TY - JOUR
T1 - Integrated approach to understand the multiple natural and anthropogenic stresses on intensively irrigated coastal aquifer in the Mediterranean region
AU - Abidi, Jamila Hammami
AU - Elzain, Hussam Eldin
AU - Sabarathinam, Chidambaram
AU - El Fehri, Rihem Mejdoub
AU - Farhat, Boutheina
AU - Ben Mammou, Abdallah
AU - Waterloo, Maarten J.
AU - Yassin, Mohamed A.
AU - Senapathi, Venkatramanan
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2024/7/1
Y1 - 2024/7/1
N2 - Understanding the major factors influencing groundwater chemistry and its evolution in irrigation areas is crucial for efficient irrigation management. Major ions and isotopes (δD-H2O together with δ18O–H2O) were used to identify the natural and anthropogenic factors contributing to groundwater salinization in the shallow aquifer of the Wadi Guenniche Plain (WGP) in the Mediterranean region of Tunisia. A comprehensive geochemical investigation of groundwater was conducted during both the low irrigation season (L-IR) and the high irrigation season (H-IR). The results show that the variation range and average concentrations of almost all the ions in both the L-IR and H-IR seasons are high. The groundwater in both seasons is characterized by high electrical conductivity and CaMgCl/SO4 and NaCl types. The dissolution of halite and gypsum, the precipitation of calcite and dolomite, and Na–Ca exchange are the main chemical reactions in the geochemical evolution of groundwater in the Wadi Guenniche Shallow Aquifer (WGSA). Stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen (δ18O–H2O and δD-H2O) indicate that groundwater in WGSA originated from local precipitation. In the H-IR season, the δ18O–H2O and δD-H2O values indicate that the groundwater experienced noticeable evaporation. The enriched isotopic signatures reveal that the WGSA's groundwater was influenced by irrigation return flow and seawater intrusion. The proportions of mixing with seawater were found to vary between 0.12% and 5.95%, and between 0.13% and 8.42% during the L-IR and H-IR seasons, respectively. Irrigation return flow and the associated evaporation increase the dissolved solids content in groundwater during the irrigation season. The long-term human activities (fertilization, irrigation, and septic waste infiltration) are the main drives of the high nitrate-N concentrations in groundwater. In coastal irrigation areas suffering from water scarcity, these results can help planners and policy makers understand the complexities of groundwater salinization to enable more sustainable management and development.
AB - Understanding the major factors influencing groundwater chemistry and its evolution in irrigation areas is crucial for efficient irrigation management. Major ions and isotopes (δD-H2O together with δ18O–H2O) were used to identify the natural and anthropogenic factors contributing to groundwater salinization in the shallow aquifer of the Wadi Guenniche Plain (WGP) in the Mediterranean region of Tunisia. A comprehensive geochemical investigation of groundwater was conducted during both the low irrigation season (L-IR) and the high irrigation season (H-IR). The results show that the variation range and average concentrations of almost all the ions in both the L-IR and H-IR seasons are high. The groundwater in both seasons is characterized by high electrical conductivity and CaMgCl/SO4 and NaCl types. The dissolution of halite and gypsum, the precipitation of calcite and dolomite, and Na–Ca exchange are the main chemical reactions in the geochemical evolution of groundwater in the Wadi Guenniche Shallow Aquifer (WGSA). Stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen (δ18O–H2O and δD-H2O) indicate that groundwater in WGSA originated from local precipitation. In the H-IR season, the δ18O–H2O and δD-H2O values indicate that the groundwater experienced noticeable evaporation. The enriched isotopic signatures reveal that the WGSA's groundwater was influenced by irrigation return flow and seawater intrusion. The proportions of mixing with seawater were found to vary between 0.12% and 5.95%, and between 0.13% and 8.42% during the L-IR and H-IR seasons, respectively. Irrigation return flow and the associated evaporation increase the dissolved solids content in groundwater during the irrigation season. The long-term human activities (fertilization, irrigation, and septic waste infiltration) are the main drives of the high nitrate-N concentrations in groundwater. In coastal irrigation areas suffering from water scarcity, these results can help planners and policy makers understand the complexities of groundwater salinization to enable more sustainable management and development.
KW - Coastal aquifer
KW - Hydrogeochemistry
KW - Irrigation
KW - Isotopic tracers
KW - Mediterranean region
KW - nitrate contamination
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U2 - 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118757
DO - 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118757
M3 - Article
C2 - 38537744
AN - SCOPUS:85189534426
SN - 0013-9351
VL - 252
JO - Environmental Research
JF - Environmental Research
M1 - 118757
ER -
