Longer question: "If you were given only 20 parameters to analyze in groundwater to generally assess its water quality, hydrologic connections, and usefulness what would they be?
I have spent more of my career thus far dealing with sediment and surface water than groundwater. As I begin to look at groundwater in greater detail I see that there are many ions (major and minor), isotopes (C,N, Cl), nutrients (N,P), organic, and aggregate (TDS, TOC, DOC, TSS, total colloids) type constituents that could be quantified. But it takes time, resources, and expertise to run all of these for any given sample.
Does anyone see a list of 20 "most essential" parameters that they would pick for general groundwater quality characterization if they were resource-limited?
Hi Nathan, depending of which are you expecting to probe..I think maybe you may use a multiparamether to determine some of the common variables you need to characterize the kind of water. First of all you have to decide which guide you are going to follow. "Water Quality Assessments - A Guide to Use of Biota,
Sediments and Water in Environmental Monitoring" of D. Chapman could be usefull. Regards!
The best way is to go the WHO guidelines and their listed parameters or any local water quality standards for each state/country.
Temp, pH, EC, TDS, Ca, Mg, K, Na, CO3, HCO3, Cl, SO4, NO3, TH as CaCO3, F, Fe, Pb, Zn, Cd, Mn.
The quality of any water either surface or groundwater can be identified based on the water physical, chemical, and biological properties. therefore, based on the origin of the groundwater i.e. rainwater, or lateral flow, and the type of the aquifer, the geological properties of the aquifer and top soils. the water properties can vary. therefore, for. example if the origin of the water is the rainfall and the aquifer is unconfined and top soils contain a lot of elements and organic pollutants, you need to select the chemical and biological tests.
From my point of view, the criteria selection should be based on 1) the use to which it will give to the waters or 2) the type of activity or activities that are to be evaluated. However to apply different models of quality indexes, already have defined the parameters to be measured. For my part I could suggest assess: 1) in situ: pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, acidity / alkalinity, hardness, total suspended solids, total dissolved solids and redox potential.
2) laboratory: As (Arsenic), chlorides, Fe, nitrates, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Pb, and sulphates.
I second Luis' list of parameters, with an emphasis on oxidation reduction potential or ORP. ORP values can shed quite a bit of light on what's going on with groundwater and the general geochemical environment in the sub-surface in situ. It's also available as a real-time value (no laboratory work needed) on multi-parameter probes and is commonly measured when performing groundwater sampling/monitoring at contaminated sites. If you are interested in remediating contaminated groundwater it is an essential parameter to consider, along with DO.
First, I am surprised no one has mentioned arsenic or selenium. The reason to measure groundwater quality is most often because it is used as a drinking water source. Therefore, I see arsenic, selenium, and fluoride ions as essential, unless information on these is generally known for the region. Second, if it is a shallow aquifer, the measurement of coliform bacteria may be important as an indication of fecal material contamination. This occurs in many places in the world. Then, an indication of hardness Ca and Mg ions, and separately ferrous iron (Fe2+), and total dissolved solids (TDS). Chloride and Sulfate are also obvious. pH and alkalinity can often be used to calculate all carbonate species, as long as the alkalinity is dominated by them. Some indication of organics (Total organic carbon, TOC). The TOC and Fe2+ gives some indication of the redox potential, but measurement of soluble Mn and dissolved oxygen (O2) will also be useful. Nitrates and total dissolved phosphates also are useful. I think this is 17 parameters, so through in conductivity, temperature, and turbidity (as an indication of suspended solids).
I fully agree with Chad T Jafvert. No doubt, it depends on type of sources of contaminants in the particular study area and for what purpose groundwater is used. For the shallow aquifer of particular regions, pesticides and PCPs would be important parameters to be investigated though it is very expensive.
Groundwater quality depends on the surrounding environment, human use, and geologic formations. As Chad mentions natural concentrations of arsenic, and even radon and uranium can be of concern in some areas. In California where there is alot of agriculture you may want to look for Agro-chemicals like pesticides and fertilizers, perchlorate is also of issue. I would take the time up front to characterize water quality parameters on a regional, demographic, agro, industial, residential, urban basis.
Nathan, all of these answers are good. The only thing I would add is to know your system. Don't choose parameters based on what everyone else says, choose them based on what you know about your groundwater system. For example, the geology of the system can very much influence the types of metals. If the groundwater system is connected to an agricultural recharge area, then pesticides, phosphate, and nitrogen compounds will be really important. So, knowing the land use of the recharge zone, the geology of the aquifer, the length of the groundwater path, and so on, can help you identify what solutes might be important before you start analyzing samples. The "big 11," though, are always a good place to start: Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, SO4, alkalinity, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and temperature. Choose the other nine depending on your system.
Dear Friend, It is important to know the purpose for which water is being utilized. If it is for drinking purposes than of course heavy metals and biological parameters are most important. If it is to be used for vegetable crops irrigation for raw eating and/or cooked one than the Microbial parameters are of much importance. Similarly for cereal crops as per sensitivity of particular crop the parameters changed. But the parameters given by @Pradip Nayek (pH, EC, TDS, Ca, Mg, K, Na, CO3, HCO3, Cl, SO4, NO3, TH as CaCO3, F, Fe, Pb, Zn, Cd, Mn) are more than enough for determining the water quality. Thanks
You cannot evaluated the ground water quality simply by numbers of indicators, but shoud pay attention to the uses. The indicators depends on the designated use of the ground water. For exmaple, the indicator of nitrate, hologenated coumpounds would be more important for drinking water source, while it is not so important if you use it for irrigation.
The parameters to determine depends on your main objective of the study. It varies from one discipline to the other e.g. from the geologist, hydrologist, environmentalist or public health view points. For generally water quality, I recommend:
pH, Redox pontential, EC, TDS, TSS, Hardness, Turbidity, NO3, Cl, F, SO4, Na, K, Fe, Zn, As, Cd, Pb, Mn and Total Bacteria count
The parameters to determine depends on your main objective of the study. It varies from one discipline to the other e.g. from the geologist, hydrologist, environmentalist or public health view points. For generally water quality, I recommend:
pH, Redox pontential, EC, TDS, TSS, Hardness, Turbidity, NO3, Cl, F, SO4, Na, K, Fe, Zn, As, Cd, Pb, Mn and Total Bacteria count
The parameters to determine depend on the main objective of the study. It varies from one discipline to the other e.g. from the geologist, hydrologist, environmentalist or public health view points. For general water quality, I recommend:
pH, Redox pontential, EC, TDS, TSS, Hardness, Turbidity, NO3, Cl, F, SO4, Na, K, Fe, Zn, As, Cd, Pb, Mn and Total Bacteria count
Nathan,
depending upon your sampling objectives, if you only need to learn a general condition of water quality, I would suggest you include parameters covering the following categories: physical parameters (like temp, pH, TDS, etc.), metals, inorganics (no3, no2, etc.), organics (aromatic and chlorinated), and emerging compounds (like perchlorate, cr6+, etc.).
good luck to pick 20 parameters to cover all of above.
Yue Rong
- Dear Nathan: Several good answers were already given. As had been expressed, although with many common parameters, there are many variables that can/need be taken in consideration in selecting the exact parameters. It depends of the problem under consideration, as for example, pollution control, agriculture uses, or water for human consumption, to name a few, and of the region. See, for example, the USA links bellow “ground-water quality investigation in Oakland County”; “Ground Water Quality Standards”, New Jersey, 2014; and the USEPA “Drinking Water Standards and Health Advisories”, 2012, in the links below.
http://mi.water.usgs.gov/pubs/WRIR/WRIR00-4120/pdf/gwq.pdf
http://www.nj.gov/dep/rules/rules/njac7_9c.pdf
http://water.epa.gov/action/advisories/drinking/upload/dwstandards2012.pdf
As we all aware of that groundwater is the precious source of freshwater. This source can't be contaminated easily but when contaminated the remediation is difficult. So, in my point of view first you get the base line data of groundwater of the study area before blind number of parameters tested. After getting base line data your are in the position to select the core parameters among Physico-chemical parameters, Microbial parametrs and Heavy metals.
This depends on the aim of your study.
For water quality study, I recommend:
Temp, pH, EC, TSS, TDS, K, Na, Cl, SO4, NO3, HCO3, F, Fe, Pb, As, Zn, Cd, Mn, Total bacterial count
This depends on the aim of your study.
For water quality study, I recommend:
Temp, pH, EC, TSS, TDS, K, Na, Cl, SO4, NO3, HCO3, F, Fe, Pb, As, Zn, Cd, Mn, Total bacterial count
This depends on the aim of your study.
For water quality study, I recommend:
Temp, pH, EC, TSS, TDS, K, Na, Cl, SO4, NO3, HCO3, F, Fe, Pb, As, Zn, Cd, Mn, Total bacterial count
This depends on the aim of your study.
For water quality study, I recommend:
Temp, pH, EC, TSS, TDS, K, Na, Cl, SO4, NO3, HCO3, F, Fe, Pb, As, Zn, Cd, Mn, Total bacterial count
The answer is not straightforward. It depends on the purpose of your study. From my hydrogeochemical perspective, and if I was not aware of any single information for a study area , I would definitely choose all major and minor ions (Ca, Na, K, Mg, Si, Cl, HCO3, NO3, NH4, SO4, PO4) and some of the trace elements (As, Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, Zn, Fe, Cu). Of course I wouldn’t miss critical physicochemical parameters like pH, DO, EC, T and Eh (or pe). If I had enough money for analyses I would also choose to analyze for Hg, Se, U, F and perhaps some stable isotopes (D,H). In case of surface waters, chlorophyll-a and BOD5-COD would be a must, as well as total N and P.
If you provide more information I will be able to help you more.
Cheers,
Evangelos
Coliform, Turbidity, Chloride, pH, fluoride, iron, manganese, sulfate, total dissolved solids, zinc, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, nitrate, selenium, Total Organic Carbon and Silver.
Dr. Nathan, you want to assess water quality of ground water may be for domestic uses as wells for drinking. For this only 20 parameters have to be selected. My choice will be like that :
1 Physical : Colour, Smell, turbidity.
2. Chemical : pH, specific conductivity, TDS, TH, SiO2,Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, HCO3, SO4,
F, As, metallic trace elements,
3. Biological : MPN and E. Colliform bacteria.
Thus in 20 parameters we can get full picture of water quality.
Dr. Yue, appreciated your remark on selecting 20 parameters for assessing the water quality of surface water. In this concern, would like to mention/ suggest :
1. pH and TDS are not comes under physical parameters.They are known as
Chemical parameters.
2. NO2 and NO3 are important parameters. But NO2 is very much unstable, soon converted to Nitrate. Therefore extra care is require in this regard.
The most efficient way to select your criteria is by seeing what analysis has already been done in the area, have a look at the local history for potential contaminants of concern, and go from there.
the "Top 20" will vary greatly from one location to the next.
Ammonium ions (despite claims from government officials that it was not present in groundwater) was present in large aquifer in our part of Canada due to leakage from sewage systems. E.coli and total coliforms were also present in this case and in a number of rural drinking water wells. Arsenic and radioactive elements have also been detected in rural wells in Manitoba.
First of all you should indicate the use of water you are going to assess because every use has its own parameters and quality assessment characteristics. For example parameters for an irrigation water will be quite different from drinking water or a water going to be used in an industry. Therefore, the use to which water is going to put will indicate what parameters are required to be tested. There may be one or two common for all but most of these are sector dependent.
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