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Challenges of Groundwater Quality Degradation in the Past Decades: Clues from Water–Minerals Interaction

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A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Mineralogy and Biogeochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2022) | Viewed by 16666

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Xubo Gao

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Guest Editor

School of Environmental Studies and State Key Lab of Biogeological Geology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430000, China
Interests: groundwater hydrology and biogeochemistry; karst water resources and karst environment; contaminant hydrogeology; groundwater contamination remediation
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Dr. Chengcheng Li

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School of Environmental Studies and State Key Lab of Biogeological Geology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430000, China
Interests: bio-hydrogeochemistry; environmental hydrology; groundwater contamination
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Prof. Dr. Qianqian Yu

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Guest Editor

School of Earth Science, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Interests: biogeochemical cycling in the Earth's critical zone; mineral–water interfacial processes; environmental geochemistry; soil heavy metal pollution and remediation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Shuqiong Kong

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Guest Editor

School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Interests: heavy metal biogeochemistry; groundwater contamination remediation; environmental health risk assessment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Groundwater is essential globally for human consumption, habitats maintenance, human society development, as well as the functioning of ecosystems. As a resource, groundwater is gaining increasing importance, especially in arid/semi-arid regions where surface waters are very scarce or absent. However, in the past few decades, with the rapid growth of population and economic activities, groundwater quality degradation has been developing at an alarming rate and posing a major health risk for many people worldwide. Essentially, groundwater quality is largely a function of mineral composition, the formation through which it flows due to water–mineral interaction. Many professionals believe that sharing knowledge and experiences of water–mineral interaction that control groundwater quality degradation is an effective strategy to identify and promote optimal approaches to the assessment, development and management of groundwater resources.

Over the past few decades, the science of groundwater quality deterioration has experienced improvements, and fundamental knowledge exists of the characteristics, hazardous, evolution and causes from point and non-point sources, as these topics have been widely studied. However, many issues still require the scientific community’s attention. Particularly, in the changing environment of the past few decades (e.g., global climatic changes, changes in land use patterns, growing population, increasing pressure on existing water supplies and varieties of anthropogenic activities), tremendous changes of the occurrence and intensity of mineral–rock interaction may occur in the systems, which will probably bring about challenges of groundwater quality degradation. Therefore, there is a need to advance knowledge for understanding these challenges from the imprints of the water-mineral interaction.

This Special Issue aims at gathering the most significant contributions to theoretical development and scientific advancement relating to challenges of groundwater quality degradation in the past few decades indicated by water–mineral interaction. Original research and review articles are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Xubo Gao
Dr. Chengcheng Li
Prof. Dr. Qianqian Yu
Dr. Shuqiong Kong
Guest Editors

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Keywords

water–mineral interaction
groundwater
environmental biogeochemistry

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 4059 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Evaluation and Sources of Heavy Metal Anomalies in the Surface Soil of Eastern Tibet

by Mingguo Wang, Li Yang, Jingjie Li and Qian Liang

Minerals 2023, 13(1), 86; https://doi.org/10.3390/min13010086 - 6 Jan 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1962

Abstract

With the rapid development of the economy, heavy metal soil pollution causes ecosystem deterioration and raises serious concerns. Topsoil samples (n = 205) were collected to investigate the pollution characteristics, risk levels, and pollution sources of heavy metals in the topsoil of eastern Tibet. Heavy metal contents, such as As, Hg, Pb, Cr, Mn, Mo, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Cd, in the soil were tested, and the potential sources were analyzed using correlational and principal component analysis. The results showed high content levels of Cd and Hg, which were 1.42 and 2.45 times higher than the background values of the Tibet Plateau at the beginning of this century, respectively. The enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index (Igeo), and Nemero composite index (PN) showed that Cd and Hg were the main pollutants due to higher traffic flow and mining activities, but the pollution degree was generally not high and was relatively concentrated in the central and northern parts. The results of the principal component analysis showed that the heavy metals in the soil of eastern Tibet were mainly affected by natural factors and traffic factors, and mining activities and agricultural activities also played a certain role. Mn, Cr, Ni, As, Hg, and Cu were mainly affected by natural factors, while Pb, Zn, Cd, and Mo were affected by multiple factors, such as nature and traffic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges of Groundwater Quality Degradation in the Past Decades: Clues from Water–Minerals Interaction)

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17 pages, 6302 KiB

Open AccessArticle

CO₂-Water-Rock Interactions in Carbonate Formations at the Tazhong Uplift, Tarim Basin, China

by Kaisar Ahmat, Jianmei Cheng, Ying Yu, Ruirui Zhao and Jie Li

Minerals 2022, 12(5), 635; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12050635 - 17 May 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3192

Abstract

The effects of CO₂-water-rock interactions on the injectivity and safety of CO₂ geological storage have drawn wide attention. The geochemical reaction mechanisms in carbonate formations after CO₂ injection are still controversial. To better understand the transformation of injected CO₂ in carbonates and the involved geochemical reactions, we first conducted autoclave experiments reproducing the in-situ conditions of the Lianglitage Formation, Yingshan Formation, and Qiulitage Formation at the Tazhong Uplift in the Tarim Basin. We then established a batch model using TOUGHREACT-ECO2H, validated with the experimental results, to simulate the long-term CO₂-water-rock interactions. It was found that the initial mineral compositions and water chemistry have important effects on the CO₂-water-rock interactions in carbonate formations. The experiment results show that the dissolution of calcite and dolomite dominates in the early reaction period. However, we still observed some secondary minerals, such as ankerite, montmorillonite, calcite, and dolomite. The CO₂-water-rock reactions can be more dramatic when the contents of calcite and dolomite in carbonates are closer. Moreover, the long-term simulation results show that calcite, magnesite, and hematite are the main formed secondary minerals, whereas dolomite is the major dissolved mineral. This study is helpful for a better understanding of the CO₂ mineral trapping mechanism in carbonate formations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges of Groundwater Quality Degradation in the Past Decades: Clues from Water–Minerals Interaction)

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15 pages, 5179 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hydrochemical Characteristics and Controlling Factors of Surface Water in Upper Nujiang River, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

by Mingguo Wang, Li Yang, Jingjie Li and Qian Liang

Minerals 2022, 12(4), 490; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12040490 - 17 Apr 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2433

Abstract

Rivers play an essential role in the global matter transport and hydrogeochemical cycle. Hydrogeochemical research is significant to developing and protecting water resources in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and its lower reaches. This study aimed to identify the hydrochemical characteristics and controlling factors of Daqu River and Gaqu River in Dingqing County, two tributaries of the upper Nujiang River. This study used spatial analysis, trilinear diagram analysis, and ion ratio analysis of hydrochemical indexes to investigate the hydrochemical characteristics and controlling factors. Results show that Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, and HCO₃⁻ and SO₄²⁻ are the main cations and anions of these two rivers. HCO₃·SO₄-Mg·Ca and HCO₃·SO₄-Ca·Mg are the primary hydrochemical types for the surface water of Daqu and Gaqu Rivers, respectively. The influence of atmospheric precipitation and anthropogenic activities is weak. The carbonated water–rock reaction is the main Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and HCO₃⁻ source, and hot springs act as the primary source of SO₄²⁻ and supplements Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and HCO₃⁻. Mg²⁺ from magnesite dissolution exists in the Daqu River basin. Weak reverse cation exchange occurs in both rivers. Daqu River receives more low-mineralized glacier meltwater along the flow, whereas Gaqu River receives more high-mineralized hot spring water. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges of Groundwater Quality Degradation in the Past Decades: Clues from Water–Minerals Interaction)

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16 pages, 5295 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Urbanization on Groundwater Chemistry at Lanzhou Valley Basin in China

by Xiaoli Lü, Zhantao Han, Haijun Li, Yuejun Zheng and Jingtao Liu

Minerals 2022, 12(3), 385; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12030385 - 20 Mar 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2718

Abstract

With the rapid development of the economy, urbanization and industrialization gradually become an important driving force of groundwater chemical evolution. In this study, Lanzhou City, which is one of the biggest industrial cities in northwest China, was selected to investigate the impacts of city development on groundwater quality. Several hydrochemical methods together with principal component analysis (PCA) were used for the hydrochemistry evolution characteristics and sensitive factors of groundwater chemistry in different urban functional areas of Lanzhou City. The results show that 96% of the groundwater in the study area cannot meet the groundwater quality standards of China. The main factors affecting the quality are SO₄²⁻, TDS, total hardness, Mg²⁺ and Na⁺. Urbanization and industrialization lead to further deterioration of the already naturally high TDS groundwater. NO₃⁻, Cl⁻ and NH₄⁺ are the characteristic factors of human input sources for commercial residential areas; total Fe and NO₃⁻ are the characteristic factors of new urban areas in the urban-rural junction; and SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻, Cl⁻, Total Fe, Mn²⁺, F⁻, I⁻, Pb²⁺, Cr⁶⁺ and As³⁺ are the characteristic factors of industrial areas. Domestic sewage infiltration and manure infiltration are the main driving factors of groundwater quality deterioration in commercial residential areas. Nitrate fertilizer infiltration and sewage irrigation are the main factors leading to the increase in nitrate nitrogen in groundwater in the new urban area. Industrial wastewater leakage and organic pollution that promote the dissolution of minerals in the aquifer (the dissolution of fluorine-containing minerals and reductive dissolution of iron manganese oxides) are the main driving factors for the deterioration of groundwater quality in the petrochemical industrial area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges of Groundwater Quality Degradation in the Past Decades: Clues from Water–Minerals Interaction)

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17 pages, 8262 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial and Temporal Evolution of Groundwater Chemistry of Baotu Karst Water System at Northern China

by Changsuo Li, Xingzhou Zhang, Xubo Gao, Chengcheng Li, Chunfang Jiang, Wen Liu, Guangqi Lin, Xin Zhang, Jiancong Fang, Lijun Ma and Xiubo Zhang

Minerals 2022, 12(3), 348; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12030348 - 14 Mar 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2801

Abstract

Karst water quality degradation has been a challenge for domestic and industrial water supplies worldwide. To reveal the possible factors response for karst water quality degradation, Baotu karst spring system is studied as an representative example. In this study, a hydrogeochemical investigation and mathematical, statistical, and geochemical modeling was conducted together to identify the major hydrochemical processes involved in the degradation process. It is found that the karst water is normally fresh, neutral-to-slightly alkaline, with calcium and magnesium as the predominant cations, and bicarbonate and sulfate as the predominant anions. The abnormally high chloride (95.05 mg/L) and nitrate concentrations (148.4 mg/L) give clues to the potential source of contamination in some karst water. The main hydrochemical facies of karst water are HCO₃-Ca and HCO₃ × SO₄-Ca, accounting for 76% of water samples. The water hydrochemistry is controlled mainly by the dissolution of carbonate minerals (calcite, dolomite), followed by the dissolution of silicate and gypsum. The dissolution of calcite and dolomite mostly happens in the recharge area. In the discharge area, the karst water is basically in equilibrium with calcite. The negative SI value of gypsum represents that the water–gypsum interaction is dominated by dissolution along the whole flow path. Cation exchange is observed in the karst water in the indirect recharge area. Along the flow path, the contents of chloride, sulfate, nitrate, and TDS (Total dissolved solids, abbreviated TDS, indicates how many milligrams of dissolved solids are dissolved in one liter of water) vary significantly, which is mostly affected by pollution from human industrial and agricultural activities. The concentrations of major ions were maintained at a low level (<20 mg/L) in the 1960s in karst water. The fast elevation of the parameter values has occurred in the past two decades. The temporal elevation of some pollutants in karst water suggest that global changes (acid rain) and human activity (such as overusing fertilizer) are main factors resulting in the degradation of karst water quality in the study area. The results of this paper provide invaluable information for the management and protection of karst water resources in the urban and rural areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges of Groundwater Quality Degradation in the Past Decades: Clues from Water–Minerals Interaction)

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18 pages, 6437 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hydrochemical and Isotope (¹⁸O, ²H and ³H) Characteristics of Karst Water in Central Shandong Province: A Case Study of the Pingyi-Feixian Region

by Chunhua Liu, Wei Wang, Guanghui Zhang, Henghua Zhu, Jingjing Wang and Yan Guo

Minerals 2022, 12(2), 154; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12020154 - 27 Jan 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2407

Abstract

Karst water serves as an important water supply source in northern China. Hydrochemical and isotope (¹⁸O, ²H, and ³H) characteristics are invaluable tools to identify water–rock interaction activities in karst water systems. In this study, the investigation of hydrogeological conditions, hydrogeochemistry, and hydrogen and oxygen isotopes of karst water revealed: (1) HCO₃-Ca-type water is widely distributed throughout the study area, while HCO₃-Ca·Mg-type water appears in the direct recharge areas and the discharge areas; karst water of the HCO₃⁻·Cl⁻, Cl⁻·HCO₃⁻, and Cl⁻ types is scattered in low-land areas; (2) karst water has high δ¹⁸O, which may be due to the dissolution and exchange of ¹⁸O from the surrounding carbonate rocks in the western discharge zone; and (3) the ³H concentration of karst water is strongly correlated with the content of major ions (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, HCO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻, and Cl⁻) and it increases along the flow path. It was also revealed that the karst water in the discharge areas is mixed with lateral recharge (infiltration recharge from surface water). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges of Groundwater Quality Degradation in the Past Decades: Clues from Water–Minerals Interaction)

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