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GEO 309
Outline of Presentation
1. Introduction
- Surface complexation
• Surface complexation reactions are reactions in which species are
transferred from the solid surface to the aqueous phase and vice versa.
They typically occurs for oxides, humic and fulvic acids. Sites at the
surface of the solids are protonated or deprotonated
• Sorption of metals and oxyanions is strongly pH-dependent. Sorption of
oxyanions is strongest at acid to neutral pH, and sorption of metals is
strongest at neutral to alkaline pH. This behaviour is related to
increasing deprotonation of the surface sites with increasing pH, which
gives rise to a gradual change in charge from positive to negative
3.Natural Water Chemistry
Geochemical Processes affecting Groundwater Chemistry
• Aqueaous Complexing
Aqueous complexing does not involve solid minerals. However, it
indirectly influences reactions with the porous medium. It gives rise
to an increased concentration of species, since the free species
react together to form complexes. The solubility of Ca-carbonate is
increased by the forming of the aqueous Ca-bicarbonate complex:
CO2g ↔ CO2(aq)
• Radioactive Decay
Radioactive decay and fractionation of isotopes produce radioactivity in
the groundwater and alter the isotopic composition of the water
4. Quality Evaluation of Groundwater
• In specifying the quality characteristics of groundwater,
physical, chemical and biological analyses are normally
required
• Physical parameters: Temperature, Color, Turbidity, Tastes and
Odors
• Chemical parameters:Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Total
Suspended Solids (TSS), Total Solids, Electrical Conductance (or Specific
Conductance), pH, Dissolved Oxygen (OD) (including Biochemical
Oxygen Demand (BOD)), Hardness, Alkalinity, Dissolved Inorganic
Constituents, Organic Constituents, Dissolved Gases
• Bological parameters: Coliform bacteria
• Analytical Methods
4.Quality Evaluation of Groundwater
Physical Analysis
• Temperature
• Impinging solar radiation and atmospheric temperature brings about spatial and
temporal changes in temperature, setting up convection currents and thermal
stratification.
• With respect to water quality, one important aspect of water temperature is the
influence it has on dissolved oxygen, the weight or volume of oxygen dissolved in water.
The solubility of a gas in water decreases as the water temperature increases, so warmer
water simply holds less oxygen.
• Temperature is also affecting the various parameters such as alkalinity, salinity, electrical
conductivity. Temperature is also important in other chemical reactions, such as those
involving water pH. In an aquatic system, these parameters affect the chemical and
biological reactions such as solubility of oxygen, carbon dioxide-carbonate-bicarbonate
equilibrium, increase in metabolic rate and physiological reactions of organisms, etc.
Water temperature is important in relation to fish life. The temperature of drinking
water has an influence on its taste.
The sums are taken over the cations Na+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+, and anions Cl-, HCO3-, SO42- and NO3-
Differences in E.N. of up to 2 % are inevitable in almost all laboratories. Sometimes an even larger error must
be accepted, but at deviations of more than 5 % the sampling and analytical procedures should be examined
4.Quality Evaluation of Groundwater
Chemical Analysis
• Presentation of Results
- Tables showing results of analyses of chemical quality of
groundwater may be difficult to interpret, particularly
where more than a few analyses are involved
- To overcome this, graphic representations are useful for
display purposes, for comparing analyses, and for
emphasizing similarities and differences
- Graphs can also aid in detecting the mixing of water of
different compositions and in identifying chemical
processes occurring as groundwater moves
- A variety of graphic techniques have been developed for
showing the major chemical constituents; some of the
more useful graphs are described and illustrated
4.Quality Evaluation of Groundwater
Chemical Analysis
• Presentation of Results
• Stiff diagrams
The Stiff diagrams are plotted for
individual samples as a method of
graphically comparing the
concentration of selected anions
and cations for several individual
samples
The shape formed by the Stiff
diagrams will quickly identify
samples that have similar
compositions and are particularly
useful when used as map symbols to Stiff diagram for Ca-Mg-SO4-HCO3 water (Hem, 1985)
• Domestic Use
Groundwater forms an important source of water for drinking and other
domestic purposes. Therefore, groundwater, in general, is safer for use
than surface water especially from the point of view of bacterial pollution;
but the chemical composition of water is also important
Certain chemical constituents become toxic beyond at a particular
concentration, although they may be beneficial in lower amounts
Prescribed standards for drinking-water vary from country to country,
depending upon economic conditions, climate, food habits and geographic
location. There is also conflicting evidence with respect to safe limits for
certain constituents
Drinking water standards as prescribed by WHO (1984) et al
given
The degree of hardness of the water is classified in terms of its calcium carbonate
concentration as follows:
Table 2.3. Hardness classification of water (after Sawyer and McCarty, 1967).
Concentration of Calcium
Hardness rating Carbonate (mg/l)
Soft 0 to < 75