Groundwater Pollution of the Quaternary Aquifer in Northern United Arab Emirates

• Published in: Water, air, and soil pollution air, and soil pollution, 2008-05, Vol.190 (1-4), p.323-341
• Main Authors: Al-Hogaraty, Eslam A, Rizk, Zeinelabidin S, Garamoon, Hassan K
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analytical chemistry; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Anions; anthropogenic activities; Anthropogenic factors; Applied ecology; Aquifers; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biological and medical sciences; Cations; Chemical analysis; Chromatography; Climate Change/Climate Change Impacts; Dissolved oxygen; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environment; Environmental monitoring; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Groundwater; groundwater contamination; Groundwater flow; Groundwater pollution; Groundwater recharge; heavy metals; hydrochemistry; Hydrogeology; Hydrology; Laboratories; Land use; Landfills; Marine and brackish environment; Nonpoint source pollution; point source pollution; Pollutants; Pollution sources; Salinity; Salinity effects; saltwater intrusion; Seawater; Sewage; Sewage disposal; Soil Science & Conservation; Trace elements; Waste disposal; Waste disposal sites; Water analysis; Water Quality/Water Pollution
• ISSN: 0049-6979; 1573-2932
• DOI: 10.1007/s11270-007-9584-9

Natural conditions and human activities have caused serious quality degradation of the Quaternary aquifer in the north of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The aquifer within Ajman City is unconfined, receiving limited recharge (12 542 m³/day) from the east and large pollutants flux (4,800 m³/day) from land surface. Field survey and laboratory analyses revealed anomalies in groundwater salinity (TDS), total hardness (TH), dissolved oxygen (DO), cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺ and K⁺), anions ( [graphic removed] , [graphic removed] , Cl⁻ and [graphic removed] ) and trace elements (Fe, Pb, Cd and Cr), which can be correlated to point and non-point pollution sources. Concentrations of trace elements are more responsive to anthropogenic sources than natural ones. High Fe and Pb levels were measured close to the untreated sewage disposal site, while high Cd and Cr contents were observed near hospitals and clinics. Iso-concentration maps of salinity and major ions, in addition to hydrochemical profiles were used to define the seawater-groundwater interface in Ajman City. The potentiometric surface map of the Quaternary aquifer within the study area shows that groundwater flows from the east towards the Arabian Gulf in the west. The proposed landfill site is suitable because it lies within a topographic low, receiving groundwater flow from all directions.