{"title":"Hydrochemical insights on the signatures and genesis of water resources in a high-altitude city on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, South-west China","authors":"Jiutan Liu, Kexin Lou, Zongjun Gao, Menghan Tan","doi":"10.1007/s11783-024-1848-8","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>Water resources have crucial implications for the steady development of the urban social economy. This study investigated the hydrochemical signatures and genesis of water resources in the urban area of Lhasa City (UALC). To this end, several analyses, such as ion ratio analysis and correlation analysis, were performed by comprehensively applying mathematical statistics and integrated hydrochemical methods. The results show relatively low concentrations of major ions in the groundwater and surface water (GSW) of the UALC. The primary anions and cations are HCO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> and Ca<sup>2+</sup>, reflecting the HCO<sub>3</sub>-Ca water type. Nevertheless, groundwater exhibits higher concentrations of key chemical components compared to surface water. GSW are weakly alkaline, with pH values of 7.78 and 7.61, respectively, and they have low salinity with average concentrations of total dissolved solids being 190.74 and 112.17 mg/L, respectively. Anthropogenic inputs have minimal influence on the hydrochemical features of GSW, whereas rock weathering is the dominant controlling factor. Furthermore, cation exchange is a significant hydrogeochemical process influencing their hydrochemical features. According to the isotope analysis (<sup>2</sup>H and <sup>18</sup>O), the primary source of recharge for GSW is atmospheric precipitation, with some input from melted ice and snow. Moreover, GSW samples from the UALC show relatively similar <sup>2</sup>H and <sup>18</sup>O isotopic compositions, indicating the existence of a discernible hydraulic connection linking the two water sources. The research findings can serve as a valuable scientific reference and foundation for the sustainable development, effective utilization, and proper safeguarding of regional water resources in high-altitude areas.\n</p>","PeriodicalId":12720,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1000,"publicationDate":"2024-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-024-1848-8","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Water resources have crucial implications for the steady development of the urban social economy. This study investigated the hydrochemical signatures and genesis of water resources in the urban area of Lhasa City (UALC). To this end, several analyses, such as ion ratio analysis and correlation analysis, were performed by comprehensively applying mathematical statistics and integrated hydrochemical methods. The results show relatively low concentrations of major ions in the groundwater and surface water (GSW) of the UALC. The primary anions and cations are HCO3− and Ca2+, reflecting the HCO3-Ca water type. Nevertheless, groundwater exhibits higher concentrations of key chemical components compared to surface water. GSW are weakly alkaline, with pH values of 7.78 and 7.61, respectively, and they have low salinity with average concentrations of total dissolved solids being 190.74 and 112.17 mg/L, respectively. Anthropogenic inputs have minimal influence on the hydrochemical features of GSW, whereas rock weathering is the dominant controlling factor. Furthermore, cation exchange is a significant hydrogeochemical process influencing their hydrochemical features. According to the isotope analysis (2H and 18O), the primary source of recharge for GSW is atmospheric precipitation, with some input from melted ice and snow. Moreover, GSW samples from the UALC show relatively similar 2H and 18O isotopic compositions, indicating the existence of a discernible hydraulic connection linking the two water sources. The research findings can serve as a valuable scientific reference and foundation for the sustainable development, effective utilization, and proper safeguarding of regional water resources in high-altitude areas.
期刊介绍:
Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering (FESE) is an international journal for researchers interested in a wide range of environmental disciplines. The journal''s aim is to advance and disseminate knowledge in all main branches of environmental science & engineering. The journal emphasizes papers in developing fields, as well as papers showing the interaction between environmental disciplines and other disciplines.
FESE is a bi-monthly journal. Its peer-reviewed contents consist of a broad blend of reviews, research papers, policy analyses, short communications, and opinions. Nonscheduled “special issue” and "hot topic", including a review article followed by a couple of related research articles, are organized to publish novel contributions and breaking results on all aspects of environmental field.