Open Access Peer-reviewed Research Article

Quality assessment of the surface and underground water in the region of Al Jabal Al Akhdar, Libya

Main Article Content

Khaled Megahed corresponding author
Maie El-Gammal
Mahmoud Ibrahim

Abstract

Surface and groundwater are the main sources of water supply in Libya. This study aims to assess the water quality index for drinking and irrigation purposes. 15 surfaces and 47 groundwater samples are collected in an area where lies in Al Jabal Al Akhdar region, northeast Libya. Water quality parameters such as temperature (T), pH levels, EC, TDS, TH, TAK, major cations ( Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+,  K+ and NH4+) and major anions (Cl-, PO43-, HCO3-, NO3-, SO42- and NO2-) were measured. Water quality indices including SAR, % Na, RSC, PI, MH, Kelly’s Ratio and PS were also computed. Main water types were classified based on Piper trilinear diagram. The results revealed a basic pH level for surface water with a maximum level of 7.88. In addition, it is also exhibited a basic pH level for groundwater in the wet season and changed from acidic to basic in the dry season with a maximum level of 8.1. This indicates high-level concentrations of bicarbonate in water samples as measured. It observed that the ratio between TDS and EC increased with the decrease of pH levels, which indicates more releasing inorganic matter. Calcium and sodium are the dominant cations while Bicarbonate and sulfate are the dominant anions in water samples. Based on the U.S salinity, the Wilcox, and the Doneen classifications, the obtained results revealed that the surface water is suitable for drinking and irrigation purposes. Meanwhile, the groundwater is classified between excellent and doubtful except for some samples that were classified as unfit for irrigation purposes. Furthermore and based on the Piper diagram, the water types are classified as calcium sulfate, sodium chloride and as calcium bicarbonate. The water statuses categorization, based on the computational method of water quality index for drinking and irrigation agree with that concluded by US salinity, the Wilcox, and the Doneen diagram.

Keywords
Al Jabal Al Akhdar North-East Libya, drinking and irrigation water quality index, water types, the U.S salinity, Wilcox, Doneen classifications

Article Details

How to Cite
Megahed, K., El-Gammal, M., & Ibrahim, M. (2021). Quality assessment of the surface and underground water in the region of Al Jabal Al Akhdar, Libya. Health and Environment, 2(1), 118-140. https://doi.org/10.25082/HE.2021.01.006

References

  1. UNDESA. Water and sustainable development. International Decade for Action Water for Life 2005-2015. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), 2015. https://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/pdf/WaterforLifeENG.pdf
  2. Sharma C, Jindal R, Singh UB, et al. Population dynamics and species diversity of plankton in relation to hydrobiological characteristics of river Sutlej, Punjab, India. Ecology, Environment and Conservation, 2013, 19(3): 717-724.
  3. USGS. Earth’s water distribution. United states geological survey. Retrieved 2009-05-13, 2005.
  4. Pisciotta A, Tiwari AK and De Maio M. An integrated multivariate statistical analysis and hydrogeochemical approaches to identify the major factors governing the chemistry of water resources in a mountain region of northwest Italy. Carbonates and Evaporites, 2019, 34(3): 955-973. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-018-0452-z
  5. Khublaryan M. Surface waters: rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands.Types and properties of watervolume I, 2009, 79.
  6. Werner AD, Bakker M, Post VEA, et al. Seawater intrusion processes, investigation and management: Recent advances and future challenges. Advances in Water Resources, 2013, 51: 3-26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2012.03.004
  7. Cassardo C and Jones JAA. Managing Water in a Changing World. Water, 2011, 3: 618-628. https://doi.org/10.3390/w3020618
  8. Kibona D, Kidulile G and Rwabukambara F. Environment, Climate Warming and Water Management. Transition Studies Review, 2009, 16(2): 484-500. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11300-009-0084-z
  9. Liu J, Dorjderem A, FU J, et al. Water ethics and water resource management Analyses. Transactions American Geophysical Union, 2011, 25: 914-923.
  10. Du Plessis A. Freshwater Challenges of South Africa and its Upper Vaal River. Springer Water, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49502-6
  11. Abdel-Gawad S and Safwat A. 3rd Arab water forum “together towards secure Arab water” final report. Cairo, Egypt, 2015. https://www.arabwatercouncil.org/3rdAWF/files/report.pdf
  12. Connor R. The United Nations world water development report 2015:Water for a sustainable world, UNESCO publishing, 2015.
  13. Segun A, Macdonald A, Abiye TA, et al. Applied groundwater studies in Africa: international association of hydrogeologists, 2008,
  14. Pavelic P, Giordano M, Keraita BN, et al. Groundwater Availability and Use In Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review of 15 Countries, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), 2015.
  15. CEDARE. Regional strategy for the utilization of the Nubian sandstone aquifer system. Heliopolis Bahry. Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE), Cairo, Egypt, 2002.
  16. Bakhbakhi M. Nubian sandstone aquifer system. Non-renewable groundwater resources: a guidebook on socially sustainable management for water-policy makers, Paris: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (IHP-VI series on groundwater 10), 2006, 75-81.
  17. Maliva R and Missimer T. Non-renewable groundwater resource. In Arid Lands Water Evaluation and Management, Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, 2012, 927-951. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-29104-3_36
  18. CEDARE. Libya 2012 state of the water report. Monitoring & Evaluation for Water in North Africa (MEWINA) project, ministry of water resources, CEDARE, 2014.
  19. FAO. Compendium of food and agriculture indicators. Statistics division. Rome Italy, 2005. http://www.fao.org/es/ess/compendium_2004/PDF/ESS_LIB.PDF
  20. Cw. Government, countries of the world, 2001b.
  21. Abdudayem A and Scott AHS. Water infrastructure in Libya and the water situation in agriculture in the Jefara region of Libya. African Journal of Economic and Sustainable Development, 2014, 3(1): 33. https://doi.org/10.1504/AJESD.2014.061634
  22. UNECA AU and AFDB. The Africa Water Vision 2025: Equitable and Sustainable Use of Water for Socioeconomic Development, 2000.
  23. Margat J. Ressources et utilisation des eaux souterraines en Afrique. Managing Shared Aquifer Resources in Africa, Third International Conf´erence Tripoli, 2008, 25-27.
  24. Altchenko Y, Awulachew SB, Brida AB, et al. Management of groundwater in Africa including transboundary aquifers: Implications for food security, livelihood and climate change adaptation. African Climate Policy Centre Working Paper 6. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), 2011.
  25. Everett and Zektser. Groundwater resources of the world and their use. © UNESCO, 2004, 364. https://hydrologie.org/BIB/Publ_UNESCO/SOG6.pdf
  26. Tabari H, Aeini A, Talaee PH, et al. Spatial distribution and temporal variation of reference evapotranspiration in arid and semi-arid regions of Iran. Hydrological Processes, 2011, 26(4): 500-512. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.8146
  27. Bhat MA, Grewal MS, Rajpaul R, et al. Assessment of groundwater quality for irrigation purposes using chemical indices. Indian Journal of Ecology, 2016, 43(2): 574-579.
  28. Ramadhan OM, Al-Saffawi AYT and Al-Mashhdany MHS. Assessment of Surface Water Quality for Irrigation using WQI model, A Case Study of Khosar and Tigris Rivers. International Journal of Enhanced Research in Science, Technology & Engineering, 2018, 7(3): 63-69.
  29. Ememu AJ and Nwankwoala HO. Application of water quality index (WQI): for agricultural and irrigational use around Okpoko, southeastern Nigeria. Engineering Heritage Journal, 2018, 2(1): 14-18. https://doi.org/10.26480/gwk.01.2018.14.18
  30. Yasmin G, Islam D, Islam MDT, et al. Evaluation of groundwater quality for irrigation and drinking purposes in Barishal district of Bangladesh. Fundamental and Applied Agriculture, 2019, 4(1): 632- 641. https://doi.org/10.5455/faa.301258
  31. Xu P, Feng W, Qian H, et al. Hydrogeochemical Characterization and Irrigation Quality Assessment of Shallow Groundwater in the Central-Western Guanzhong Basin, China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2019, 16(9): 1492. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16091492
  32. Gray NF. DrinkingWater Quality: Problems and Solutions. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511805387
  33. Spellman FR. The drinking water handbook. 3rd ed. Boca Raton: CRC Pres, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781315159126
  34. Yadav AK, Khan P and Sharma SK. Water Quality Index Assessment of groundwater in Todaraisingh Tehsil of Rajasthan State, India-A Greener Approach. E-Journal of Chemistry, 2010, 7(s1): 428-432. https://doi.org/10.1155/2010/419432
  35. Ramakrishnaiah CR, Sadashivaiah C and Ranganna G. Assessment of Water Quality Index for the Ground-Water in Tumkur Taluk, Karnataka State, India. E-Journal of Chemistry, 2009, 6: 523-530. https://doi.org/10.1155/2009/757424
  36. Mohanty SK. Water quality index of four religious ponds and its seasonal variation in the temple city Bhuvaneshwar. In: Kumar A (ed) Water pollution. APH Publishing Corporation, New Delhi, 2004, 211-218.
  37. WMO. New climate predictions increase the likelihood of temporarily reaching 1.5°C in the next 5 years. 2021 World Meteorological Organization (WMO). https://public.wmo.int/en/governance-reform
  38. Mallon DP and Kingswood SC. Antelopes: Global Survey and Regional Action Plans: Part 4. North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia SSC Antelope Specialistic Group, IUCN, Gland & Cambridge, 2001.
  39. Allan JA, Mclachlan KS and Penrose ET. Libya agricultural and economic development. Frank Cass, London, 1973.
  40. El-Barasi YMM and Saaed MWB. Threats to plant diversity in the northeastern part of Libya (Ei-Jabal El-Akahdar and Marmarica Plateau). Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering. A, 2013, 2(1A): 41.
  41. Al Faitouri MSE, Fathi MS and Ahmed MM. Hydro-geochemical review of groundwater and rain waters from Al Jabal Al Akhdar, Northeast Libya.Libyan Journal of Science and Technology , 2019, 176-183. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.35056.20483
  42. Ali GM. Water erosion on the northern slope of Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar of Libya., Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: 1995. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/1035
  43. McBurney CBM and Hey RW. Prehistory and Pleistocene Geology in Cyrenaican Libya, Museum Archeology Ethnology, v. 4., 1955.
  44. Abd El-Wahed MA and Kamh SZ. Evolution of Strike-Slip Duplexes and Wrench-Related Folding in the Central Part of Al Jabal Al Akhdar, NE Libya. The Journal of Geology, 2013, 121(2): 173-195. https://doi.org/10.1086/669249
  45. Hey RW. The geormorphology and tectonics of the Gbel Alkhdar (Cyrenaica). Geological Magazine, 1956, 93: 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0016756800063652
  46. Abd El-Wahed M. Geology of the area around the city of cyrene, Al Jabal Al Akhdar, Libya. 2011.
  47. Guiraud R and BosworthW. Senonian basin inversion and rejuvenation of rifting in Africa and Arabia: synthesis and implications to plate-scale tectonics. Tectonophysics, 1997, 282(1-4): 39-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-1951(97)00212-6
  48. APHA AWWA and WEF. Standards methods for the examination of water and wastewater (22nd ed.). New York: American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association and, Water Environment Federation, 2012.
  49. Li P, Wu J, Qian H, et al. Hydrogeochemical Characterization of Groundwater in and Around a Wastewater Irrigated Forest in the Southeastern Edge of the Tengger Desert, Northwest China. Exposure and Health, 2016, 8(3): 331-348. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12403-016-0193-y
  50. USSL (US Salinity Laboratory). Diagnosis and improvement of saline and alkaline soils. Agriculture Handbook No. 60 USDA, 1954, 160.
  51. Richards LA. Diagnosis and Improvement of Saline and Alkali Soils. Soil Science, 1954, 78(2): 154. https://doi.org/10.1097/00010694-195408000-00012
  52. Wilcox L. Classification and use of irrigation waters (No. 969). US Department of Agriculture, 1955. https://www.ars.usda.gov/arsuserfiles/20360500/pdf_pubs/P0192.pdf
  53. Doneen LD. Notes on water quality in agriculture. Department of Water Science and Engineering, University of California, Davis, 1964.
  54. Paliwal KV. Irrigation with saline water; Monogram no. 2 (New series), New Delhi, IARI, 1974, 198.
  55. Kelley WP. Use of saline irrigation water. Soil science, 1963, 95(6): 385-391. https://doi.org/10.1097/00010694-196306000-00003
  56. Doneen ID. The influence of crop and soil on percolating water: proc. 1961. Biennial conference on groundwater recharge, 1962, 156-163.
  57. LNCS and MC. Libya standers legislation for drinking water, Libyan national center for standardization & metrology and ministry of commerce (LNCS & MC) no. 82, 1992.
  58. Yidana SM and Yidana A. Assessing water quality using water quality index and multivariate analysis. Environmental Earth Sciences, 2009, 59(7): 1461-1473. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-009-0132-3
  59. Ketata-Rokbani O, Moncef G and Rachida B. Use of Geographical Information System and Water Quality Index to Assess Groundwater Quality in El Khairat Deep Aquifer (Enfidha, Tunisian Sahel). Data Collection data Input (Scanning, Manual Entry). InterpretationIranica Journal of Energy & Environment, 2011, 2(2): 133-144. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-011-0292-9
  60. Asadi E, Isazadeh M, Samadianfard S, et al. Groundwater quality Assessment for Sustainable Drinking and Irrigation. Sustainability, 2019, 12(1): 177 https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010177
  61. Varol S and Davraz A. Assessment of geochemistry and hydrogeochemical processes in groundwater of the Tefenni plain (Burdur/Turkey). Environmental Earth Sciences, 2013, 71(11): 4657-4673. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-013-2856-3
  62. Kumar JS, Natesan M and Rajangam U. Application of Water Quality Index (WQI) ForGround Water Quality Interpretation. International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering (IJITEE), Volume 8, 2019. https://doi.org/10.35940/ijitee.L2866.1081219
  63. Soleimani H, Nasri O, Ojaghi B, et al. Data on drinking water quality using water quality index (WQI) and assessment of groundwater quality for irrigation purposes in Qorveh & Dehgolan, Kurdistan, Iran. Data in Brief, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2018.08.022
  64. Hem D. Study and Interpretation the Chemical of Natural of Characteristics NaturalWater, 3rd edition USGS Water-Supply Paper 2254 66-69 US Govt Printing Office Washington DC., 1985.
  65. Brown E, Skougstad M and Fishman M. Methods for collection and analysis of water samples. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper, 1960, 1454: 310.
  66. Richards LA. Diagnosis and Improvement of Saline and Alkali Soils, US Dept Agriculture Handbook ] 60, Washington DC, USA, 1968.
  67. Kawo NS and Karuppannan S. Groundwater quality assessment using water quality index and GIS technique in Modjo River Basin, central Ethiopia. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 2018, 147: 300-311. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2018.06.034
  68. Thilagavathi R, Chidambaram S, Prasanna MV, et al. A study on groundwater geochemistry and water quality in layered aquifers system of Pondicherry region, southeast India. Applied Water Science, 2012, 2(4): 253-269. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-012-0045-2
  69. Thivya C, Chidambaram S, Singaraja C, et al. A study on the significance of lithology in groundwater quality of Madurai district, Tamil Nadu (India). Environment, Development and Sustainability, 2013, 15(5): 1365-1387. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-013-9439-z
  70. Raghunath HM. Groundwater. Wiley eastern ltd., New Delhi, India, 1987, 344-369.
  71. Aghazadeh N and Mogaddam A. Assessment of Groundwater Quality and its Suitability for Drinking and Agricultural Uses in the Oshnavieh Area, Northwest of Iran. Journal of Environmental Protection, 2010, 1(1): 30-40. https://doi.org/10.4236/jep.2010.11005
  72. Piper AM. A Graphic Procedure in the Geochemical Interpretation of Water, 1944. https://doi.org/10.1029/TR025i006p00914
  73. Srivastava SK and Ramanathan AL. Geochemical assessment of groundwater quality in vicinity of Bhalswa landfill, Delhi, India, using graphical and multivariate statistical methods. Environmental Geology, 2007, 53(7): 1509-1528. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-0762-2