Groundwater exploration using resistivity and magnetic data at the northwestern part of the Gulf of Suez,Egypt

The present study aims to investigate the ground water accumulations present in the area located west of the Gulf of Suez, to face the new urbanization settlements of industrial national projects in the study area using geoelectrical and magnetic measurements. Magnetic data interpretation was carried out using the RTP magnetic data (or, through analyzing the RTP aeromagnetic map) to determine the depth to the surface of basement rocks and delineate the trends of structural elements. The results of magnetic interpretation indicated that the depth to the basement surface is ranging from 1200 to 3500 m and the trends of encountered structural elements are mainly NE–SW, NW–SE, NNW–SSE and E–W directions. Seventeen vertical electrical soundings of Schlumberger configuration were measured with AB/2 ranging from 1.5 m to 1500 m at the southern part of the study area. The results of quantitative interpretation of geoelectrical data indicated that the subsurface section consists of six different geoelectrical units; the first unit represents the Quaternary gravel and sand of high resistivity values and thickness of about a few meters. The second geoelectrical unit exhibits moderate resistivity values ranging from 23 to 100 ohm m and thickness ranging from 4.5 to 67 m which represents the fresh water aquifer in the study area, while the lithology of this layer consists of sandstone and limestone which belongs to the Upper Miocene. The third geoelectrical unit is composed of sandy clay and limestone which belongs to the Middle Miocene deposits and shows low resistivity values ranging from 6 to 7 ohm m and thickness ranging from 44.5 m to 66 m. This third layer represents the second aquifer (brackish water). The fourth geoelectrical unit consists of limestone and clayey limestone which belongs to the Lower Miocene deposits and exhibits moderate resistivity values ranging from 16 to 33 ohm m, while the thickness of this unit ranges from 47–102 m. This layer represents the third aquifer (brackish water). The fifth geoelectrical unit reveals very low resistivity values of about 2–5 ohm m and consists of clay and sandstone of the Oligocene and Upper Eocene deposits. The sixth geoelectrical unit is the bottommost unit in the studied subsurface section and exhibits moderate resistivity values in a range of about 22–35 ohm m and consists of limestone of the Middle Eocene deposits.     

Fast removal of Pb(II) and Cu(II) from contaminated water by groundwater treatment waste: impact of sorbent composition

ABSTRACT

A non-hazardous groundwater treatment waste (GWTW) was examined as a low-cost sorbent for Pb(II) and Cu(II) ions. The content of the dominant elements in GWTW was as follows: 78% Fe₂O₃, 7.4% P₂O₅, 7.4% CaO and 5.2% SiO₂. The removal of Pb(II) and Cu(II) was fast, and more than 67–95% of ions were accumulated by GWTW during the first 3 min. The sorption capacity of GWTW depends on solution pH, concentration and temperature. Equilibrium data fitted well with Langmuir–Freundlich and Langmuir-partition models. The inherently formed nano-adsorbent could be utilized for the treatment of water contaminated with Pb(II) and Cu(II) ions.     

Groundwater discharge drives water quality and greenhouse gas emissions in a tidal wetland

Wetlands play an important role in the global carbon cycle as they can be sources or sinks for greenhouse gases. Groundwater discharge into wetlands can affect the water chemistry and act as a source of dissolved greenhouse gases, including CO₂ and CH₄. In this study, surface water quality parameters and CO₂ and CH₄ concentrations were evaluated in a tidal wetland (Hunter Wetlands National Park, Australia) using time series measurements. Radon (²²²Rn), a natural groundwater tracer, was used to investigate the role of groundwater as a pathway for transporting dissolved CO₂ and CH₄ into the wetland. In addition, water-to-air CO₂ and CH₄ fluxes from the wetland were also estimated. The results showed a high concentration of radon in wetland surface water, indicating the occurrence of groundwater discharge. Radon concentration had a strong negative relationship with water depth with a determination coefficient (R²) of 0.7, indicating that tidal pumping was the main driver of groundwater discharge to the wetland. Radon concentration also showed a positive relationship with CO₂ and CH₄ concentrations (R² = 0.4 and 0.5, respectively), while the time series data revealed that radon, CO₂, and CH₄ concentrations peaked concurrently during low tides. This implied that groundwater discharge was a source of CO₂ and CH₄ to the wetland. The wetland had an average water-to-air CO₂ flux of 99.1 mmol/(m²·d), twice higher than the global average CO₂ flux from wetlands. The average CH₄ flux from the wetland was estimated to be 0.3 mmol/(m²·d), which is at the higher end of the global CH₄ flux range for wetlands. The results showed that groundwater discharge could be an important, yet unaccounted source of CO₂ and CH₄ to tidal wetlands. This work has implications for tidal wetland carbon budgets and emphasizes the role of groundwater as a subsurface pathway for carbon transport.     

Synthesis,characterization and As(III) adsorption behavior of β-cyclodextrin modified hydrous ferric oxide

This study investigates the adsorption of As(III) on β-cyclodextrin modified hydrous ferric oxide (HCC). This is characterized by XRD, FESEM, AFM, XPS, BET, surface site concentration and FTIR. The modification of hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) surface by β-cyclodextrin provides ample OH groups which in turn increase As(III) adsorption on HCC compared to HFO. The adsorption remains almost constant in pH range 3–8 which decreases at higher pH (>8) and followed monolayer and pseudo first order kinetics. It is spontaneous at 303 K with increasing entropy and decreasing enthalpy. Thus HCC is found to be more efficient adsorbent than HFO.     

Removal of chlorophenols from groundwater by chitosan sorption

The equilibrium and kinetics of chlorophenol (CP) sorption by chitosan, poly D-glucosamine, were studied under simulated groundwater conditions. Lower temperature, from 25 degrees C to 15 degrees C and then 5 degrees C, markedly decreased the adsorption rates by a factor of 30-53% and 7-22%. Comparison between two types of chitosan, flakes and highly swollen beads, demonstrated that the maximum pentachlorophenol (PCP) uptake capacities in Langmuir and Freundlich models depend on the specific surface area of the particle. Low temperature (5 degrees C) significantly increased the PCP uptake capacity in comparison to higher temperatures (15 degrees C and 25 degrees C). PCP uptake capacity was halved at pH levels higher than 6.5, and NaCl concentrations greater than 1% blocked PCP sorption almost completely. Of five kinds of chlorophenols, i.e. 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP), 3,4-dichlorophenol (3,4-DCP), 2,3-dichlorophenol (2,3-DCP), 2,6-dichlorophenol (2,6-DCP), 3-monochlorophenol (3-MCP), TCP had the maximum sorption efficiency on flake-type chitosan, followed by DCPs, and finally MCP (the three kinds of DCP, with the same elemental compositions, achieved similar sorption performances).     

Effect of humic acids on heavy metal removal by zero-valent iron in batch and continuous flow column systems

The effects of Aldrich humic acids (HA) on the removal of Zero-valent iron (ZVI) was investigated in laboratory systems. In batch, the removal rate of Zn and Ni (5 mg l(-1)) was, respectively, 2.8 and 2.4 times lower in the presence of HA (20 mg l(-1)) than in the absence of HA, presumably due to the formation of HA-heavy metal complexes which prevented the removal reactions at the ZVI surface. Chromate removal was not affected. In a column test, two parallel systems were supplemented with a continuous input of simulated groundwater containing a mixture of the heavy metals Zn, Ni and Cr(VI) (5 mg l(-1) each), with or without HA (at 20 mg l(-1)). Initially, the two column systems efficiently (>90%) removed the heavy metals from the simulated groundwater. When the input heavy metal concentration was increased to 8-10 mg l(-1), a significant breakthrough of Ni and Zn, up to 80%, occurred in the column system fed with HA. Chromate and HA did not significantly break through. After 60 weeks, the effect of HA on leaching of the accumulated metals (approx. 2 mg g(-1)) was investigated. No significant leaching was observed. The results of this study suggest that the impact of dissolved organic matter on the efficiency and lifetime of a ZVI barrier for in situ removal of heavy metals should be considered in the design of the barrier.     

Groundwater management strategies,Rohtas District,Bihar, India

The district of Rohtas in north east India has severe problems in obtaining adequate water supplies for its numerous villages and hamlets. The area has a very low and unreliable rainfall. The problems are compounded in areas where the bedrock is hard and hence difficult to drill such that wells have been started but not completed to the necessary depths. Some recommendations are made to assist the acquisition of a more dependable water supply.     

Geochemistry of some rare earth elements in groundwater,Vierlingsbeek, The Netherlands

Groundwater samples were taken from seven bore holes at depths ranging from 2 to 41m nearby drinking water pumping station Vierlingsbeek, The Netherlands and analysed for Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm and Eu. Shale-normalized patterns were generally flat and showed that the observed rare earth elements (REE) were probably of natural origin. In the shallow groundwaters the REEs were light REE (LREE) enriched, probably caused by binding of LREEs to colloids. To improve understanding of the behaviour of the REE, two approaches were used: calculations of the speciation and a statistical approach.For the speciation calculations, complexation and precipitation reactions including inorganic and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) compounds, were taken into account. The REE speciation showed REE(3+), REE(SO(4))(+), REE(CO(3))(+) and REE(DOC) being the major species. Dissolution of pure REE precipitates and REE-enriched solid phases did not account for the observed REEs in groundwater. Regulation of REE concentrations by adsorption-desorption processes to Fe(III)(OH)(3) and Al(OH)(3) minerals, which were calculated to be present in nearly all groundwaters, is a probable explanation.The statistical approach (multiple linear regression) showed that pH is by far the most significant groundwater characteristic which contributes to the variation in REE concentrations. Also DOC, SO(4), Fe and Al contributed significantly, although to a much lesser extent, to the variation in REE concentrations. This is in line with the calculated REE-species in solution and REE-adsorption to iron and aluminium (hydr)oxides. Regression equations including only pH, were derived to predict REE concentrations in groundwater. External validation showed that these regression equations were reasonably successful to predict REE concentrations of groundwater of another drinking water pumping station in quite different region of The Netherlands.     

Quantitative assessment of groundwater vulnerability using index system and transport simulation, Huangshuihe catchment, China

Groundwater vulnerability assessment has been an increasingly important environment management tool. The existing vulnerability assessment approaches are mostly index systems which have significant disadvantages. There need to be some quantitative studies on vulnerability indicators based on objective physical process study. In this study, we tried to do vulnerability assessment in Huangshuihe catchment in Shandong province of China using both contaminant transport simulations and index system approach. Transit time of 75% of hypothetical injected contaminant concentration was considered as the vulnerability indicator. First, we collected the field data of the Huangshuihe catchment and the catchment was divided into 34 sub areas that can each be treated as a transport sub model. Next, we constructed a Hydrus1D transport model of Huangshuihe catchment. Different sub areas had different input values. Thirdly, we used Monte-Carlo simulation to improve the collected data and did vulnerability assessment using the statistics of the contaminant transit time as a vulnerability indicator. Finally, to compare with the assessment result by transport simulation, we applied two index systems to Huangshuihe catchment. The first was DRASTIC system, and the other was a system we tentatively constructed examining the relationships between the transit time and the input parameters by simply changing the input values. The result of comparisons between the two index systems and transport simulation approach suggested partial validation to DRASTIC, and the construction of the new tentative index system was an attempt of building up index approaches based on physical process simulation.     

Assessing groundwater contamination risk using the DASTI/IDRISI GIS method: coastal system of western Mamora, Morocco

In this study, the DASTI method was used to evaluate vulnerability to groundwater pollution in the vicinity of Rabat, western Morocco. The model is based on the characterization of five intrinsic parameters: unsaturated zone thickness, saturated zone thickness and lithology, soil texture, topography and hydraulic gradient. A system of classes of the hydrogeological characteristics was applied to evaluate relative vulnerability to groundwater contamination and a susceptibility map was prepared based on land use and the vulnerability index map. The study showed the DASTI method (applied using IDRISI software) can serve as a tool to evaluate vulnerability to pollution and thus facilitate programs to protect groundwater resources. An erratum to this article can be found at