Arid Zone Research ›› 2023, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (9): 1425-1437.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2023.09.06

• Land and Water Resources • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Distribution and coenrichment of arsenic and fluorine in the groundwater of the Manas River Basin in Xinjiang

KANG Wenhui1,2,3(),ZHOU Yinzhu4,SUN Ying1,2,3,ZHOU Jinlong1,2,3(),CAO Yueting4,LU Han1,2,3,TU Zhi1,2,3   

  1. 1. College of Hydraulic and Civil Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, Xinjiang, China
    2. Xinjiang Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering Research Center, Urumqi 830052, Xinjiang, China
    3. Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Hydraulic Engineering Security and Water Disasters Prevention, Urumqi 830052, Xinjiang, China
    4. Center for Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology Survey, China Geological Survey, Baoding 071051, Hebei, China
  • Received:2023-03-27 Revised:2023-06-15 Online:2023-09-15 Published:2023-09-28
  • Contact: Jinlong ZHOU E-mail:1754243549@qq.com;zjzhoujl@163.com

Abstract:

Arsenic (As) and fluoride (F) pollution in water bodies, along with their coexistence, are critical environmental concerns, with long-term exposure posing a significant threat to public health. This study focuses on the Manas River Basin as the research area, analyzing the hydrochemical, and spatial distribution characteristics of groundwater with high As and F content. Furthermore, the study aims to elucidate the hydrogeochemical processes related to the origin, migration, and enrichment of As, and F in groundwater, considering geological conditions, occurrence environments, and the influence of human activities. The results show that the groundwater in the study area exhibits an alkaline-reducing environment. The mass concentrations of As and F in groundwater range from 1.13 to 41.35 μg·L-1 and from 0.06 to 8.02 mg·L-1, respectively. Groundwater samples with high As and F content constituted 62.9% and 45.7% of the total samples, respectively, while samples with a coenrichment of As and F accounted for 37.1% of the total samples. As-F coenriched groundwater is mainly distributed in the northern plain region, near the edge of the desert, with the dominant hydrochemical types being HCO3·Cl and HCO3·SO4·Cl. The primary sources of As and F in groundwater are high-content rock strata found in the southern mountainous area of the Manas River Basin. The high pH value, low SO42-/Cl- molar ratio, and low Eh of the high-As-content groundwater in the Manas River Basin indicate that a weak alkaline-reducing environment facilitates As enrichment in groundwater. Conversely, groundwater with high F content is characterized by high pH, HCO3-, and Na+ levels, as well as low Ca2+, indicating that an alkaline environment with high Na+ and low Ca2+ content favors F enrichment in groundwater.

Key words: arsenic, fluoride, coenrichment, water chemistry, geological conditions, Manas River Basin