In add and semi-add regions groundwater is often the only natural resource for water supply. Suitability of groundwater for domestic and irrigation purposes as well as its hydrochemical characteristics was estimated i...In add and semi-add regions groundwater is often the only natural resource for water supply. Suitability of groundwater for domestic and irrigation purposes as well as its hydrochemical characteristics was estimated in the aquifer of Guenniche plain in Northern Tunisia. Samples, collected in March and July 2007, were analysed for a range of chemical parameters （pH, conductivity, TDS, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulphate, chloride, carbonate and bicarbonate）. The mean concentration of cations （mg.L-~） indicated that Na＋ 〉 Ca2＋ 〉 Mg2＋ 〉 K＋. Similarly, the mean concentration of anions （mg.L-1） displayed the following decreasing trend： Cl-〉 SO42〉 HCO3〉 CO32-. A comparison of groundwater quality parameters in relation to specified limits for drinking water showed that the concentrations of EC, TDS, Ca2＋, Na＋, Cl-, SO42 and total hardness exceeded the desirable limits in many water samples. Majority of the samples were not suitable for drinking purposes. Furthermore, suitability of groundwater for irrigation was evaluated based on sodium absorption ratio, sodium percent, permeability index, residual sodium carbonate, magnesium hazard and Kelly＇s ratio. All these quality parameters revealed that the groundwater is of good to suitable category for irrigation.展开更多
文摘In add and semi-add regions groundwater is often the only natural resource for water supply. Suitability of groundwater for domestic and irrigation purposes as well as its hydrochemical characteristics was estimated in the aquifer of Guenniche plain in Northern Tunisia. Samples, collected in March and July 2007, were analysed for a range of chemical parameters （pH, conductivity, TDS, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulphate, chloride, carbonate and bicarbonate）. The mean concentration of cations （mg.L-~） indicated that Na＋ 〉 Ca2＋ 〉 Mg2＋ 〉 K＋. Similarly, the mean concentration of anions （mg.L-1） displayed the following decreasing trend： Cl-〉 SO42〉 HCO3〉 CO32-. A comparison of groundwater quality parameters in relation to specified limits for drinking water showed that the concentrations of EC, TDS, Ca2＋, Na＋, Cl-, SO42 and total hardness exceeded the desirable limits in many water samples. Majority of the samples were not suitable for drinking purposes. Furthermore, suitability of groundwater for irrigation was evaluated based on sodium absorption ratio, sodium percent, permeability index, residual sodium carbonate, magnesium hazard and Kelly＇s ratio. All these quality parameters revealed that the groundwater is of good to suitable category for irrigation.
