Hydrogeochemical processes in the quaternary alluvial aquifer, Wadi Na'man basin, Saudi Arabia investigations by factor analysis

الملخص EN

Factor analysis (FA) was applied to groundwater chemistry data of Wadi Na’man Basin, western Saudi Arabia to assess the usefulness of such method for interpreting commonly collected groundwater quality data and relating the data to specific hydrochemical processes.

Six factors which represent different chemical processes were identified.

They acquired 86.4% of the total variance and are adequate for describing the groundwater geochemical processes that have taken place in the area.

Factor 1 represents the degree of the overall mineralization of the groundwater due to intensive evaporation rates.

Factor 2 reflects the dissolution and precipitation of carbonate minerals.

Factor 3 displays the buffering of the HCO3 content by CO2 exchange between groundwater and the atmosphere.

Factor 4 might display the groundwater pollution by NO3, which is commonly linked to the nitrogen-based fertilizers and/or by on-site sewage disposal systems used in the region.

Factors 5 and 6 represent single variables, (K) and groundwater temperature, respectively.

Both of them show high association in these two factors.

This confirms that the two variables are largely independently controlled and describe the unique factors assumed to be uncorrelated with each other and with common factors.