Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Geostatistical techniques to evaluate groundwater contamination and its sources in Miryang City, Korea

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Miryang City has high seasonal variations in precipitation and small number of surface reservoirs. It uses much groundwater for living and irrigation purposes. This study delineates the characteristics and the controlling factors of groundwater contamination using multivariate statistical analyses and kriging method. GIS spatial maps showed that groundwater contamination was occurred mainly in the central and southern areas and partly in the southwestern and northern areas. It may be attributed to the effect of residual saline water, irrigation, livestock wastes and municipal sewage. Ca-HCO3 water type was the most predominant in the groundwater of the study area. Ca-Cl2, Na-Cl and Na-HCO3 water types were dominant in order, due to the influence of residual saline water and anthropogenic activity. Geostatistical techniques were applied to classify the groundwater samples and to identify the geochemical processes and sources controlling the groundwater geochemistry. The scatter diagrams of factor score versus topographic elevation and groundwater level represented that groundwater was influenced by saline water and NO3-N at <85 m of well elevation. The areas and degrees of groundwater contamination were understood from the spatial distribution maps of factor scores versus groundwater level. Chemical characteristics and contamination sources of groundwater were identified from cluster and factor analyses. Kriging method was useful for the production of distribution maps showing the degree and location of groundwater contamination. Thus, geostatistical techniques including factor analysis, cluster analysis and kriging method played very important roles in evaluating groundwater contamination and identifying contamination sources.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adepelumi AA, Ako BD, Ajayi TR, Afolabi O, Omotosa EJ (2009) Delineation of saltwater intrusion into the freshwater aquifer of Lekki Peninsula, Logas, Nigeria. Environ Geol 56:927–933

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amer AM (1995) Saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers. Water Resour Manag 2:521–529

    Google Scholar 

  • American Public Health Association (APHA) (1995) Standard methods for the examination for water and wastewater, 19th edn. Public Health Association, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  • Andreasen D, Fleck W (1997) Use of bromide: chloride ratios to differentiate potential sources of chloride in a shallow, unconfined aquifer affected by brackish-water intrusion. Hydrogeol J 5:17–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anithamary I, Ramkumar T, Venkatramanan S (2012) Application of statistical analysis for the hydrogeochemistry of saline groundwater in Kodiakarai, Tamilnadu, India. J Coast Res 28:89–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbecot F, Marlin C, Gibert E, Dever L (2000) Hydrochemical and isotopic characterisation of the Bathonian and Bajocian coastal aquifer of the Caen area (Northern France). Appl Geochem 15:791–805

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Capaccioni B, Didero M, Paletta C, Didero L (2005) Saline intrusion and refreshing in a multilayer coastal aquifer in the Catania Plain (Sicily, Southern Italy): dynamics of degradation processes according to the hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater. J Hydrol 307:1–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chidambaram S, Senthil Kumar G, Prasanna MV, John Peter A, Ramanathan AL, Srinivasamoorthy K (2009) A study on the hydrogeology and hydrogeochemistry of groundwater from different depths in a coastal aquifer: Annamalai Nagar, Tamilnadu, India. Environ Geol 57:59–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chidambaram S, Ramanathan AL, Prasanna MV, Karmegam U, Dheivanayagi V, Ramesh R, Johnsonbabu G, Premchander B, Manikandan S (2010) Study on the hydrogeochemical characteristics in groundwater, post- and pre-tsunami scenario, from Portnova to Pumpuhar, southeast coast of India. Environ Monit Assess 169:553–568

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chung SY, Venkatramanan S, Kim TH, Kim DS, Ramkumar T (2015) Influence of hydrogeochemical processes and assessment of suitability for groundwater uses in Busan City, Korea. Environ Dev Sustain 17:423–441

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis JC (2002) Statistics and data analysis in geology, 3rd edn. Wiley, Hoboken

    Google Scholar 

  • Dragon K (2006) Application of factor analysis to study contamination of a semi-confined aquifer (Wielkopolska Buried Valley aquifer, Poland). J Hydrol 331:272–279

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elampoornam T, Rajmohan N, Abirami L (1999) Hydrochemical studies of artesian well waters in Cauvery Deltaic Area, South India. Indian J Environ Health 41:107–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Farber E, Vengosh A, Gavrieli I, Marie BTD, Mayer B, Polak A, Shavit U (2007) The geochemistry of groundwater resources in the Jordan Valley: impact of the Rift Valley brines. Appl Geochem 22:494–514

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freeze AR, Cherry JA (1979) Groundwater. Prentice-Hall Inc., Englewood Cliffs

    Google Scholar 

  • Giambastiani B, Antonellini M, Oude Essink G, Sturman R (2007) Saltwater intrusion in the unconfined coastal aquifer of Ravenna (Italy): a numerical model. J Hydrol 340:91–104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta S, Mahato A, Roy P, Datta JK (2008) Geochemistry of groundwater, Burdwan District, West Bengal, India. Environ Geol 53:1271–1282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu K, Huang Y, Li H, Li B, Chen D, White RE (2005) Spatial variability of shallow groundwater level, electrical conductivity and nitrate concentration, and risk assessment of nitrate contamination in North China Plain. Environ Int 31:896–903

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jalali M (2007) Hydrochemical identification of groundwater resources and their changes under the impacts of human activity in the Chah Basin in western Iran. Environ Monit Assess 130:347–367

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jeong CH (2001) Effect of land use and urbanization on hydrochemistry and contamination of groundwater from Taejon area, Korea. J Hydrol 253:194–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Journel AG, Huijbregts CH (1978) Mining geostatistics. Academic Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Kass A, Gavrieli I, Yechieli Y, Vengosh A, Starinsky A (2005) The impact of freshwater and wastewater irrigation on the chemistry of shallow groundwater: a case study from the Israeli Coastal Aquifer. J Hydrol 300:314–331

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim TH, Chung SY, Park N, Hamm SY, Lee SY, Kim YB (2012) Combined analyses of chemometrics and kriging for identifying groundwater contamination sources and origins at the Masan coastal area in Korea. Environ Earth Sci 67:1373–1388

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu CW, Jang CS, Liao CM (2004) Evaluation of arsenic contamination potential using indicator kriging in the Yun-Lin aquifer (Taiwan). Sci Total Environ 321:173–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marie A, Vengosh A (2001) Sources of salinity in groundwater from Jericho area, Jordan valley. Groundwater 39:240–248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Melloul LC, Goldenberg AJ (1998) Early-indicator signals of groundwater contamination: the case of seawater encroachment. Environ Geol 33:279–288

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mondal NC, Singh VS, Saxena VK, Prasad RK (2008) Improvement of ground water quality due to fresh water ingress in Potharlanka Island, Krishna delta, India. Environ Geol 55:595–603

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ozler HM (2003) Hydrochemistry and salt-water intrusion in the Van aquifer, East Turkey. Environ Geol 43:759–775

    Google Scholar 

  • Panagopoulos G, Lambrakis N, Tsolis-Katagas P, Papoulis D (2004) Cation exchange processes and human activities in unconfined aquifers. Environ Geol 46:542–552

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piper AM (1953) A graphic procedure in the geochemical interpretation of water analyses. Trans. US Geol Survey. Groundwater Notes, 12 p

  • Prasanna MV, Chidambaram S, Shahul Hameed A, Srinivasamoorthy K (2009) Study of evaluation of groundwater in Gadilam basin using hydrogeochemical and isotope data. Environ Monit Assess 168:63–90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rajmohan N, Elango L, Elampooranam T (1997) Seasonal and spatial variation in magnesium and chloride concentration in groundwater of Nagai Quaid E Milleth District in Tamil Nadu. Indian J Environ Prot 17:448–453

    Google Scholar 

  • Rajmohan N, Al-Futaisi A, Jamrah A (2007) Evaluation of long-term groundwater level data in regular monitoring wells, Barka, Sultanate of Oman. Hydrol Process 21:3367–3379

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramkumar T, Venkatramanan S, Anithamary I, Ibrahim S (2011) Evaluation of hydrogeochemical parameters and quality assessment of the groundwater in Kottur blocks, Tiruvarur district, Tamilnadu, India. Arab J Geosci 6:101–108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saxena VK, Mondal NC, Singh VS (2004) Identification of seawater ingress using Sr and B in Krishna delta, India. Curr Sci 86:586–590

    Google Scholar 

  • Simeonov V, Stratis JA, Samara C, Zachariadis G, Voutsa D, Anthemidis A, Sofoniou M, Kouimtzis T (2003) Assessment of the surface water quality in Northern Greece. Water Res 37:4119–4124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh KP, Malik A, Singh VK, Mohan D, Sinha S (2005) Chemometric analysis of groundwater quality data of alluvial aquifer of Gangetic plain, North India. Anal Chim Acta 550:82–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Subba Rao N, Surya Rao P, Venktram RG, Nagamani M, Vidyasagar G, Satyanarayana N (2012) Chemical characteristics of groundwater and assessment of groundwater quality in Varaha River Basin, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh, India. Environ Monit Assess 184:5189–5214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Terzic J, Markovic T, Pekas Z (2008) Influence of sea-water intrusion and agricultural production on the Blato aquifer, Island of Korcula, Croatia. Environ Geol 54:719–729

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Theodossiou N, Latinopoulos P (2006) Evaluation and optimization of groundwater observation networks using the kriging methodology. Environ Model Softw 21:991–1000

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trabelsi R, Zairi M, Dhia H (2007) Groundwater salinization of the SFAX superficial aquifer, Tunisia. Hydrogeol J 15:1341–1355

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valipour M (2012a) A comparison between horizontal and vertical drainage systems (include pipe drainage, open ditch drainage, and pumped wells) in Anisotropic soils. IOSR J Mech Civil Eng 4:7–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valipour M (2012b) Effect of drainage parameters change on amount of drain discharge in subsurface drainage systems. IOSR J Mech Civil Eng 4:10–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valipour M (2014) Drainage, waterlogging and salinity. Arch Agron Soil Sci 60:1625–1640

    Google Scholar 

  • Venkatramanan S, Ramkumar T, Anithamary I (2012) A statistical approach on hydrogeochemistry of groundwater in Muthupet coastal region, Tamilnadu, India. Carpathian J Earth Environ Sci 7:47–54

    Google Scholar 

  • Venkatramanan S, Chung SY, Ramkumar T, Gnanachandrasamy G, Vasudevan S (2013) A multivariate statistical approaches on physicochemical characteristics of groundwater in and around Nagapattinam district, Cauvery deltaic region of Tamil Nadu, India. Earth Sci Res J 17:97–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Venkatramanan S, Chung SY, Lee SY, Park S (2014) Assessment of river water quality via environmentric multivariate statistical tools and water quality index: a case study of Nakdong River Basin, Korea. Carpathian J Earth Environ Sci 9:125–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Venkatramanan S, Chung SY, Ramkumar T, Rajesh R, Gnanachandrasamy G (2015a) Assessment of groundwater quality using GIS and CCME WQI techniques: a case study of Thiruthuraipoondi city in Cauvery deltaic region, Tamil Nadu, India. Desalin Water Treat. doi:10.1080/19443994.2015.1048740

    Google Scholar 

  • Venkatramanan S, Chung SY, Ramkumar T, Gnanachandrasamy G, Vasudevan S, Lee SY (2015b) Application of GIS and hydrogeochemistry of groundwater pollution status of Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu, India. Environ Earth Sci 73:4429–4442

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Venkatramanan S, Chung SY, Rajesh R, Lee SY, Ramkumar T, Prasanna MV (2015c) Comprehensive studies of hydrogeochemical processes and quality status of groundwater with tools of cluster, grouping analysis, and fuzzy set method using GIS platform: a case study of Dalcheon in Ulsan City. Environ Sci Pollut Res, Korea. doi:10.1007/s11356-015-4290-4

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker BR, Jolly LD, Cook PG (1991) A new chloride leaching approach to the estimation of diffuse recharge following a change in land use. J Hydrol 128:49–67

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Ma T, Luo Z (2001) Geostatistical and geochemical analysis of surface water leakage into groundwater on a regional scale: a case study in the Liulin karst system, northwestern China. J Hydrol 246:223–234

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ward JH (1963) Hierarchical grouping to optimize an objective function. J Am Stat Assoc 58:236–244

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou F, Guo H, Liu Y, Jiang Y (2007) Chemometrics data analysis of marine water quality and source identification in Southern Hong Kong. Mar Pollut Bull 54:745–756

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a Research Grant of Pukyong National University (2015 Year).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Environmental Geosciences, Pukyong National University, 599-1 Daeyeon-dong Nam-gu, Busan, 608-737, Korea

    Senapathi Venkatramanan & Sang Yong Chung

  2. K-Water Institute, Korea Water Resources Corporation, Daejeon, 305-730, Korea

    Tae Hyung Kim & Byung-Woo Kim

  3. Department of Geology, V O Chidambaram College, Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, India

    Sekar Selvam

Authors
  1. Senapathi Venkatramanan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sang Yong Chung
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tae Hyung Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Byung-Woo Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Sekar Selvam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sang Yong Chung.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Venkatramanan, S., Chung, S.Y., Kim, T.H. et al. Geostatistical techniques to evaluate groundwater contamination and its sources in Miryang City, Korea. Environ Earth Sci 75, 994 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-016-5813-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-016-5813-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation