Integrated Use of Geoelectrical Resistivity and Geochemical Analysis to Assess the Environmental Impact on Soil and Groundwater at Erbil Dumpsite, West of Erbil City - Iraqi Kurdistan Region

Keywords: Resistivity, Schlumberger, Geochemical, Groundwater, Soil, Dumpsite, Erbil

Abstract

Water is one of the most important commodities which people and other creatures have exploited more than any other resources for their survival. Many parts of Erbil City and surroundings rely on groundwater reserves for drinking and other purposes. The study area lies within Erbil plain, some 10 km west of Erbil City. The study is based on the electrical resistivity method as a tool for assessing the environmental impact on soil and groundwater. Soil and water samples were collected close to Erbil dumpsite to assess the baseline data. 28 vertical electrical sounding points were taken by Schlumberger array along three geoelectrical sections. These sections revealed five zones of alternating clastic sediments with lateral changes which represent the Bai Hassan Formation. The average depth from the surface to the top of the aquifer is about 80 m. The geoelectrical sections revealed that the septic tank discharge valleys have been polluting the soil in two zones in the vicinity of the household septic discharge site. On the other hand, no adverse impact on groundwater quality is anticipated in the present project. The geophysical method utilized in this study is fast, efficient, and cost-effective in delineating the extent of the probable contamination zone(s).

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Sirwa Q. Gardi, Department of Geology, College of Science, University of Salahaddin, Erbil, Kurdistan Region
Sirwa Qader S. Gardi received her BSc in Geology in 2003 and MSc in 2010 in Geophysics from Science College, Salahaddin University-Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq. After receiving her BSc, she worked as a Geologist at the Geology Department of Salahaddin University-Erbil. Since 2010, she has been an Assistant Lecturer at the University of Salahaddin, teaching practical classes in Geophysics, Environmental Geology, Crystallography, Rock forming minerals, Clay minerals and Industrial Geology. Her primary interests are Environmental Geophysics, Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), ERT Data Processing and Engineering Geophysics.

References

Adli, Z.H., Musa, M.H. and Arifin, M.N.K., 2010. Electrical resistivity of subsurface: Field and laboratory assessment. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, 69, pp.805-808.

Al-Agidi, W.K., 1989. Pedology-soil survey and classification. Ministry of Higher Education and Science Research, College of Agriculture, Soil Department. Baghdad University, Mosul University Press, Arabic.

Al-Ansari, N.A., Hedeff, I.E. and Salim, Y.N., 1981. Water resources in Iraq. Journal of the Geological Society of Iraq, 14(1), pp.35-42.

Al-Naqib, K.M., 1959. Geology of the Southern Area of Kirkuk Liwa. Iraq, Iraqi Pet. Com. Ltd., pp.50

Arshad, M., Cheema, J.M. and Ahmed, S., 2007. Determination of lithology and groundwater quality using electrical resistivity survey. International of Agriculture and Biology, 9(1), pp.143-146.

Badmus, B.S., Ozebo, V.C., Idowu, O.A., Ganiyu, S.A., Olurin, O.T. and Atayese, A.O., 2014. Assessment of microbial contamination of groundwater near solid waste dumpsites in basement complex formation, using total plate count method. Nature and Science, 12(9), pp. 113-118.

Bernard, J., 2003. Short Notes on the Depth of Investigation of Electrical Methods. Available from: http://www.iris-instruments.com/Pdf_file/Resistivity_ Imaging/methods_depth_investigation.pdf.

Buday, T., 1980. The regional geology of Iraq. Stratigraphy and Paleogeography. Vol. 1. Publications of GEOSURV, Baghdad, p445.

Chuangcham, U., Wirojanagud, W., Charusiri, P., Milne-Home, W. and Lertsirivorakul, R., 2008. Assessment of heavy metals from landfill leachate contaminated to soil: A case study of Kham Bon landfill, Khon Kaen province, NE Thailand. Journal of Applied Sciences, 8(8), pp.1383-1394.

Compbell, D.L. and Horton, R.J., 2000. Graph and Tables Used to Describe Electrical Measurement of Samples of Unconsolidated Material. USGS Petrophysical Laboratory-Denver, Open-File Report, Denver, p.16.

Dizayee, R., 2014. Groundwater Degradation and Sustainability of the Erbil Basin, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq. College of Science and Engineering, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, p.84.

Edwards, L.S., 1977. A modified pseudo section for resistivity and IP. Geophysics, 42(5), pp.1020-1036.

Evanston., 1979. Earth Resistivity Manual. Evanston, Soil Test, INC. pp.52. Fatta, D., Papadopoulos, A. and Loizidou, M., 1999. A study on the landfill leachate and its impact on the groundwater quality of the greater area. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 21, pp.175-190.

Geoscan-M Ltd., 2001. IPI2win Program, IPI- Res2, IPI- Res3 Users Guide. V. 2.1. Moscow State University, Moscow, p.25.

Ghaib, F.A. and Aziz, B.K., 2002. A combination of electrical resistivity and gravity measurements for groundwater prospection in parts of Erbil city. Journal of Duhok University, 6(1), pp.105-111.

Ghaib, F.A., 2003. Geophysical Survey for Groundwater in Some Selected Basins of Erbil Governorate. International Report. FAO representation in Iraq, Erbil Sub-Office, p.69.

Gulmez, P., 1999. Predictive Tools in Environmental Impact Assessment of Solid Waste Projects. p.21.

GWMAP, Ground Water Monitoring and Assessment Program., 1999. Effects of Septic Systems on Groundwater Quality. Published by Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Baxter, Minnesota, p.37.

Habib, H.R., Al-Saigh, N.H. and Hassan, Z.M., 1990. Geochemistry of Under Groundwater in Erbil City, Iraq. Mosul University, Mosul, Iraq, pp.173-188.

Hassan, E.O., 1998. Urban Hydrogeology of Erbil City Region, Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, University of Baghdad, Iraq. Jassim, S.Z. and Goff, J.C., 2006. Geology of Iraq. Published by Dolin, Prague and Moravian Museum, Brno, p.341.

Jegede, S.I., Ujuanbi, O., Abdullahi, N.K. and Iserhien-Emekeme, R.E., 2012, Mapping and monitoring of leachate plume migration at an open waste disposal site using non-invasive methods. Research Journal of Environment and Earth Science, 4(1), pp.26-33.

Knodel, K., Lange, G. and Voigt, H.J., 2007. Environmental geology, handbook of field methods and case studies. Hannover Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources. Springer Books, Heidelberg, p.1357.

Lashkaripour, G.R. and Nakhaei, M., 2005. Geoelectrical investigation for the assessment of groundwater conditions: A case study. Annals of Geophysics, 48(6), pp.937-944.

Lindsey, B.D., Loper, C.A. and Hainley, R.A., 1997. Nitrate in Ground Water and Stream Base Flow in the Lower Susquehanna River Basin, Pennsylvania and Maryland, United States Geological Survey, Water-Resources Investigations Report 97-4146. Lemoyne, Pennsylvania.

Lowrie, W., 1997. Fundamentals of Geophysics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. p.354.

Majeed, R.A. and Ahmad, M.A., 2002. Brief References on Hydrogeological Characters of Erbil Basin. Unpublished Report, Erbil-Iraq.

Mirsal, I.A., 2008. Soil Pollution, Origin, Monitoring and Remediation. 2nd ed. Springer, New York.

Munsell Book of Color, 1975. Munsell Color Co., Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Nolan, B.T. and Hitt, K.J., 2003. Nutrients in Shallow Ground Waters Beneath Relatively Undeveloped Areas in the Conterminous United States, U.S. Geological Survey. Water-Resources Report 02-4289, Denver, Colorado.

Oghenekohwo, F.O., 2008. A comparision of resistivity and electromagnetics as geophysical techniques. Postgraduate Diploma, 48, p.27.

Raju, N.J., Shukla, U.K. and Ram, P., 2011. Hydrogeochemistry for the assessment of groundwater quality in Varanasi: A fast-urbanizing center in Uttar Pradesh, India. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 173(1-4), 279-300.

Reynolds, J.M., 2011. An Introduction to Applied and Environmental Geophysics. Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester, UK, p.698.

Robertson, W.D. 1994. Chemical fate and transport in a domestic septic system: Site description and attenuation of dichlorobenzene. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 13, pp.183-191.

Robertson, W.D. and Cherry, J.A., 1995. In situ denitrification of septic-system nitrate using reactive porous media barriers: Field trials. Ground Water, 33, pp.99-111.

Robertson, W.D., Cherry, J.A. and Sudicky, E.A., 1991. Ground-water contamination from two small septic systems on sand aquifers. Ground Water, 29, pp.82-92.

Shyler, H., McBride, M. and Harrison, E., 2009. Sources and Impacts of Contaminants in Soils. Cornell Waste Management Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, p.6.

Singh, S., Raju, N.J. and Nazneen, S., 2015a. Environmental risk of heavy metal pollution and contamination sources using multivariate analysis in the soils of Varanasi environs, India. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, p.187. DOI: 10.1007/s10661-015-4577-4.

Sissakian, V.K., 1997. Geological Map of Iraq, Scale 1:250000. 1st ed. GEOSURV, Baghdad, Iraq. Stevanovic, Z. and Iurkiewicz, A., 2009. Groundwater management in Northern Iraq. Hydrogeology Journal, 17, pp.367-378.

Telford, W.M., Geldart, L.P. and Sheriff, R.F., 1990. Applied Geophysics. 2nd ed. Cambridage University Press, Cambridage, p.770.

Vladimir, S., Rodríguez, O.D., Mousatov, A., Hernández, D.F., Martínez, H., Ryjov, A., 2006. Estimation of soil petrophysical parameters from resistivity data: Application to oil-contaminated site characterization. Geofísica Internacional, 45(3), pp.179-193

World Health Organization, WHO, 2003. Guide Line for Drinking Water Quality. 3rd ed., Vol. 1. WHO, Geneva, Switzerland, p.540.

Zohdy, A.A.R., Eaton, G.P. and Mabey, D.R., 1984. Applications of Surface Geophysics to Groundwater Investigations: Department of Interior US Geological Survey, Third Printing. US Government Printing Office, Washington, p.116.

Published
2017-10-25
How to Cite
Gardi, S. Q. (2017) “Integrated Use of Geoelectrical Resistivity and Geochemical Analysis to Assess the Environmental Impact on Soil and Groundwater at Erbil Dumpsite, West of Erbil City - Iraqi Kurdistan Region”, ARO-THE SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL OF KOYA UNIVERSITY, 5(2), pp. 19-31. doi: 10.14500/aro.10192.
Section
Articles