Hydrogeochemical genesis mechanism and secondary environmental challenges of groundwater in southern Jingyang, Shaanxi Province

XU Panpan; QIAN Hui; ZHANG Qiying; ZANG Yongqi; LIU Yuan; DONG Jiayi

doi:10.12097/gbc.2024.11.058

2025 Vol. 44, No. 5

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XU Panpan, QIAN Hui, ZHANG Qiying, ZANG Yongqi, LIU Yuan, DONG Jiayi. 2025. Hydrogeochemical genesis mechanism and secondary environmental challenges of groundwater in southern Jingyang, Shaanxi Province. Geological Bulletin of China, 44(5): 811-824. doi: 10.12097/gbc.2024.11.058

Citation:

XU Panpan, QIAN Hui, ZHANG Qiying, ZANG Yongqi, LIU Yuan, DONG Jiayi. 2025. Hydrogeochemical genesis mechanism and secondary environmental challenges of groundwater in southern Jingyang, Shaanxi Province. Geological Bulletin of China, 44(5): 811-824. doi: 10.12097/gbc.2024.11.058

Hydrogeochemical genesis mechanism and secondary environmental challenges of groundwater in southern Jingyang, Shaanxi Province

1.
School of Water and Environment, Chang'an University, Xi'an 710054, Shaanxi, China
2.
Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effect in Arid Region of the Ministry of Education, Xi'an 710054, Shaanxi, China
3.
Key Laboratory of Eco-hydrology and Water Security in Arid and Semi-arid Regions of Ministry of Water Resources, Chang'an University, Xi'an 710054, Shaanxi, China
4.
Academy of Yellow River Sciences of Shaanxi Province, Chang'an University, Xi'an 710054, Shaanxi, China
5.
Key Laboratory of Ecological Geology and Disaster Prevention of Ministry of Natural Resources, Xi'an 710054, Shaanxi, China
6.
School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Xi'an University of Science and Technology, Xi'an 710054, Shaanxi, China

More Information

Corresponding author: QIAN Hui, qianhui@chd.edu.cn

Received Date: 28 November 2024

Revised Date: 15 February 2025

Publish Date: 15 May 2025

Abstract

Abstract

Objective
The southern Jingyang, Shaanxi Province is a typical loess distribution area, population gathering area, agricultural activity intensive area, and geological disaster prone area. Thus, studying the hydrogeochemical genesis mechanism and secondary environmental challenges of groundwater in this area is of great significance for the development and utilization of groundwater resources, water safety guarantee, and ecological geological environment protection on the Chinese Loess Plateau.
Methods
Based on groundwater investigation, water sample collection and analysis in the area, the main ion distribution characteristics of groundwater were identified; the hydrogeochemical genesis mechanism and its main controlling factors of groundwater were revealed by the comprehensive application of hydrochemical methods and isotope theory; the suitability of groundwater for drinking and irrigation was evaluated, and its secondary environmental challenges were explained, using the integrated−weight water quality index, magnesium hazard, soluble sodium percentage, Wilcox plot, and irrigation coefficient.
Results
The groundwater in this area was weakly alkaline as a whole. The TDS range of groundwater in the south bank of Jing River was 752~2108 mg/L, belonging to freshwater and brackish water, while the TDS ranged from 1232 to 3768 mg/L and was classified as brackish to saline water in the north bank. The dominant cations in groundwater were Na⁺ and Mg²⁺, and the dominant anions were HCO₃⁻ and SO₄²⁻; The hydrochemical types were mainly HCO₃·SO₄−Na·Mg and HCO₃·SO₄·Cl−Na·Mg, and the hydrochemical types in the north bank were more complex. The hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater were mainly controlled by rock weathering, among which the weathering and dissolution of silicate rocks were dominant. Meanwhile, the evaporation and cation alternating adsorption promoted the salinization of groundwater. The groundwater in the south bank was significantly affected by agricultural activities, while the groundwater in the north bank was influenced by a combination of industrial activities, domestic sewage, and human and animal manure. The drinking water quality level was mainly moderate, and the primary factors causing health risks were total hardness, NO₃⁻, F⁻, and SO₄²⁻. Most groundwater was not suitable for direct irrigation and measures should be taken to prevent salt accumulation, otherwise soil salinization may occur.
Conclusions
The hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater along the banks of Jing River in the south of Jingyang, Shaanxi Province, are mainly controlled by the weathering of silicate rocks, superimposed evaporation and concentration and the influence of human activities. There are health risk factors of groundwater such as total hardness, nitrate, fluoride exceeding the standard, and the salinization of groundwater is easy to induce soil salinization. It is suggested to carry out targeted prevention and control of groundwater pollution to avoid facing more severe secondary environmental challenges.
- groundwater /
- hydrochemistry /
- isotope /
- hydrochemical processes /
- water quality assessment /
- southern Jingyang /
- Shaanxi Province

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References

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