Distribution Characteristics and Formation Mechanisms of Highly Mineralized Groundwater in the Hetao Plain, Inner Mongolia
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Area
2.2. Principles of Sample Collection
2.3. Procedure of Sample Collection, Storage and Inspection
3. Results
3.1. Spatial Distribution Law of Highly Mineralized Groundwater in Hetao Plain
3.1.1. Highly Mineralized Water Distribution Zone of Valley in Front of Fan in Houtao Plain (A)
3.1.2. Highly Mineralized Water Distribution Zone on the North Bank of Yellow River in Houtao Plain (B)
3.1.3. Highly Mineralized Water (Brine) Distribution Zone of Xishanzui in Houtao Plain (C)
3.1.4. Highly Mineralized Water Distribution Zone of Hasuhai in Hubao Plain (D)
3.1.5. Highly Mineralized Water Distribution Zone of Dalad Banner on the South Bank of Yellow River (E)
3.2. Spatial Distribution Law of Highly Mineralized Groundwater in Hetao Plain
3.2.1. Correlation between Salinity and Major Ions
3.2.2. Analysis Based on Three-Line Diagram (Piper)
4. Discussion
4.1. Indication of Geochemical Indicators
4.1.1. Analysis Based on Gibbs Diagram
4.1.2. The γ(Na+)/γ(Cl−) Coefficient
4.1.3. The Saturation Indexes of the Main Minerals
4.1.4. Relationship between γ (Ca2+ + Mg2+) and γ (SO42−+ HCO3−)
4.2. Isotopic Indication of the Origin of Xishanzui Brine
4.2.1. Oxygen Isotope Indication
4.2.2. Chlorine Isotope Indication
4.3. The Origin of Underground Brine
5. Conclusions
- (1)
- Highly mineralized water with a salinity greater than 3 g/L is widely distributed in the shallow water-bearing layer of Hetao Plain.Its area is about 3.45 × 103 km2, accounting for 11.5% of the area of Hetao Plain. Hetao Plain can be divided into five highly mineralized water distribution zones from west to east and from north to south, namely, highly mineralized water distribution zone in front of fan depression in Houtao Plain, highly mineralized water distribution zone on the north bank of Yellow River in Houtao Plain, highly mineralized water (brine) distribution zone in Xishanzui in Houtao Plain, highly mineralized water distribution zone in Hasuhai in Hubao Plain and highly mineralized water distribution zone in Dalad Banner on the south bank of Yellow River;
- (2)
- In the Hetao Plain, there are five highly mineralized water distribution zones from east to west and from north to south. Saline water with salinity less than 0.3 g/L is the main one, and brine with salinity greater than 10 g/L and up to 70 g/L is only distributed in Xishanzui of Houtao Plain. From the analysis of influencing factors and genesis of highly mineralized water, it can be seen that due to the formation of structural depression in front of fan, the long-term accumulation of water and salt in deep depression zone formed the distribution zone of highly mineralized water in northern plain; the existence of fault structure aggravates salt migration and brine infection, and makes shallow water and soil in the lower reaches of the south of Houtao Plain saline, which is the main reason for the formation of highly mineralized water in Xishanzui of Houtao Plain. Evaporation-concentration in groundwater drainage area and modern continental salinization are the main factors for the formation of other highly mineralized water distribution zones in the basin;
- (3)
- According to the analysis of Piper, Gibbs diagrams of groundwater, the proportion coefficients of various components and the isotopic indications, it can be seen that most of the chemical ions in groundwater in the highly mineralized zone come from evaporation-concentration mainly affected by climate, sedimentary environment, hydrogeological conditions and hydrology. Groundwater in front of fan depression in Houtao plain, north bank of Yellow River and highly mineralized water area in Xishanzui highly mineralized water distribution zone may be recharged by deep marine sedimentary groundwater. The sources of the highly mineralized water in Xishanzui of Houtao Plain are different from those of the highly mineralized water in other zones. Deuterium excess in highly mineralized groundwater indicates that it is of paleo-meteoric origin rather than residual seawater. The δ-D value of the highly mineralized groundwater is lower than the modern average atmospheric precipitation, which indicates that the recharge climate was colder than that of the present, and it is likely that the groundwater was replenished at the end of the Late Pleistocene. The water quality of highly mineralized shallow water in this area is formed by the mixture of deep confined water and shallow water, showing that the deep confined water in this zone can support and replenish the shallow water, and that the brine in Xishanzui highly mineralized water zone in Houtao Plain is influenced by deep underground brine.
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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A | B | C | D | E | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ca2+ | 0.670 | 0.393 | 0.746 | 0.093 | 0.834 |
Mg2+ | 0.831 | 0.984 | 0.927 | 0.918 | 0.941 |
Na+ + K+ | 0.945 | 0.994 | 0.996 | 0.991 | 0.997 |
Cl− | 0.946 | 0.997 | 0.997 | 0.815 | 0.986 |
SO42− | 0.156 | 0.945 | 0.791 | 0.994 | 0.608 |
HCO3− | −0.324 | −0.054 | −0.057 | 0.489 | −0.101 |
Br− | 0.810 | 0.810 | 0.930 | −0.019 | 0.953 |
I− | 0.638 | 0.898 | 0.678 | 0.904 | 0.819 |
F− | −0.024 | 0.413 | −0.154 | 0.371 | −0.094 |
Fe3+ | 0.142 | 0.307 | −0.264 | 0.165 | −0.119 |
Fe2+ | 0.411 | 0.428 | −0.354 | 0.002 | −0.043 |
As | 0.299 | −0.079 | −0.596 | −0.173 | −0.145 |
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Dong, Q.; Li, J.; Cheng, Y.; Ren, Y.; Zhang, D.; Wang, D.; Sun, X.; Cao, W. Distribution Characteristics and Formation Mechanisms of Highly Mineralized Groundwater in the Hetao Plain, Inner Mongolia. Water 2022, 14, 3247. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14203247
Dong Q, Li J, Cheng Y, Ren Y, Zhang D, Wang D, Sun X, Cao W. Distribution Characteristics and Formation Mechanisms of Highly Mineralized Groundwater in the Hetao Plain, Inner Mongolia. Water. 2022; 14(20):3247. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14203247
Chicago/Turabian StyleDong, Qiuyao, Jincheng Li, Yanpei Cheng, Yu Ren, Dong Zhang, Dong Wang, Xiaoyue Sun, and Wengeng Cao. 2022. "Distribution Characteristics and Formation Mechanisms of Highly Mineralized Groundwater in the Hetao Plain, Inner Mongolia" Water 14, no. 20: 3247. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14203247