Abstract
Groundwater salinization has become a growing concern in Yang-Dai River basin of Qinhuangdao (China) where groundwater is commonly exploited for domestic, industrial and agricultural uses. In this study, hydrochemical and physical parameters of groundwater were analyzed to identify the origin of groundwater salinity and the geochemical processes occurring in the unconfined aquifer. Groundwater types are Ca·Mg–HCO3·SO4 in the hills, Ca·Mg–HCO3·SO4 in the piedmont plain and Na–Cl in the coastal alluvial plain, respectively. Electrical conductivity values varied between 322 and 3990 μS/cm. Chloride concentration attained to 942 mg/L and the proportion of seawater intrusion in the coastal alluvial plain was 5.39 % calculated by seawater fraction formal, displaying the severe seawater intrusion. Cation-exchange reactions and water–rock interactions related to the dilution of halite, gypsum, dolomite and calcite occurred by ionic relationships during seawater intrusion. High nitrate concentrations ranged from 35.6 to 686.5 mg/L distributed in the hills and the south coastal alluvial plain where they are seriously polluted by the industrial wastewater, agricultural fertilizers and domestic sewage. Seawater intrusion and nitrate contamination have common effects on the hydrochemical process in the south coastal alluvial plain. Therefore, the origin of groundwater salinization was attributed not only to seawater intrusion but also to anthropogenic pollution in the study area. This research provides useful information for groundwater salinization and water planning strategies in a coastal area.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andersen MS, Nyvang V, Jakobsen R, Postma D (2005) Geochemical processes and solute transport at the seawater/freshwater interface of a sandy aquifer. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 69:3979–3994. doi:10.1016/j.gca.2005.03.017
Appelo CAJ, Postma D (2005) Geochemistry, groundwater and pollution, seconded. Balkema, Rotterdam
Bouchaou L et al (2008) Application of multiple isotopic and geochemical tracers for investigation of recharge, salinization, and residence time of water in the Souss–Massa aquifer, southwest of Morocco. J Hydrol 352:267–287. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2008.01.022
Chae GT et al (2004) Hydrogeochemistry of alluvial groundwaters in an agricultural area: an implication for groundwater contamination susceptibility. Chemosphere 55:369–378. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2003.11.001
Custodio E, Bruggeman GA (1987) Hydrogeochemistry and tracers. In: Custodio E (ed) Groundwater problems in coastal areas studies and reports in hydrology, vol 45. UNESCO, Paris, pp 213–269
de Montety V, Radakovitch O, Vallet-Coulomb C, Blavoux B, Hermitte D, Valles V (2008) Origin of groundwater salinity and hydrogeochemical processes in a confined coastal aquifer: case of the Rhône delta (Southern France). Appl Geochem 23:2337–2349. doi:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2008.03.011
El Yaouti F, El Mandour A, Khattach D, Benavente J, Kaufmann O (2009) Salinization processes in the unconfined aquifer of Bou-Areg (NE Morocco): a geostatistical, geochemical, and tomographic study. Appl Geochem 24:16–31. doi:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2008.10.005
Gime´nez E, Morell I (1997) Hydrogeochemical analysis of salinization processes in the coastal aquifer of Oropesa (Castellon, Spain). Environ Geol 29:118–131
Han Z (1990) Controlling and harnessing of the sea water intrusion in the alluvial plain of Yang River and Dai River in Qinhuangdao. Geoscience 4:105–115
Khaska M et al (2013) Origin of groundwater salinity (current seawater vs. saline deep water) in a coastal karst aquifer based on Sr and Cl isotopes. Case study of the La Clape massif (southern France). Appl Geochem 37:212–227. doi:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2013.07.006
Kouzana L, Mammou AB, Felfoul MS (2009) Seawater intrusion and associated processes: case of the Korba aquifer (Cap-Bon, Tunisia). CR Geosci 341:21–35. doi:10.1016/j.crte.2008.09.008
Mahesha A, Nagaraja SH (1996) Effect of natural recharge on sea water intrusion in coastal aquifers. J Hydrol 174:211–220
Milnes E, Renard P (2004) The problem of salt recycling and seawater intrusion in coastal irrigated plains: an example from the Kiti aquifer (Southern Cyprus). J Hydrol 288:327–343. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2003.10.010
Milnes E, Meilhac C, Yeo D, Renard P, Hunkeler D, Schnegg P, Bourret F (2006) Hydrogeochemical and hydrogeological investigation in the Akrotiri aquifer: identification of multiple salinisation processes and implementation criteria for monitoring networks. SWIM-SWICA
Moussa AB, Zouari K, Oueslati N (2008) Geochemical study of groundwater mineralization in the Grombalia shallow aquifer, north-eastern Tunisia: implication of irrigation and industrial waste water accounting. Environ Geol 58:555–566. doi:10.1007/s00254-008-1530-7
Park S-C, Yun S-T, Chae G-T, Yoo I-S, Shin K-S, Heo C-H, Lee S-K (2005) Regional hydrochemical study on salinization of coastal aquifers, western coastal area of South Korea. J Hydrol 313:182–194. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2005.03.001
Pulido-Leboeuf P (2004) Seawater intrusion and associated processes in a small coastal complex aquifer (Castell de Ferro, Spain). Appl Geochem 19:1517–1527. doi:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2004.02.004
Slama F, Bouhlila R, Renard P (2010) Identification of groundwater salinization sources using experimental, multivariate statistical analysis and numerical modelling tools: case of Korba coastal aquifer (Tunisia). In: XXXVIII IAH congress, groundwater quality sustainability, Krakow, 12–17 Sept
Steinich B, Escolero O, Marín LE (1998) Salt-water intrusion and nitrate contamination in the Valley of Hermosillo and El Sahuaral coastal aquifers, Sonora, Mexico. Hydrogeol J 6:518–526
Stigter TY, Dill AMMC, Ribeiro L, Reis E (2006) Impact of the shift from groundwater to surface water irrigation on aquifer dynamics and hydrochemistry in a semi-arid region in the south of Portugal. Agric Water Manag 85:121–132. doi:10.1016/j.agwat.2006.04.004
Trabelsi R, Zairi M, Dhia HB (2007) Groundwater salinization of the Sfax superficial aquifer, Tunisia. Hydrogeol J 15:1341–1355. doi:10.1007/s10040-007-0182-0
Xiao G, Yang J, Hu Y, Du D (2014) Hydrogeochemical recognition of seawater intrusion processes in Yang River and Dai River coastal plain of Qinhuangdao City. Saf Environ Eng 21:30–39
Zghibi A, Tarhouni J, Zouhri L (2013) Assessment of seawater intrusion and nitrate contamination on the groundwater quality in the Korba coastal plain of Cap-Bon (North-east of Tunisia). J Afr Earth Sc 87:1–12. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2013.07.009
Zhang B (2012) Mechanism of seawater intrusion using hydrochemistry and environmental isotopes in Qinhuangdao Yang Dai Master thesis
Zhang B, Song X, Guo Z, Zhao X (2013) Investigation of the origin and evolution of groundwater in Yang-Dai River Plain by chlorine, oxygen 18 and deuterium. Acta Clientage Circumstantiate 33:2965–2972
Zuo W (2006) Survey and research on seawater intrusion in the Yandaihe Plain of Qinhuangdao City doctoral thesis
Zuo W, Yang Y, Dong Y, Liang M (2009) The numerical study for seawater intrusion in Yanghe and Daihe Coastal Plain of Qinhuangdao City. J Nat Resour 24:2087–2209
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the “Groundwater-environment-social economy coupling mechanism and evaluation system in China” (Project No. 2010CB428805). The authors express their sincere gratitude to Bing Zhang and Xiangmin Sun for their assistance during the fieldwork.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sun, Z., Song, X., Bu, H. et al. Origin of groundwater salinity and hydrochemical processes in an unconfined aquifer: case of Yang-Dai River basin in Qinhuangdao (China). Environ Earth Sci 75, 54 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-4825-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-4825-5