Isotopic and Hydrogeochemical Signatures in Evaluating Groundwater Quality in the Coastal Area of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

  • Tran Dang An
  • Maki Tsujimura
  • Vo Le Phu
  • Doan Thu Ha
  • Nguyen Van Hai
Conference paper
First Online:

Abstract

In the 21st century, fresh water scarcity is perhaps one of the biggest challenges in many coastal regions worldwide due to the rapid population growth, fast urbanization and unpredictable impacts of global climate change. Given this context, the identification of groundwater status is a crucial task for sustainable groundwater use and management practices in coastal areas around the world. This work, conducted in coastal areas of Soc Trang province, is an effort to assess groundwater quality and its controlling factors in a coastal area of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. In this study, we investigate groundwater quality based on chemical parameters, stable isotopes (δ18O, δ2H) and saturation indices (SI). The study showed that groundwater in the study area is mainly classified into four groups: Na-Cl, Na-Mg-Ca-HCO3, Na-Mg-Ca-HCO3-SO4 and Na-HCO3-Cl. Groundwater quality might be substantially controlled by the rock-water interaction, particularly by mineral dissolution and ion-exchange process. Further, the stable isotopes and saturation indices depict the origin of salt water presenting in the aquifers because of three factors, including paleo-saline water dissolution at deeper aquifers, seawater intrusion into shallow aquifers and saline water diffusion at middle aquifers. This result suggests that the characteristics of hydrogeology, inappropriate groundwater pumping activities and change of hydrological regimes might be the main driving forces of disturbance groundwater flow systems and expansion of saline boundary in the coastal areas of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta.

Keywords

Stable isotopes Hydrogeochemistry Groundwater quality Soc Trang Mekong Delta 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their gratefulness to University of Tsukuba, Japan for providing necessary facilities for this research. We also would like to thank the Thuyloi University, Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Soc Trang Province, Vietnam for their support during the field surveys between 2013 and 2014. Our thankfulness also is extended to Dr. Bui Tran Vuong, Vice Director of the Division for Water Resources and Planning for South Vietnam, and Mr. Nguyen Van Chanh, Mr. Thach Hoang Linh the hydro-geological specialists in Soc Trang province for their kind supports. Particularly, we would like to address special thanks to Japanese Grant Aid for Human Resources Development Scholarship (JDS program) and MEXT scholarship for supporting successful completion of this study.

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Copyright information

© Springer International Publishing AG 2018

Authors and Affiliations

  • Tran Dang An
    • 1
    • 2
  • Maki Tsujimura
    • 1
  • Vo Le Phu
    • 3
  • Doan Thu Ha
    • 4
  • Nguyen Van Hai
    • 2
  1. 1.School of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of TsukubaTsukubaJapan
  2. 2.Department of Water Resources Engineering and EnvironmentThuyloi UniversityHo Chi Minh CityVietnam
  3. 3.Faculty of Environment and Natural ResourcesHo Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT) – VNU HCMHo Chi Minh CityVietnam
  4. 4.Department of Water Supply and Drainage SystemThuyloi UniversityHanoiVietnam

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