State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research (IWHR), Beijing, 100038, China.
Department of Water Resources, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, King Abdul-Aziz University, 21589, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Environ Res. 2024 Nov 1;260:119622. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119622. Epub 2024 Jul 15.
Rapid urbanization worldwide, poses numerous environmental challenges between escalating land use land cover (LULC) changes and groundwater quality dynamics. The main objective of this study was to investigate the dynamics of groundwater quality and LULC changes in Sargodha district, Punjab, Pakistan. Groundwater hydrochemistry reveals acceptable pH levels (<8) but total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC) and HCO showed dynamic fluctuations by exceeding WHO limits. Piper diagrams, indicated dominance by magnesium and bicarbonate types, underscoring the influence of natural processes and anthropogenic activities. Major ion relationships in 2010, 2015, and 2021 showed a high correlation (R2 > 0.85) between Na and Cl, suggesting salinization. whereas, the poor correlation (<0.17) between Ca and HCO does not support calcite dissolution as the primary process affecting groundwater composition. The examination of nitrate contamination in groundwater across the years 2010, 2015, and 2021 was found to be high in the municipal sewage zone, suggesting a prevailing issue of nitrate contamination attributed to urban activities. The Nitrate Pollution Index (NPI) reveals a concerning trend, with a higher proportion of samples classified under moderate to high pollution categories in 2015 and 2021 compared to 2010. The qualitative assessment of nitrate concentration on spatiotemporal scale showed lower values in 2010 while a consistent rise from 2015 to 2021 in north-east and western parts of district. Likewise, NPI was high in the north-eastern and south-western regions in 2010, then reduced in subsequent years, which may be attributed to effective waste management practices and alterations in agricultural practices. The health risk assessment of 2010 indicated Total Health Hazard Quotient (THQ) within the standard limit, while in 2015 and 2021, elevated health risk was observed. This study emphasizes the need to use multiple approaches to groundwater management for sustainable land use planning and regulations that prioritize groundwater quality conservation.
快速的全球城市化带来了诸多环境挑战，包括土地利用和土地覆盖变化加剧以及地下水质量动态变化。本研究的主要目的是调查巴基斯坦旁遮普省萨戈达地区的地下水质量和土地利用/土地覆被变化动态。地下水水化学显示可接受的 pH 值（<8），但总溶解固体（TDS）、电导率（EC）和 HCO 显示出动态波动，超过了世卫组织的限值。Piper 图显示镁和碳酸氢盐类型占主导地位，强调了自然过程和人为活动的影响。2010 年、2015 年和 2021 年主要离子关系显示 Na 和 Cl 之间具有高相关性（R2>0.85），表明存在盐分。而 Ca 和 HCO 之间的相关性较差（<0.17），不支持方解石溶解是影响地下水组成的主要过程。对 2010 年、2015 年和 2021 年地下水硝酸盐污染的检查发现，在城市污水区的硝酸盐污染较高，表明存在由于城市活动引起的硝酸盐污染问题。硝酸盐污染指数（NPI）显示出令人担忧的趋势，与 2010 年相比，2015 年和 2021 年有更高比例的样本被归类为中度至高度污染类别。硝酸盐浓度在时空尺度上的定性评估显示，2010 年的数值较低，而在 2015 年至 2021 年期间，东北部和西部地区的数值持续上升。同样，2010 年东北部和西南部地区的 NPI 较高，随后几年有所降低，这可能归因于有效的废物管理措施和农业实践的改变。2010 年的健康风险评估表明总健康危害指数（THQ）在标准范围内，而在 2015 年和 2021 年则观察到了较高的健康风险。本研究强调需要采用多种方法进行地下水管理，以实现可持续的土地利用规划和优先保护地下水质量的法规。
