CollectHomepage AdvertisementContact usMessage

Arid Land Geography ›› 2024, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (5): 753-761.doi: 10.12118/j.issn.1000-6060.2023.481

• The Third Xinjiang Scientific Expedition • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Chemical characteristics and evolution of groundwater in the middle and lower reaches of Hotan River Basin

LI Xiaodeng1,2(), CHANG Liang1,3, DUAN Rui1, WANG Qian1, YANG Zedong2, ZHANG Qunhui1, ZHANG Pengwei2   

  1. 1. Xi’an Center of China Geological Survey, Xi’an 710054, Shaanxi, China
    2. Urumqi Comprehensive Survey on Natural Resources of China Geological Survey, Urumqi 830057, Xinjiang, China
    3. Key Laboratory of Groundwater and Ecology in Arid Regions of China Geological Survey, Xi’an 710054, Shaanxi, China
  • Received:2023-09-05 Revised:2023-11-14 Online:2024-05-25 Published:2024-05-30

Abstract:

To investigate the chemical characteristics of groundwater and its evolutionary patterns in the middle and lower reaches of the Hotan River Basin, Xinjiang, China, this study analyzed 21 groundwater samples from the area. It included an examination of the constituents and origins of groundwater solutes and the reverse simulation of hydrogeochemical processes. The analysis employed Piper trilinear diagrams, Gibbs diagrams, PHREEQC software, and mathematical statistics to explore the chemical properties of groundwater, the principal sources of solutes, and their evolution in the study region. The results revealed that: (1) High concentrations of eight conventional ions in the groundwater, with Cl-, SO42-, Na+, Ca2+, and HCO3- being particularly abundant. (2) There was a significant spatial variability in the dissolved constituents of the groundwater. The predominant chemical types were SO4·Cl-Ca·Mg and SO4·Cl-Na, with the latter being more common across most areas. The groundwater’s alkalinity was generally low, and the water quality in most regions met daily drinking water standards. However, in some oasis plains, elevated NO3- levels were attributed to human activities. (3) The dissolution of minerals such as halite, calcite, dolomite, and gypsum, facilitated by water-rock interactions and cation exchange, was identified as the main source of Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl-, and SO42- ions in the groundwater. During transit to finer soil plains and desert areas, ion concentrations increased due to evaporation and concentration processes. (4) In open system conditions, CO2 enhanced the dissolution of various minerals, leading to increased ion concentrations. As groundwater flowed into the alluvial plains downstream, the fine sand layer acted as a barrier, reducing the intensity of groundwater flow and solute leaching, with evaporation and concentration processes becoming more dominant. This study provides a theoretical foundation for the sustainable development and management of water resources and environmental protection in the Hotan River Basin.

Key words: hydrochemical characteristics, hydrogeochemistry, water-rock interaction, groundwater, Hotan River Basin