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Hydrogeochemical evolution and groundwater quality assessment in the Dake Lake Basin, Northwest China

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Abstract

This study aims to study hydrochemical characteristics and evolution of groundwater, and to assess suitability for human drinking in Dake Lake Basin, Northwest China. Hierarchical cluster analysis produces two geochemically distinct clusters, C1 and C2, which are dominated by Ca·Mg–HCO3 and Na–HCO3 type, respectively. C1 and C2 belong to shallow local and deep regional flow systems, respectively. Carbonate dissolution and ion exchange process dominate in C1 and C2, respectively. C1 groundwater is not suitable for human drinking due to relatively high NO3− contents caused by agricultural activities; while C2 groundwater is suitable for human consumption.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by Hydrogeological Investigation at 1:50,000 scale in the lake-concentrated areas of the Northern Ordos Basin (Grant DD20160293), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants 41727901 and 41672254). The authors thank Shuo Yang, Zhenbin Li, Tursun Gulbostan, Xiaohu Zhang, Jun Zhang, Xiaoyong Wang, Wuhui Jia, Tiangang Liu, Haixiang Li and Wenhao Xu for their assistance in field work. We also thank two anonymous reviews for their constructive comments and suggestions for improvement.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Shale Gas and Geoengineering, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, ChineseAcademy of Sciences, No. 19 Beitucheng Western Road, Beijing, 100029, China

    Min Lyu, Zhonghe Pang & Tianming Huang

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19 Yuquan Road, 100049, Beijing, China

    Min Lyu, Zhonghe Pang & Tianming Huang

  3. Institutions of Earth Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19 Beitucheng Western Road, Beijing, 100029, China

    Min Lyu, Zhonghe Pang & Tianming Huang

  4. Xi’an Center of Geological Survey, Geological Survey China, No. 438 Youyi Eatern Road, Xi’an, 710054, China

    Lihe Yin

  5. Key Laboratory for Groundwater and Ecology in Arid and Semi-arid Areas, Xi’an Center of Geological Survey, Geological Survey China, No. 438 Youyi Eastern Road, Xi’an, 710054, China

    Lihe Yin

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  1. Min Lyu
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  2. Zhonghe Pang
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Correspondence to Zhonghe Pang.

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Lyu, M., Pang, Z., Huang, T. et al. Hydrogeochemical evolution and groundwater quality assessment in the Dake Lake Basin, Northwest China. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 320, 865–883 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-019-06515-8

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