Abstract
High-F− groundwater is widely distributed in Xiji County, which endangers the safety of drinking water. In order to evaluate the key factors controlling the origin and geochemical mechanisms of F− enrichment in groundwater at Xiji County, one hundred and five groundwater samples and sixty-two sediment samples were collected. Fluoride concentration in the groundwater samples ranged from 0.2 to 3.01 mg/L (mean 1.13 mg/L), with 17 % exceeding the WHO drinking water guideline value of 1.5 mg/L and 48 % exceeding the Chinese drinking water guideline value of 1.0 mg/L. High-F− groundwaters were characterized by hydrochemical types of Na–HCO3 and Na–SO4·Cl, which were found in Quaternary sediment aquifer and in Tertiary clastic aquifer, respectively. Conditions favorable for F− enrichment in groundwater included weakly alkaline pH (7.2–8.9), low concentration of Ca2+, and high concentrations of HCO3 − and Na+. Calcite and fluorite were the main minerals controlling F− concentration in groundwaters. The hydrolysis of F-bearing minerals in aquifer sediments was the more important process for F− release in Tertiary clastic aquifer, which was facilitated by long residence time of groundwater, in comparison with Quaternary sediment aquifer. Cation exchange would also play important roles, which removed Ca2+ and Mg2+ and led to more free mobility of F− in groundwater and permitted dissolution of fluorite, especially in Tertiary clastic aquifer. However, evapotranspiration and competing adsorption of B and HCO3 − were the more important processes for F− enrichment in Quaternary groundwater. Groundwater in Lower Cretaceous aquifer had relatively low F− concentration, which was considered to be the potential drinking water resource.
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This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41222020 and 41172224), the Program of China Geological Survey (12120113103700), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 2652013028), and the Fok Ying-Tung Education Foundation, China (Grant No. 131017).
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Wei, C., Guo, H., Zhang, D. et al. Occurrence and hydrogeochemical characteristics of high-fluoride groundwater in Xiji County, southern part of Ningxia Province, China. Environ Geochem Health 38, 275–290 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-015-9716-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-015-9716-x