Author(s): Harish Bhandary, Mohamed Al-Senafy
Linked Author(s): Harisha Bhandary
Keywords: Pollutants, aquifer, Kuwait group, Dammam formation, evaporites, geogenic
Abstract: A study is conducted to delineate the sources of nitrate and sulphate concentrations in the groundwater of Kuwait using environmental isotopes. Groundwater sampling campaigns are carried out to collect water samples from the two main aquifers of Kuwait, namely, the Kuwait Group and Dammam formation aquifers throughout Kuwait. The samples are analyzed for environmental isotopes, i. e, 2/1H, 18/16O, 34/32S and 18/16O (SO42-), 15/14N and 18/16O (NO32-), 3H, and 14C. The ?2H vs ?18O results show that most of the groundwater samples fall below the Global Meteoric Water Line (GMWL) suggesting evaporation prior to recharge and the recharge has taken place during a different climatic condition than exists today (paleo water). Most of the groundwater samples measured 3H values less than that of the rainwater indicating that they are not modern but old water. The ?34S (SO42-), ?18O (SO42-) and SO42- values of groundwater samples of Kuwait Group of Aquifers has revealed that most of the groundwater samples (SO42-: 100 to 4600 mg/L), ?34S (SO42-): +3 to +24�, ?18O (SO42-): +10 to +15�) have evaporatic origin. The ?15N (NO32-), ?18O (NO32-) and NO32-values of the groundwater samples of Kuwait Group Aquifer has indicated that the majority of the groundwater samples (NO32-: 3 -100 mg/L, ?15N (NO32-): +4 to +21�, ?18O: +1 to +38�) are either desert nitrate or nitrate in precipitation. Similarly, the ?15N (NO32-), ?18O (NO32-) and NO32- values of the groundwater samples of Dammam Formation Aquifer has indicated that they are characteristic of desert nitrates. It is concluded that the major source of high sulphate and nitrate concentration of Kuwait groundwater is geogenic in nature due to the dissolution of evaporites and desert nitrates during the flow course of groundwater
Year: 2017