Hydrochemical analysis of groundwater quality in central Hodna Basin, Algeria: a case study

Abstract

This paper aims to identify the mineralisation origin and distinguish between the different classes of groundwater quality in several regions of the semiarid basin of Hodna in central Algeria. Many multivariate statistical techniques are applied to a dataset composed of 64 georeferenced individuals with 19 chemical variables. The obtained results from this principal component analysis show that the first five factors explain more than 78% of the groundwater quality variance. Other methods such as CA cluster analysis, CAH hierarchical cluster analysis and geochemical analysis using the Piper diagram are more appropriate to contemplate nodule-facies development and to distinguish clusters. The endorheic characteristic of the study basin consequents the basin centre named Chott El Hodna to be a salinity source. Bit by bit, salinity raises from North to South, from unsalted water to strongly salted water close to the Chott. The outcomes demonstrate that this groundwater is portrayed, the facies definite assessment outlines that the chloride, calcium and magnesium sulphate facies indicate 84% of cases, trailed by sodium sulphate facies with 14% and the rest (2%) is identified by the bicarbonate facies.