Hydrogeochemical Features and Genesis of Confined Groundwater and Health Perspectives for Sustainable Development in Urban Hengshui, North China Plain

Groundwater in confined aquifers is the preferred water resource worldwide, and its hydrochemical quality is the premise for sustainable development. A systematic hydrogeochemical research was conducted to get insight into the hydrochemical characteristics, genesis, and potential health threats of confined groundwater, based on analytical data of 45 groundwater samples collected from the urban area of Hengshui, Central North China Plain (NCP). The results showed most groundwater had desirable hydrochemical quality with a nearly neutral to slightly alkaline nature and dominantly soft-fresh Cl-Na face. Solute chemistry was governed by rock-water interaction including minerals dissolution and ion exchange, but out of the anthropogenic influences. All nitrogen pollutants and Zn were within the desirable limit, while F−, Mn, and Fe were beyond the desirable limit recommended by WHO in 28.9%, 15.6%, and 68.9% of samples. Overall chronic health risk from these toxic elements was identified in terms of various populations and mainly contributed by F−. Infants were more prone to the health risks of aqueous pollutants. Differential water supplies based on hydrochemical quality are recommended, and water improvement measures are suggested to be conducted aiming at the harmful fluoride in confined groundwater. The present research could provide valuable references for the health sustainability of confined groundwater utilization in sedimentary plains like NCP worldwide.

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Corrigendum to “Compositions, sources, and potential health risks of volatile organic compounds in the heavily polluted rural North China Plain during the heating season” [Sci. Total Environ. 789 (2021) 147956 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147956]

The Science of The Total Environment ◽

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149284 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 149284

Author(s):

Guangzhao Xie ◽

Hui Chen ◽

Fei Zhang ◽

Xiaona Shang ◽

Bixin Zhan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Volatile Organic Compounds ◽

Organic Compounds ◽

Health Risks ◽

North China Plain ◽

North China ◽

Heating Season ◽

Potential Health ◽

Volatile Organic

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Evaluation of Groundwater Suitability for Irrigation and Drinking Purposes in an Agricultural Region of the North China Plain

Water ◽

10.3390/w13233426 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (23) ◽

pp. 3426

Author(s):

Haipeng Guo ◽

Muzi Li ◽

Lu Wang ◽

Yunlong Wang ◽

Xisheng Zang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

North China Plain ◽

North China ◽

Shallow Groundwater ◽

Deep Groundwater ◽

The North ◽

The North China Plain ◽

Drinking Purposes ◽

Groundwater Samples ◽

Groundwater Suitability ◽

Groundwater Wells

Groundwater is an irreplaceable resource for irrigation and drinking in the North China Plain, and the quality of groundwater is of great importance to human health and social development. In this study, using the information from 59 groups of groundwater samples, groundwater quality conditions for irrigation and drinking purposes in an agricultural region of the North China Plain were analyzed. The groundwater belongs to a Quaternary loose rock pore water aquifer. The depths of shallow groundwater wells are 20–150 m below the surface, while the depths of deep groundwater wells are 150–650 m. The sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), sodium percentage (%Na), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), magnesium hazard (MH), permotic index (PI) and electrical conductivity (EC) were selected as indexes to evaluate the shallow groundwater suitability for irrigation. What’s more, the deep groundwater suitability for drinking was assessed and the human health risk of excessive chemicals in groundwater was studied. Results revealed that SAR, Na% and RSC indexes indicated the applicability of shallow groundwater for agricultural irrigation in the study area. We found 57.1% of the shallow groundwater samples were located in high salinity with a low sodium hazard zone. The concentrations of fluorine (F−) in 79.0% of the deep groundwater samples and iodine (I−) in 21.1% of the deep groundwater samples exceeded the permissible limits, respectively. The total hazard quotient (HQ) values of fluorine in over half of the deep groundwater samples exceeded the safety limits, and the health risk degree was ranked from high to low as children, adult females and adult males. In addition to natural factors, the soil layer compression caused by groundwater over-exploitation increased the fluorine concentration in groundwater. Effective measures are needed to reduce the fluorine content of the groundwater of the study area.

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Investigation of Groundwater Contamination and Health Implications in a Typical Semiarid Basin of North China

Water ◽

10.3390/w12041137 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 1137 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Shiyang Yin ◽

Yong Xiao ◽

Pengli Han ◽

Qichen Hao ◽

Xiaomin Gu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Risks ◽

North China ◽

Anthropogenic Activities ◽

Total Dissolved Solids ◽

Adult Males ◽

Potential Health ◽

Unconfined Aquifers ◽

Groundwater Samples ◽

Local Residents ◽

Arid And Semiarid

Groundwater chemistry and its potential health risks are as important as water availability in arid and semiarid regions. This study was conducted to determine the contamination and associated health threats to various populations in a semiarid basin of north China. A total of 78 groundwater samples were collected from the shallow unconfined aquifers. The results showed that the phreatic water was slightly alkaline, hard fresh water with ions in the order of Ca2+ > Na++K+ > Mg2+ and HCO3− > SO42− > Cl−. Four hydrochemical elements, NO3−, F−, Mn and Zn, exceeded the permissible limits. NO3− and F− contaminants may pose health risks to local residents, while the risks of Mn and Zn are negligible. Dermal exposure is safe for all populations, while the oral pathway is not. Minors (i.e., infants and children) are susceptible to both NO3− and F− contaminants, and adults only to NO3−. The susceptibility of various populations is in the order of infants > children > adult males > adult females. Anthropogenic activities are responsible for the elevated levels of NO3−, Zn, Total dissolved solids (TDS), while F− and Mn are from geogenic sources. Thus, differential water supplies, strict control of waste, and rational irrigation practices are encouraged in the basin.

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Groundwater-abstraction induced land subsidence and groundwater regulation in the North China Plain

Proceedings of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences ◽

10.5194/piahs-372-17-2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 372 ◽

pp. 17-21 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

H. Guo ◽

L. Wang ◽

G. Cheng ◽

Z. Zhang

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Land Subsidence ◽

North China Plain ◽

North China ◽

Groundwater Resources ◽

Groundwater Abstraction ◽

Beijing Plain ◽

The North ◽

The North China Plain ◽

Development And Utilization

Abstract. Land subsidence can be induced when various factors such as geological, and hydrogeological conditions and intensive groundwater abstraction combine. The development and utilization of groundwater in the North China Plain (NCP) bring great benefits, and at the same time have led to a series of environmental and geological problems accompanying groundwater-level declines and land subsidence. Subsidence occurs commonly in the NCP and analyses show that multi-layer aquifer systems with deep confined aquifers and thick compressible clay layers are the key geological and hydrogeological conditions responsible for its development in this region. Groundwater overdraft results in aquifer-system compaction, resulting in subsidence. A calibrated, transient groundwater-flow numerical model of the Beijing plain portion of the NCP was developed using MODFLOW. According to available water supply and demand in Beijing plain, several groundwater regulation scenarios were designed. These different regulation scenarios were simulated with the groundwater model, and assessed using a multi-criteria fuzzy pattern recognition model. This approach is proven to be very useful for scientific analysis of sustainable development and utilization of groundwater resources. The evaluation results show that sustainable development of groundwater resources may be achieved in Beijing plain when various measures such as control of groundwater abstraction and increase of artificial recharge combine favourably.

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