Hydrogeochemical Assessment of Groundwater in the Southeast of Benghazi City, Libya
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Aquifers, Fresh Water, Hydrochemistry, Minerals, Saturation Index, Water Quality
Abstract
Libya is situated in an arid region of northern Africa, and faces significant water scarcity, making water one of the most essential resources in the whole country. Therefore, to achieve water security in Libya, surface and groundwater resources must be assessed, protected, and kept uncontaminated. This paper evaluates the hydrochemistry, water quality, and the possibility of use for various purposes of the groundwater in the area southeastern of Benghazi city. Some hydrogeochemical relations such as Piper, Gibbs, Salinity, and Wilcox diagrams were employed to determinate the origin, type, and property of the groundwater, also; to know the different uses of this groundwater and the relationships between the chemical variables. Phreeqc software also has been used to know the saturation index (SI) of the water with minerals of the aquifer's rocks, as it indicated that the groundwater is slightly saturated with carbonate minerals and under-saturated with evaporate minerals. In general, the studied groundwater is salty to highly salty, holding high concentrations of the total dissolved solids (TDS), and is dominated by sodium and chloride "primary salinity" water type, in response to rock weathering and water-rock interaction as they are the most natural processes controlling groundwater chemistry. However, the water is highly salty and unsuitable for drinking, but it can be potentially utilized for the irrigation of some select crops to contribute to sustainable water resource utilization in the region.
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