Hydrogeochemical features, genesis, and quality appraisal of confined groundwater in a typical large sedimentary plain

作者：Yuqing Zhang, Yong Xiao, Hongjie Yang, Liwei Wang, Jie Wang, Wenxu Hu, Ning Wang, Zhongyuan Xu, Gongxi Liu, Feiyu Chen, Xu Guo · 发表于：Water Environment Research · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1002/wer.11088 · 被引用次数：10 · 研究领域：Groundwater and Isotope Geochemistry、Groundwater flow and contamination studies、Groundwater and Watershed Analysis

Abstract The confined groundwater of arid sedimentary plains has been disturbed by long‐term anthropogenic extraction, and its hydrochemical quality is required for sustainable development. The present research investigates the hydrochemical characteristics, formation, potential health threats, and quality suitability of the confined groundwater in the central North China Plain. Results show that the confined groundwater has a slightly alkaline nature in the study area, predominantly dominated by fresh‐soft Cl‐Na and HCO 3 ‐Na types. Water chemistry is governed by water–rock interactions, including dissolution of evaporites and cation exchange. Approximately 97% of the sampled confined groundwaters exceed the prescribed standard for F − . It is mainly due to geological factors such as mineral dissolution, cation exchange, and competitive adsorption of HCO 3 − and may also be released from compacted soils because of groundwater extraction. Enriched F − in the confined groundwater can pose an intermediate and higher non‐carcinogenic risk to more than 90% of the population. It poses the greatest health threat to the population in the north‐eastern part of the study area, especially to infants and children. For sustainable development, the long‐term use of confined groundwater for irrigation in the area should be avoided, and attention should also be paid to the potential soil salinization and infiltration risks. In the study area, 97% of the confined groundwaters are found to be...