Groundwater Geochemical and Quality of the Continental Intercalary Aquifer in Béni Ounif (Southwest Algeria)

Abstract

The main objective of this work was to study the status of groundwater quality for drinking and irrigation uses in the locality of Beni Ounif. A total of 16 samples were taken at different locations in the study area from boreholes to capture the continental intercalary (CI) aquifer for physicochemical analysis. This work used the groundwater quality index (GWQI) method to evaluate water potability. The irrigation water quality was assessed by studying EC, SAR, Na%, KR, PI, and MR parameters. In addition, the mechanisms of mineralization of these waters were highlighted by the study of Piper, Gibbs, bivariate diagrams, and the calculation of saturation indices. The results show that the CI waters would have chemical constituents in accordance with the WHO guide values and the Algerian guide values for drinking water. The GWQI method showed a good quality of CI waters for consumption in the study area. On based the irrigation water parameters, the IC water samples are acceptable for irrigation provided that drainage techniques are applied to the cultivated land for tipsy soil salinization. In addition, the study of Piper, Gibbs, bivariate, and mineral saturation diagrams shows that the CI waters of the study area are of Ca-Mg-SO 4 -Cl type, and the hydrogeochemical processes that control their mineralization are complex, namely, the alteration of silicate and carbonate minerals, the dissolution of gypsum and exchange ion.

Application of Water Quality Index to Assess the Potability of the Phreatic Aquifer in Ouargla (Algeria)

“…Groundwater may be divided into five groups using the estimated GWQI indices (Touahri et al, 2022;Arfa et al, 2022;Sadeghi et al, 2021).…”

Evaluating Groundwater Potability and Health Risks from Nitrates in the Semi-Arid Region of Algeria

“…This increasing dependence is exacerbated by the overexploitation of aquifers, their gradual depletion, and contamination from anthropogenic activities, threatening the sustainability of these vital water resources. Among the contaminants, nitrates emerge as a major concern, with their presence in groundwater often attributed to intensive agricultural practices and inadequate urban wastewater management (Bouselsal and Saibi, 2022;Ouarekh et al, 2022;Arfa et al, 2022). Ain Ouassera, located in the steppe region of central-northern Algeria, heavily depends on its underground aquifers for a variety of needs, including industrial, agricultural, and residential purposes.…”