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Frontiers of Earth Science

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Front. Earth Sci.    2016, Vol. 10 Issue (2) : 340-351    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-015-0513-8
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Assessment of major ions and heavy metals in groundwater: a case study from Guangzhou and Zhuhai of the Pearl River Delta, China
Yintao LU1,*(),Changyuan TANG2,Jianyao CHEN3,Hong YAO1
1. School of Civil Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China
2. Faculty of Horticulture, Chiba University, Chiba 271-8510, Japan
3. School of Geography and planning, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
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Abstract

Anthropogenic activities in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) have caused a deterioration of groundwater quality over the past twenty years as a result of rapid urbanization and industrial development. In this study, the hydrochemical characteristics, quality, and sources of heavy metals in the groundwater of the PRD were investigated. Twenty-five groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), δ18O, δ2H, major ions, and heavy metals. The groundwater was slightly acidic and presented TDS values that ranged from 35.5 to 8,779.3 mg·L?1. The concentrations of the major ions followed the order Cl->HCO3->Na+>SO42->NO3->NH4+>Ca2+>K+>Mg2+>Fe2+/3+>Al3+. Ca-Mg-HCO3 and Na-K-HCO3 were the predominant types of facies, and the chemical composition of the groundwater was primarily controlled by chemical weathering of the basement rocks, by mixing of freshwater and seawater and by anthropogenic activities. The heavy metal pollution index (HPI) indicated that 64% of the samples were in the low category, 16% were in the medium category and 20% were in the high category, providing further evidence that this groundwater is unsuitable for drinking. Lead, arsenic, and manganese were mainly sourced from landfill leachate; cadmium from landfill leachate and agricultural wastes; mercury from the discharge of leachate associated with mining activities and agricultural wastes; and chromium primarily from industrial wastes. According to the irrigation water quality indicators, the groundwater in the PRD can be used for irrigation in most farmland without strong negative impacts. However, approximately 9 million people in the Guangdong Province are at risk due to the consumption of untreated water. Therefore, we suggest that treating the groundwater to achieve safer levels is necessary.
Keywords Pearl River Delta      groundwater quality      hydrochemical type      sodium salts accumulation      heavy metal pollution     
Corresponding Author(s): Yintao LU   
Just Accepted Date: 22 May 2015   Online First Date: 23 June 2015    Issue Date: 05 April 2016
 Cite this article:   
Yintao LU,Changyuan TANG,Jianyao CHEN, et al. Assessment of major ions and heavy metals in groundwater: a case study from Guangzhou and Zhuhai of the Pearl River Delta, China[J]. Front. Earth Sci., 2016, 10(2): 340-351.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/10.1007/s11707-015-0513-8
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/Y2016/V10/I2/340
Fig.1  Study area, sample sites and geological map. (a) Sample sites; (b) geological map of the study area.
Water quality index Mean Median Min. Max. WHO guideline value (1993, 2011) No. of sample above the stipulated value
pH 6.47 6.36 5.28 7.85 6.5-8.5
TDS/(mg·L?1) 651.25 359.86 35.46 8,779.31 500 4
Pb2+/ (μg·L?1) 1.41 0.10 - 14.15 10 1
Cd2+/(μg·L?1) 0.06 - - 0.55 3 0
Hg1+/2+/(μg·L?1) 1.84 - - 11.55 1 8
As+/(μg·L?1) 0.69 0.30 0.05 4.30 10 0
Mn2+/(μg·L?1) 160.00 120.00 - 740.00 100 13
Cr6+/(μg·L?1) 11.56 9.00 4.00 39.00 50 0
Fe2+/3+/(mg·L?1) 1.40 0.15 - 15.38 0.3 9
Al3+/(mg·L?1) 0.91 0.46 0.13 5.10 0.2 25
Cl-/(mg·L?1) 239.81 28.19 0.16 4,934.25 250 2
H C O - /(mg·L?1) 95.27 92.75 - 245.29 -
S O 4 2 - /(mg·L?1) 56.99 26.17 1.41 629.83 250 1
N O 3 - /(mg·L?1) 52.49 17.22 - 272.11 50 7
Na+/(mg·L?1) 98.03 22.20 5.26 1,711.84 200 1
K+/(mg·L?1) 38.04 9.51 1.60 634.86 -
Mg2+/(mg·L?1) 16.99 3.91 0.23 276.57 -
Ca2+/(mg·L?1) 45.71 40.73 1.42 124.58 -
N H 4 + /(mg·L?1) 45.67 1.95 0.19 1,006.52 1.5 15
Tab.1  Drinking water quality guidelines (WHO) and statistical analysis of chemical component for the groundwater in the PRD (n=25)
Pb Cd Hg As Mn Cr Fe Al Cl HCO3 SO4 NO3 Na K Mg Ca NH4
Pb 1.000
Cd 0.501 1.000
Hg 0.050 ?0.154 1.000
As 0.569 0.342 ?0.234 1.000
Mn ?0.050 ?0.138 ?0.248 0.193 1.000
Cr 0.606 0.371 ?0.021 0.724 ?0.076 1.000
Fe 0.407 0.391 ?0.120 0.718 0.074 0.701 1.000
Al 0.540 0.362 ?0.072 0.766 0.083 0.719 0.969 1.000
Cl ?0.099 ?0.108 ?0.058 ?0.122 0.237 ?0.058 ?0.056 ?0.041 1.000
HCO3 0.027 ?0.119 ?0.339 ?0.005 ?0.038 0.036 0.133 0.100 0.230 1.000
SO4 ?0.109 ?0.053 ?0.098 ?0.181 0.194 ?0.099 ?0.060 ?0.065 0.959 0.359 1.000
NO3 ?0.118 0.042 ?0.009 ?0.259 0.118 ?0.251 ?0.193 ?0.122 0.632 ?0.094 0.564 1.000
Na ?0.098 ?0.102 ?0.065 ?0.124 0.237 ?0.063 ?0.054 ?0.038 0.999 0.228 0.958 0.656 1.000
K ?0.105 ?0.102 ?0.078 ?0.147 0.203 ?0.071 ?0.068 ?0.060 0.994 0.285 0.967 0.625 0.994 1.000
Mg ?0.107 ?0.119 ?0.090 ?0.126 0.272 ?0.079 ?0.063 ?0.045 0.995 0.224 0.956 0.667 0.996 0.988 1.000
Ca ?0.106 ?0.169 ?0.324 ?0.195 0.217 ?0.218 ?0.041 0.011 0.501 0.530 0.562 0.609 0.515 0.501 0.559 1.000
NH4 ?0.092 ?0.097 ?0.049 ?0.117 0.228 ?0.045 ?0.046 ?0.036 0.998 0.244 0.964 0.595 0.996 0.993 0.990 0.472 1.000
Tab.2  Correlation coefficient matrix of water quality parameters (n = 25)
Parameter (n=25) PC1 PC2 PC3 PC4
Mg 0.978 0.151 0.098 ?0.048
Na 0.973 0.160 0.132 ?0.018
K 0.971 0.146 0.109 0.037
Cl 0.969 0.160 0.137 ?0.016
NH4 0.961 0.169 0.143 0.000
SO4 0.956 0.139 0.034 0.101
NO3 0.706 ?0.057 0.192 ?0.074
Ca 0.645 0.030 ?0.503 0.134
Al ?0.176 0.905 ?0.025 0.030
Fe ?0.187 0.874 ?0.078 0.020
As ?0.275 0.836 ?0.059 ?0.236
Cr ?0.232 0.827 0.155 0.102
Pb ?0.219 0.671 0.200 0.171
Cd ?0.186 0.505 0.218 ?0.151
Hg ?0.114 ?0.205 0.731 0.147
HCO3 0.299 0.177 ?0.681 0.526
Mn 0.257 0.135 ?0.283 ?0.828
Latent roots 6.983 3.910 1.569 1.141
Percentage variation 41.08 23.00 9.23 6.71
Tab.3  Factor loadings of each variance
Fig.2  (a) Plot of δ18O and δ2H values of the groundwater. The solid line is the local meteoric water line. (b) Piper diagram of groundwater in the PRD.
Fig.3  Spatial variation maps showing trace element concentration in the study area. (a) Pb/(μg·L?1); (b) As/(μg·L?1); (c) Mn/(mg·L?1); (d) Cd/(μg·L?1); (e) Hg/(μg·L?1); (f) Cr/(μg·L?1); (g) distribution of point and surface source.
Heavy metal Standard permissible value/(μg·LL?1) (Si) Highest desirable value/(μg·L?1) (Ii) Unit weight (Wi)
Pb 50 10 0.02
Cd 10 - 0.1
Hg* 10 - 0.1
As* 10 - 0.1
Mn 500 100 0.002
Cr 50 10 0.02
Tab.4  The main parameters of heavy metal pollution index (HPI)
Fig.4  HPI values for the individual groundwater samples.
Fig.5  (a) Plot of Na% versus electrical conductance (Wilcox diagram); (b) U.S. salinity classification of groundwater for irrigation in the study area.
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