| Abstrakt: |
Thirty groundwater samples were collected from the dug well aquifer of Islamkot sub-district, Southern Sindh, Pakistan, during March, 2021 to investigate their hydrogeochemical characteristics and fitness for drinking and irrigation use. The results of multivariate statistical, hydrogeochemical, and chloro-alkaline indices and two-component variable graphs confirm ion exchange (advanced and reverse) processes in the study area. Gibb's plots reveal that silicate weathering and evaporation are significant processes that govern water geochemistry. Principal component analysis and correlation coefficient reveal that total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, Mg+2, Na+, Cl−, and SO4−2 were positively correlated and similarly confirmed through hierarchical cluster analysis. The mineralogical study of the aquifer sediment reveals that quartz, clay, calcite, and dolomite minerals were present, and the saturation index indicated that halite is under-saturated relative to groundwater samples and may lead to the dissolution of halite and increase the concentration of Na+ and Cl−. Chadha diagram indicates that Na+, K+, Cl−, and SO4−2 hydrogeochemical facies and Van Wardhum plot reveal the thalassotrophic water type in the study area. The drinking water quality index reflects that 50% of groundwater was unsuitable for drinking. Wilcox and salinity hazard diagram reveal that most samples clustered in very high salinity and very high sodium water type. Sodium adsorption ratio, Kelly's ratio, and sodium percentage reveal that most groundwater samples were unfit for agriculture use. However, residual sodium carbonate and the results of the permeability index were suitable for irrigation purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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