO3 − were identified as the major parameters which violate the limits of drinking water. Geochemical investigations in association with multivariate statistical analysis identify carbonate weathering in coordination with the ion-exchange process as the major hydrogeochemical mechanism controlling the solute chemistry and concentrations of TH, TDS, HCO3 −, F−, Ca2+, Mg2+ and Na+. On the contrary NO3 −, Cl−, SO4 2− and K+ were strongly associated with anthropogenic activities. Water at most of the locations expresses positive saturation indices with respect to calcite and dolomite minerals, inferring the precipitation of these mineral phases. Sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and percent sodium (%Na) values show a low alkali hazard and water can be used safely for irrigation purposes. However, high salinity in 39% of the water samples makes it unfit for application in agricultural fields. The non-carcinogenic hazard indices (HI) calculated by adding hazard quotient values of NO3 − and F− for child, adult male and female population show that more than 64% of the water samples are deemed to be unfit for human consumption.