Using hydrochemical signatures to characterize the long-period evolution of groundwater information in the Dagu River Basin, China

doi:10.1007/s11783-021-1393-7

Front. Environ. Sci. Eng.

2021, Vol. 15

Issue (5) : 105 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-021-1393-7

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Using hydrochemical signatures to characterize the long-period evolution of groundwater information in the Dagu River Basin, China

Ziyue Yin, Qing Lin, Shaohui Xu(

)

School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China

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Abstract

• The long-period groundwater evolution was identified by hydrochemical signatures.

• The dominant processes in the groundwater evolution were verified.

• Groundwater quality in the coastal areas was susceptible to deterioration due to SI.

• Groundwater contamination arose from fertilizer, livestock manure & domestic sewage.

The evolution of hydrochemical compositions influenced by long-period interactions between groundwater and the geo-environment is a fundamental issue for exploring groundwater quality and vulnerability. This study systematically investigated the hydrochemical processes and anthropogenic interference occurring in the river basin by bivariate plots, Gibbs diagrams, saturation index, and the major ions ratios. Apparent changes in groundwater hydrochemistry have been observed in the study area, illustrating the origins of major ions are affected by various internal and external factors. Results highlighted that TDS varied from freshwater to brackish water, ranging between 187.90 and 2294.81 mg/L. Ca²⁺ and HCO₃⁻ are the dominant ions in the studied samples. The results gained by Gibbs diagrams, bivariate plots, saturation index, and the major ions ratios demonstrated that minerals dissolution/precipitation, cation exchange, and human inputs play crucial roles in the unconfined aquifers. Moreover, the overuse of nitrogen fertilizer, livestock manure, and industrial/domestic sewage led to nitrate and nitrite contamination and brought significant challenges to the surrounding hydrogeo-environment. The present study could make an unambiguous identification of natural processes and anthropogenic interventions influencing groundwater hydrochemistry’s long-period evolution and create a preliminary strategy for groundwater resources management.

Keywords Groundwater quality Hydrochemical signatures Spatial-temporal variations Water-rock interactions Anthropogenic interventions

Corresponding Author(s): Shaohui Xu

Issue Date: 03 February 2021

Cite this article:

Ziyue Yin,Qing Lin,Shaohui Xu. Using hydrochemical signatures to characterize the long-period evolution of groundwater information in the Dagu River Basin, China[J]. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng., 2021, 15(5): 105.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/10.1007/s11783-021-1393-7
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/Y2021/V15/I5/105

Fig.1 Schematic cross-section exhibiting the lateral variability of stratification in the DRB.

Fig.2 Box-whisker plots for the variations of major ions concentrations in the DRB: (a) the upper reaches, (b) the middle reaches, (c) the lower reaches, and (d) Dagu River Basin.

Fig.3 The spatial-temporal variations of major cations and anions in (a) stage I (2001–2006), (b) stage II (2007–2012), (c) stage III (2013–2017), and (d) the evolution of D TDS values in the DRB. The subscripts reveal the groundwater monitoring series, e.g., TDS₂₀₀₁ indicates the concentrations of TDS in 2001; TDS₂₀₀₂ shows the concentrations of TDS in 2002; and so forth. Besides, the contents of TDS collected from the second monitoring series in 2013 and 2016 are expressed by TDS_2013’ and TDS_2016’.

Fig.4 Piper plot showing the groundwater chemical types in the DRB.

Fig.5 Bivariate plots characterizing the relationships between (a) Na⁺ + K⁺ versus Cl⁻, (b) Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺ versus HCO₃⁻ + SO₄²⁻, and (c) Ca²⁺ versus SO₄²⁻ in the DRB.

Fig.6 Gibbs diagrams of TDS versus weight ratios of (a) (Na⁺ + K⁺)/(Na⁺ + K⁺ + Ca²⁺), and (b) Cl⁻/(Cl⁻ + HCO₃⁻) in the DRB.

Fig.7 Saturation Index (SI) of the selected mineral phases for groundwater samples in the DRB.

Fig.8 Bivariate plots revealing the relationships between saturation index (SI) and major ions: (a) SI Halite versus Na⁺ + K⁺, (b) SI Halite versus Cl⁻, (c) SI Gypsum versus Ca²⁺, (d) SI Gypsum versus SO₄²⁻, (e) SI Anhydrite versus Ca²⁺, (f) SI Anhydrite versus SO₄²⁻, and (g) SI Fluorite versus F⁻ in the DRB.

Fig.9 Bivariate plots characterizing the relationship between (a) (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺) - (HCO₃⁻ + SO₄²⁻) and (Na⁺ + K⁺- Cl⁻), and (b) NO₃⁻/Cl⁻ and Cl⁻ showing the sources of nitrate in the DRB.

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