Skip to main content
Top
Published in: Environmental Earth Sciences 18/2018

01-09-2018 | Original Article

Mapping groundwater zones contaminated by hydrocarbons in the Dammam aquifer in the Karbala–Najaf plateau, Iraq

Authors: Alaa M. Al-Abadi, Qusai Y. Al-Kubaisi, Maithm A. Al-Ghanimy

Published in: Environmental Earth Sciences | Issue 18/2018

Log in

Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.

search-config
loading …

Abstract

This study focused on delineating the groundwater contamination zones that contain hydrocarbons (heavy oil) in the Dammam aquifer in the Karbala–Najaf plateau, central Iraq, using two hybrid models, specifically, the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and the technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) (AHP-TOPSIS and entropy-TOPSIS). Six factors were identified as causing the contamination of groundwater in the Dammam aquifer depending on data availability and the opinions of experts. These factors were the distance to the Abu Jir fault, fault density, aquifer hydraulic conductivity and thickness, borehole depths, and elevation above mean sea level. The AHP and entropy methods were used to derive the weights required to run the TOPSIS algorithm. The ranked values from TOPSIS were classified into five contamination hazard zones: very low, low, moderate, high, and very high. The results from the hybrid models were validated using the receiver operating characteristic curve and proved that the hybridization of entropy-TOPSIS with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve equal to 0.80 performed better than that of AHP-TOPSIS with a value of 0.75. The direct comparison of groundwater-contaminated boreholes (validation dataset) with groundwater contamination zones also confirmed this result. The moderate–very high contaminated zones occupy 60% of the study area and are distributed in the northern and northeastern parts of the plateau, whereas the very low–low zones are concentrated in the southwestern and southern parts. The map of contamination level hazard zones from this study could be used by decision-makers and drilling workers as a guide to drill new boreholes and thus to avoid drilling-faulted contaminated boreholes.

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

  • über 102.000 Bücher
  • über 537 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

  • Automobil + Motoren
  • Bauwesen + Immobilien
  • Business IT + Informatik
  • Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
  • Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
  • Finance + Banking
  • Management + Führung
  • Marketing + Vertrieb
  • Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe
  • Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

Springer Professional "Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

  • über 67.000 Bücher
  • über 390 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

  • Automobil + Motoren
  • Bauwesen + Immobilien
  • Business IT + Informatik
  • Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
  • Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
  • Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe




 

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

Literature
go back to reference Al-Atabi AN (2014) Determination of the oil characterization and reservoir assessment of Fatha (lower Fars) and Ghar Formations is selected oil fields in south and middle Euphrates of Iraq. Unpublished Ph. D. thesis, University of Baghdad, Iraq. p 285 Al-Atabi AN (2014) Determination of the oil characterization and reservoir assessment of Fatha (lower Fars) and Ghar Formations is selected oil fields in south and middle Euphrates of Iraq. Unpublished Ph. D. thesis, University of Baghdad, Iraq. p 285
go back to reference Al-Ghanimy MA (2013) The Hydrology of Damaam Auifer in the West and South West of Karbala City. M.Sc. Thesis, (unpublished), University of Baghdad, p 193 Al-Ghanimy MA (2013) The Hydrology of Damaam Auifer in the West and South West of Karbala City. M.Sc. Thesis, (unpublished), University of Baghdad, p 193
go back to reference Al-Jiburi HJ (2002) Hydro geological and hydrochemical study of Karbala Quadrangle (N1-3S-14). Scale 1:250 000, GEOSURV. Int rep no. 2825 Al-Jiburi HJ (2002) Hydro geological and hydrochemical study of Karbala Quadrangle (N1-3S-14). Scale 1:250 000, GEOSURV. Int rep no. 2825
go back to reference Assarj A, Mahesh T, Assari E (2013) Role of public participation in sustainability of historical city: usage of TOPSIS method. Indian J Sci Technol 5(3):2289–2294 Assarj A, Mahesh T, Assari E (2013) Role of public participation in sustainability of historical city: usage of TOPSIS method. Indian J Sci Technol 5(3):2289–2294
go back to reference Belton V, Stewart T (2002) Multiple criteria decision analysis: an integrated approach. Kluwer Academic, DordrechtCrossRef Belton V, Stewart T (2002) Multiple criteria decision analysis: an integrated approach. Kluwer Academic, DordrechtCrossRef
go back to reference Buday T, Jassim SZ (1987) The regional geology of Iraq, vol 2. Tectonism, Magmatism, and Metamorphism. Publication of GEOSURV, Baghdad, p 352 Buday T, Jassim SZ (1987) The regional geology of Iraq, vol 2. Tectonism, Magmatism, and Metamorphism. Publication of GEOSURV, Baghdad, p 352
go back to reference Consortium-Yugslavia (1977) Water Development Project Western Desert, Block-7, Hydrogeological exploration and Hydrotechnical Works, Climatology and Hydrology final report, vol.1, P39 (unpublished) Consortium-Yugslavia (1977) Water Development Project Western Desert, Block-7, Hydrogeological exploration and Hydrotechnical Works, Climatology and Hydrology final report, vol.1, P39 (unpublished)
go back to reference Hwang CL, Yoon K (1981) Multiple attribute decision making: methods and applications. Springer, BerlinCrossRef Hwang CL, Yoon K (1981) Multiple attribute decision making: methods and applications. Springer, BerlinCrossRef
go back to reference Jassim SZ, Goff JC (2006) Geology of Iraq. Dolin, Prague and Moravian Museum, Brno, p 431 Jassim SZ, Goff JC (2006) Geology of Iraq. Dolin, Prague and Moravian Museum, Brno, p 431
go back to reference Jassim SZ, Karim SA, Basi MA, Al-Mubark MA, Munir J (1984) Final report on the regional geological survey of Iraq. Vol. 3, Stratigraphy, GEOSURV, Int. Rep. No. 1147 Jassim SZ, Karim SA, Basi MA, Al-Mubark MA, Munir J (1984) Final report on the regional geological survey of Iraq. Vol. 3, Stratigraphy, GEOSURV, Int. Rep. No. 1147
go back to reference Jenks GF (1967) The data model concept in statistical mapping. Int Yearb Cartogr 7:186–190 Jenks GF (1967) The data model concept in statistical mapping. Int Yearb Cartogr 7:186–190
go back to reference Mateo JRSC (2012) Multi-criteria analysis in the renewable energy industry. Springer, Berlin, 116pCrossRef Mateo JRSC (2012) Multi-criteria analysis in the renewable energy industry. Springer, Berlin, 116pCrossRef
go back to reference Moench AF (1988) The response of partially penetrating wells to pumpage from double-porosity aquifers. In: Proceedings of the international conference on fluid flow in fractured rocks, Atlanta, GA, May 16–18, 1988 Moench AF (1988) The response of partially penetrating wells to pumpage from double-porosity aquifers. In: Proceedings of the international conference on fluid flow in fractured rocks, Atlanta, GA, May 16–18, 1988
go back to reference Monjezi M, Dehghani H, Singh TN, Sayadi AR, Gholinejad A (2012) Application of TOPSIS method for selecting the most appropriate blast design. Arab J Geosci 5(1):95–101CrossRef Monjezi M, Dehghani H, Singh TN, Sayadi AR, Gholinejad A (2012) Application of TOPSIS method for selecting the most appropriate blast design. Arab J Geosci 5(1):95–101CrossRef
go back to reference Negnevitsky M (2002) Artificial intelligence—a guide to intelligent systems. Addison-Wesley Co, Great Britain Negnevitsky M (2002) Artificial intelligence—a guide to intelligent systems. Addison-Wesley Co, Great Britain
go back to reference Saaty TL (1980) The analytic hierarchy process. McGraw Hill International, New York Saaty TL (1980) The analytic hierarchy process. McGraw Hill International, New York
go back to reference Zeleny M (1982) Multiple Criteria Decision Making. McGraw Hill, New York, p 563 Zeleny M (1982) Multiple Criteria Decision Making. McGraw Hill, New York, p 563
Metadata
Title
Mapping groundwater zones contaminated by hydrocarbons in the Dammam aquifer in the Karbala–Najaf plateau, Iraq
Authors
Alaa M. Al-Abadi
Qusai Y. Al-Kubaisi
Maithm A. Al-Ghanimy
Publication date
01-09-2018
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Environmental Earth Sciences / Issue 18/2018
Print ISSN: 1866-6280
Electronic ISSN: 1866-6299
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-018-7827-2

Other articles of this Issue 18/2018

Environmental Earth Sciences 18/2018 Go to the issue