| Citation: | Abderrazak Errich, Souad El Hajjaji, Mohamed Fekhaoui, Belkheir Hammouti, Khalil Azzaoui, Abdellatif Lamhamdi, Shehdeh Jodeh. Seawater Intrusion and Nitrate Contamination in the Fum Al Wad Coastal Plain, South Morocco. Journal of Earth Science, 2023, 34(6): 1940-1950. doi: 10.1007/s12583-021-1529-5
|
The coastal plain aquifer down gradient of Wad Essaquia Elhamra (WEE), is the main source of groundwater in the arid region of Laayoune Essaquia El Hamra located in south of Morocco. The over-exploitation of this aquifer over the last decade for water supply, agriculture and industry led to deterioration of groundwater quality, including seawater intrusion. The objective of this study is to investigate the spatial variation of groundwater quality, and to assess the influence of sea water intrusion on the groundwater quality using hydro-chemical tools. Several measurement campaigns of physico-chemical parameters of the groundwater were performed, which shows a very high mineralization ratios versus chloride, confirming the double influence of mixing mechanisms of fresh and saline waters and the water-rock interactions. Computed seawater fraction for sampled water shows that the average mixing rate of seawater intrusion reached 10.5%, confirming the marine intrusion in the aquifer. The highest values were registered in coastal wells. In the upstream around Laayoune and the spreading area, nitrate concentrations exceed 50 mg/L which is the threshold set by the World Health Organization, revealing a high level of contamination by domestic sewage. The combination of ionic ratios and seawater fraction is a useful tool to assess marine intrusion. This study reveals that the phenomenon of marine intrusion is not the only process that dominates hydrochemistry of ground water. The high groundwater mineralization is also due to rockwater interaction associated with reverse ion exchange with clay material and anthropogenic pollutants.
| Ahmed, A. H., Rayaleh, W. E., Zghibi, A., et al., 2017. Assessment of Chemical Quality of Groundwater in Coastal Volcano-Sedimentary Aquifer of Djibouti, Horn of Africa. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 131: 284–300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2017.04.010 |
| Abu-Alnaeem, M. F., Yusoff, I., Ng, T. F., et al., 2018. Assessment of Groundwater Salinity and Quality in Gaza Coastal Aquifer, Gaza Strip, Palestine: An Integrated Statistical, Geostatistical and Hydrogeo-chemical Approaches Study. Science of the Total Environment, 615: 972–989. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.09.320 |
| Aaddouz, M., Azzaoui K., Akartasse, N., et al., 2023. Removal of Methylene Blue from Aqueous Solution by Adsorption onto Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles. Journal of Molecular Structure, 1288: 135807. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molstruc.2023.135807 |
| Allouche, N., Maanan, M., Gontara, M., et al., 2017. A Global Risk Approach to Assessing Groundwater Vulnerability. Environmental Modelling & Software, 88: 168–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2016.11.023 |
| Appelo, C. A. J., Postma, D., 1996. Geochemistry, Groundwater and Pollution. AA Balkema, Rotterdam. 536 |
| Appelo, C. A. J., Postma, D., 2005. Geochemistry, Groundwater and Pollution (Second Edition). Taylor and Francis Group, London. 271–244. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781439833544 |
| Askri, B., 2015. Hydrochemical Processes Regulating Groundwater Quality in the Coastal Plain of Al Musanaah, Sultanate of Oman. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 106: 87–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2015.03.009 |
| Bartram, J., 2004. Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality Volume 1. Recommendations (3rd). World Health Organization, Geneva |
| Bhagat, C., Puri, M., Mohapatra, P. K., et al., 2021. Imprints of Seawater Intrusion on Groundwater Quality and Evolution in the Coastal Districts of South Gujarat, India. Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering, 3: 100101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscee.2021.100101 |
| Bouknana, D., Hammouti, B., Salghi R., et al., 2014. Physicochemical Characterization of Olive Oil Mill Wastewaters in the Eastern Region of Morocco. Journal of Materials and Environnemental Science, 5: 1039–1058 |
| Cui, L. H., Zhu, Y., Zhao, T. X., et al., 2020. Evaluation of Upward Flow of Groundwater to Freezing Soils and Rational Per-Freezing Water Table Depth in Agricultural Areas. Journal of Hydrology, 585: 124825. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.124825 |
| de Oliveira, L. M., Maillard, P., de Andrade Pinto, E. J., 2017. Application of a Land Cover Pollution Index to Model Non-Point Pollution Sources in a Brazilian Watershed. Catena, 150: 124–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2016.11.015 |
| DRH (Regional Direction of Hydraulique), 1998. Electrical Exploration Study of the Swallowing Part of the Oued saquia el Hamra. Regional Direction of Hydraulique |
| Eissa, M. A., Thomas, J. M., Pohll, G., et al., 2016. Groundwater Recharge and Salinization in the Arid Coastal Plain Aquifer of the Wadi Watir Delta, Sinai, Egypt. Applied Geochemistry, 71: 48–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2016.05.017 |
| El Himer, H., Fakir, Y., Stigter, T. Y., et al., 2013. Assessment of Groundwater Vulnerability to Pollution of a Wetland Watershed: The Case Study of the Oualidia-Sidi Moussa Wetland, Morocco. Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management, 16(2): 205–215. https://doi.org/10.1080/14634988.2013.788427 |
| El Mokhtar, M., Chibout, M., El Mansouri, B., et al., 2018. Modeling of the Groundwater Flow and Saltwater Intrusion in the Coastal Aquifer of Fum Al Wad, Province of Laayoun, Morocco. International Journal of Geosciences, 9(1): 71–92. https://doi.org/10.4236/ijg.2018.91005 |
| Elshall, A. S., Arik, A. D., El-Kadi, A. I., et al., 2020. Groundwater Sustainability: A Review of the Interactions between Science and Policy. Environmental Research Letters, 15(9): 093004. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab8e8c |
| Errich, A., El Hajjaji, S., Mandi, L. et al., 2016. Impact of Waste Water on the Physico-Chemical Quality of Water Sources in Bed of Essaquia Elhamra in South of Morocco. International Journal of Application or Innovation in Engineering & Management, 5(9): 249–261 |
| Errich, A., Azzaoui, K., Mejdoubi, E., et al., 2021. Toxic Heavy Metals Removal Using a Hydroxyapatite and Hydroxyethyl Cellulose Modified with a New Gum Arabic, Indonesian. Journal of Science & Technology, 6(1): 41–64. https://doi.org/10.17509/ijost.v6i1.31480 |
| Galli, F., Previtali, D., Bozzano, G., et al., 2018. Production and Application of O2 Enriched Air Produced by Fresh and Salt Water Desorption in Chemical Plants. Journal of Environmental Management, 217: 621–628. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.03.133 |
| Garrels, R. M., Mackenzie, F. T., 1971. Evolution of Sedimentary Rocks. W. W. Norton and Co., Int., New York. 394 |
| Himi, M., Tapias, J., Benabdelouahab, S., et al., 2017. Geophysical Characterization of Saltwater Intrusion in a Coastal Aquifer: The Case of Martil-Alila Plain (North Morocco). Journal of African Earth Sciences, 126: 136–147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2016.11.011 |
| Jakovovic, D., Werner, A. D., de Louw, P. G. B., et al., 2016. Saltwater Upconing Zone of Influence. Advances in Water Resources, 94: 75–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2016.05.003 |
| Mahlknecht, J., Merchán, D., Rosner, M., et al., 2017. Assessing Seawater Intrusion in an Arid Coastal Aquifer under High Anthropogenic Influence Using Major Constituents, Sr and B Isotopes in Groundwater. Science of the Total Environment, 587/588: 282–295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.137 |
| Malki, M., Bouchaou, L., Hirich, A., et al., 2017. Impact of Agricultural Practices on Groundwater Quality in Intensive Irrigated Area of Chtouka-Massa, Morocco. Science of the Total Environment, 574: 760–770. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.09.145 |
| Mehdizadeh, S. S., Karamalipour, S. E., Asoodeh, R., 2017. Sea Level Rise Effect on Seawater Intrusion into Layered Coastal Aquifers (Simulation Using Dispersive and Sharp-Interface Approaches). Ocean & Coastal Management, 138: 11–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2017.01.001 |
| Meybeck, M., 1987. Global Chemical Weathering of Surficial Rocks Estimated from River Dissolved Loads. American Journal of Science, 287(5): 401–428. https://doi.org/10.2475/ajs.287.5.401 |
| Mueller, C., Krieg, R., Merz, R., et al., 2016. Regional Nitrogen Dynamics in the Tereno Bode River Catchment, Germany, as Constrained by Stable Isotope Patterns. Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies, 52(1/2): 61–74. https://doi.org/10.1080/10256016.2015.1019489 |
| Raj, D., Shaji, E., 2017. Fluoride Contamination in Groundwater Resources of Alleppey, Southern India. Geoscience Frontiers, 8(1): 117–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2016.01.002 |
| Roychoudhury, A. N., Petersen, J., 2014. Geochemical Evaluation of Soils and Groundwater Affected by Infiltrating Effluent from Evaporation Ponds of a Heavy Mineral Processing Facility, West Coast, South Africa. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 144: 478–491. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gexplo.2014.02.016 |
| Slama, F., 2010. Field Experimentation and Modelling of Salts Transfer in Korba Coastal Plain: Impact of Seawater Intrusion and Irrigation Practices: [Dissertation]. University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel. 112–118 |
| Stein, S., Yechieli, Y., Shalev, E., et al., 2019. The Effect of Pumping Saline Groundwater for Desalination on the Fresh-Saline Water Interface Dynamics. Water Research, 156: 46–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2019.03.003 |
| Tiwari, A. K., Pisciotta, A., De Maio, M., 2019. Evaluation of Groundwater Salinization and Pollution Level on Favignana Island, Italy. Environmental Pollution, 249: 969–981. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2019.03.016 |
| Xu, X. Y., Xiong, G. Y., Chen, G. Q., et al., 2021. Characteristics of Coastal Aquifer Contamination by Seawater Intrusion and Anthropogenic Activities in the Coastal Areas of the Bohai Sea, Eastern China. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 217: 104830. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2021.104830 |
| Zghibi, A., Merzougui, A., Zouhri, L., et al., 2014. Understanding Groundwater Chemistry Using Multivariate Statistics Techniques to the Study of Contamination in the Korba Unconfined Aquifer System of Cap-Bon (North-East of Tunisia). Journal of African Earth Sciences, 89: 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2013.09.004 |
| Ziadi, A., Hariga, N. T., Tarhouni, J., 2019. Mineralization and Pollution Sources in the Coastal Aquifer of Lebna, Cap Bon, Tunisia. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 151: 391–402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2019.01.004 |
Figures(10) / Tables(1)
Copyright © 2013-2020 Journal of Earth Science 鄂ICP备15021562号-2
Tel: +86-27-67885075 Fax: +86-27-67885075 E-mail: xbb@cug.edu.cn
Address: Editorial Office of Journal, China University of Geosciences, Yujiashan, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, P. R. China
Supported by:
Beijing Renhe Information Technology Co. Ltd
E-mail:
info@rhhz.net
DownLoad:
