Hydrogeochemistry and quality of groundwater of coastal unconfined aquifer in Amol-Ghaemshahr plain, Mazandaran Province, Northern Iran

Khairy, H. and Janardhana, M. R. (2014) Hydrogeochemistry and quality of groundwater of coastal unconfined aquifer in Amol-Ghaemshahr plain, Mazandaran Province, Northern Iran. Environmental Earth Sciences, 71 (11). pp. 4767-4782. ISSN 1866-6299

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Abstract

Groundwater of the unconfined aquifer (1,100 sq. km) of a two-tier coastal aquifer located in the Amol-Ghaemshahr plain, Mazandaran Province, Northern Iran, is classified into fresh and brackish water types. Fresh groundwater (FGW) samples (n = 36) are characterized by Ca2+> Na+> Mg2+> K+ and HCO3 - > Cl- > SO4 2- > NO3 -. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient matrices, factor analysis data, values of the C-ratio (av. = 0.89) and CAI and values of the molar ratios of Ca2+/HCO3 -, Ca2+/SO4 2-, Mg2+/HCO3 - and Mg2+/SO4 2- indicate that the ionic load in the FGW is derived essentially from carbonic acid-aided weathering of carbonates and aluminosilicates, saline/sea water trapped in the aquifer sediments (now admixed with the groundwater) and ion exchange reactions. Values of the CAI and Na+/Cl- molar ratio suggest that the part of the Ca2+ (±Mg2+) content in 23 FGW samples is derived from clay minerals of the aquifer matrix, and part of the Na+ content in 20, 12, and 3 FGW samples is derived, respectively, from alkali feldspar weathering, clay minerals of the aquifer matrix and rain water and/or halite. Brackish groundwater (BGW) samples (n = 4) contain Cl- as the dominant anion and their average total ionic concentration (38.65 meq/L) is 1.79 times higher than that of the FGW samples (21.50 meq/L). BGW pockets were generated by non-conservative mixing of FGW with the upconed saline water from the underlying saline groundwater zone of the semi-confined aquifer along bore wells involved in excessive extraction of groundwater from the unconfined aquifer. Groundwater belongs essentially to "high salinity, low sodium" irrigation water class.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Iran, chemical composition, Calcium, sodium, Sodium, water quality, Irrigation, Hydrochemistry, salinity, Aquifers, coastal aquifer, Groundwater geochemistry, hydrogeochemistry, Mazandaran, Clay minerals, Amol, Brackish ground water, Carbon dioxide, chemical weathering, clay mineral, Coastal unconfined aquifers, groundwater abstraction, Groundwater resources, Hydro geochemistries, ion exchange, Ion exchange reactions, Ionic concentrations, Mazandaran provinces, mixing, Northern Iran, Qaem Shahr, saline intrusion, solute transport, Spearman's rank correlation coefficients, unconfined aquifer, Weathering
Subjects:	F Earth Science > Geology
Divisions:	Department of > Earth Science
Depositing User:	Arshiya Kousar Library Assistant
Date Deposited:	03 Sep 2019 10:40
Last Modified:	03 Sep 2019 10:40
URI:	http://eprints.uni-mysore.ac.in/id/eprint/3706

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