Geo-environmental factors controlling groundwater hydrogeochemistry, salinization and quality in El Qaa plain coastal aquifer, Southwest Sinai, Egypt

Salman A. Salman (), Esmat A. Abou El-Anwar, Sami K. Aita and Ahmed A. Elnazer
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Salman A. Salman: National Research Centre
Esmat A. Abou El-Anwar: National Research Centre
Sami K. Aita: Nuclear Materials Authority
Ahmed A. Elnazer: National Research Centre

Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, 2024, vol. 26, issue 11, No 58, 28609 pages

Abstract: Abstract El Qaa plain is one of the promising areas for agriculture projects, owing to its soil and groundwater resources. So, 14 groundwater samples were collected, chemically analyzed, hydrochemical (ratios, models and plots) and GIS techniques were applied, to evaluate the factors governing this water chemistry and suitability for irrigation. The results indicated the expansion of the agricultural area 8 times in the last 2 decades. The water can be divided into two groups; (A) freshwater (TDS ≤ 1000) in the eastern part of the study area within the clastic weathered basement rocks part of the aquifer, and (B) saline water (TDS > 1000) in the western part within the carbonates and evaporites rich sediments and close to the Gulf of Suez. The deduced factors controlling groundwater chemistry were precipitation, evaporites dissolution, seawater intrusion and ion exchange process. The calculated sodium absorption ratio (SAR) was 2250µS/cm) has salinity hazard and can be used for irrigation on well-permeable soils and salt-tolerant plants. The concentrations of the studied potentially toxic elements (PTEs) were within the permissible limit for irrigation. Expansion in agricultural activities has adverse impact on groundwater quality. So, eco-friendly fertilizers should be applied in this promising area with the application of hydrologic pumping advises to safe aquifer quality from the degradation.

Keywords: Groundwater; Coastal aquifer; Seawater intrusion; PTEs; Arsenic; Land use/Land cover (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1007/s10668-023-03830-9

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