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Groundwater chemistry and mass transfers in the Independence aquifer, central Mexico, by using multivariate statistics and mass-balance models

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Environmental Geology

Abstract

In the light of progressive depletion of groundwater reservoir and water quality deterioration of the Independence aquifer, an investigation on chemical data of dissolved major and minor constituents in 246 recent groundwater samples was performed. The main objective was the detection of processes responsible for the geochemical evolution and mineralization throughout the area. Multivariate techniques revealed different sources of solutes (a) dissolution of calcium and magnesium carbonate minerals, (b) weathering of acid volcanic minerals, (c) alteration of manganese containing alkaline silicates, (d) leaching of halite deposits of meteoric origin, (e) contamination from agricultural and urban wastewaters, and (f) evaporative effects due to intensive irrigation. Although nitrate contamination is associated with pollution from intensive cultivated areas, natural contamination plays an important role in the study area. The investigation reveals that weathering of acid volcanic rocks (rhyolite) and oxidation of arsenic bearing sulfide minerals are the responsible processes for high fluorine (up to 16 mg/l) and arsenic (up to 0.12 mg/l) contents, respectively, exceeding the Mexican maximum admissible concentration for drinking water. Except for kaolinite, all recharge processes are dissolution oriented (CO2, calcite, dolomite, K-feldspar, plagioclase). Silicate precipitation (amorphous silica and chalcedony) is of growing importance in discharge zones. Cation exchange is not an important issue in the whole study area.

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Acknowledgements

The University of Agricultural Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria, and the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico, are thanked for the grants given to J. Mahlknecht at the first stage of this investigation. B. Steinich recognizes support from the Direccion General de Asuntos del Personal Academico of UNAM (DGAPA-UNAM, Grant IN121199). Thanks are also due to the “Programa de Mejoramiento de Personal Académico – Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León” for the Ph.D. scholarship (I. Navarro de León). Access to relevant data and studies have been facilitated by the Consejo para el Desarrollo Regional Noreste (CODEREG Noreste) and the Comisión Estatal del Agua de Guanajuato (CEAG).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Ingeniería en Geomática e Hidráulica, Universidad de Guanajuato, Avenida Juárez 77, Zona Centro, CP 36000, Guanajuato, Mexico

    J. Mahlknecht

  2. Centro de Geociencias, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México (UNAM), Campus Juriquilla, Queretaro, Mexico

    B. Steinich

  3. Facultad de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Linares, Nuevo León, Mexico

    I. Navarro de León

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  1. J. Mahlknecht
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Correspondence to J. Mahlknecht.

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Mahlknecht, J., Steinich, B. & Navarro de León, I. Groundwater chemistry and mass transfers in the Independence aquifer, central Mexico, by using multivariate statistics and mass-balance models. Env Geol 45, 781–795 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-003-0938-3

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