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Bhat MA, Fan D, Nisa FU, Dar T, Kumar A, Sun Q, Li SL, Mir RR. Trace elements in the Upper Indus River Basin (UIRB) of Western Himalayas: Quantification, sources modeling, and impacts. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 476:135073. [PMID: 38968826 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 06/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
This study conducted a comprehensive analysis of trace element concentrations in the Upper Indus River Basin (UIRB), a glacier-fed region in the Western Himalayas (WH), aiming to discern their environmental and anthropogenic sources and implications. Despite limited prior data, 69 samples were collected in 2019 from diverse sources within the UIRB, including mainstream, tributaries, and groundwater, to assess trace element concentrations. Enrichment factor (EF) results and comparisons with regional and global averages suggest that rising levels of Zn, Cd, and As may pose safety concerns for drinking water quality. Advanced multivariate statistical techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA), absolute principal component scores (APCS-MLR), Monte Carlo simulation (MCS), etc were applied to estimate the associated human health hazards and also identified key sources of trace elements. The 95th percentile of the MCS results indicates that the estimated total cancer risk for children is significantly greater than (>1000 times) the USEPA's acceptable risk threshold of 1.0 × 10-6. The results classified most of the trace elements into two distinct groups: Group A (Li, Rb, Sr, U, Cs, V, Ni, TI, Sb, Mo, Ge), linked to geogenic sources, showed lower concentrations in the lower-middle river reaches, including tributaries and downstream regions. Group B (Pb, Nb, Cr, Zn, Be, Al, Th, Ga, Cu, Co), influenced by both geogenic and anthropogenic activities, exhibited higher concentrations near urban centers and midstream areas, aligning with increased municipal waste and agricultural activities. Furthermore, APCS-MLR source apportionment indicated that trace elements originated from natural geogenic processes, including rock-water interactions and mineral dissolution, as well as anthropogenic activities. These findings underscore the need for targeted measures to mitigate anthropogenic impacts and safeguard water resources for communities along the IRB and WH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohd Aadil Bhat
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China; Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Daidu Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China.
| | - Fahim Un Nisa
- Department of Geology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India
| | - Tanveer Dar
- Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee 247667, India
| | - Amit Kumar
- Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Qingqing Sun
- Civil & Environmental Engineering University of Missouri, Columbia 65211, USA
| | - Si-Liang Li
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Ramees R Mir
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
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Lone SA, Jeelani G, Mukherjee A. Hydrogeochemical controls on contrasting co-occurrence of geogenic Arsenic (As) and Fluoride (F -) in complex aquifer system of Upper Indus Basin, (UIB) western Himalaya. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 260:119675. [PMID: 39059621 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Arsenicosis and fluorosis have become severe health hazards associated with the drinking of Arsenic (As) and Fluoride (F-) contaminated groundwater across south-east Asia. Although, significant As and F- concentration is reported from major Himalayan river basins but, the hydrogeochemical processes and mechanisms controlling their contrasting co-occurrence in groundwater is still poorly explored and understood. In the present study, groundwater samples were collected from phreatic and confined aquifers of Upper Indus Basin (UIB), India to understand the hydrogeochemical processes controlling the distribution and co-occurrence of geogenic As and F- in this complex aquifer system. Generally, the groundwater is circum-neutral to alkaline with Na+-HCO3-, Ca2+-Na+-HCO3- and Ca2+-Mg2+-HCO3- water facies signifying the dominance of silicate and carbonate dissolution. The poor correlation of As and F- in groundwater depicted that these geogenic elements have discrete sources of origin with distinct mechanisms controlling their distribution. As enrichment in groundwater is associated with high pH, Fe, Mn and NH4-N suggesting dominance of metal oxide/hydroxide reduction with organic matter degradation. However, F- enrichment in groundwater is associated with high pH, HCO3- and Na+, which is assisted by the incessant dissolution of fluorinated minerals. The study also revealed that high HCO3- facilitates the exchange of hydroxides (OH-) with As and F- on sediment surfaces that contribute to As and F- enrichment in groundwater through desorption. 70% groundwater samples have As and F- concentration above the permissible limit given by WHO. Therefore, continuous exposure to these contaminants may pose severe health hazard of arsenicosis and fluorosis to people living in the region and downstream. The study provides insights into geological sources, hydrogeochemical processes and mechanisms controlling distribution of As and F- in groundwater that will help in developing the appropriate measures to mitigate the impact these contaminants on human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suhail A Lone
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Kashmir Srinagar, 190006, India
| | - Gh Jeelani
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Kashmir Srinagar, 190006, India.
| | - Abhijit Mukherjee
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, WB, 721302, India
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Zeng L, Yang F, Chen Y, Chen S, Xu M, Gu C. Temperature and Dissolved Oxygen Drive Arsenic Mobility at the Sediment-Water Interface in the Lake Taihu. TOXICS 2024; 12:471. [PMID: 39058123 PMCID: PMC11281122 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12070471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
In this study examining the effects of temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) on arsenic (As) release at the sediment-water interface (SWI), it was found that an increase in temperature promoted the formation of an anaerobic environment and the reduction and desorption of As fractions within the sediments. A temperature of 32 °C was the most favorable condition for As release at the SWI, and low DO conditions aggravated this process. Even under high DO conditions, the release of sediment As was significantly accelerated under high-temperature conditions, allowing dissolved As to rapidly migrate to the overlying water. In this process, the release of As from sediments was a consequence of the transformation of As fractions in the sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqing Zeng
- Department of Public Health and Medical Technology, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen 361021, China; (Y.C.); (S.C.); (M.X.); (C.G.)
| | - Fan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China;
| | - Yuyan Chen
- Department of Public Health and Medical Technology, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen 361021, China; (Y.C.); (S.C.); (M.X.); (C.G.)
| | - Songmei Chen
- Department of Public Health and Medical Technology, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen 361021, China; (Y.C.); (S.C.); (M.X.); (C.G.)
| | - Mei Xu
- Department of Public Health and Medical Technology, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen 361021, China; (Y.C.); (S.C.); (M.X.); (C.G.)
| | - Chongyu Gu
- Department of Public Health and Medical Technology, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen 361021, China; (Y.C.); (S.C.); (M.X.); (C.G.)
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Ullah Z, Younas F, Bacha AUR, Rashid A, Al-Onazi WA, Sardar MF. Occurrence of toxic elements in river areas along drains and groundwater resources: source of contamination and associated health risk. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2024; 196:480. [PMID: 38676764 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-12648-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
The objective of the current research was to examine the water quality of the River Ravi and the River Sutlej, with a specific focus on potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Additionally, we sought to monitor the sources of pollution in these rivers by gathering samples from the primary drains that carry industrial and municipal waste into these water bodies. Furthermore, we aimed to evaluate the impact of PTEs in surface water on groundwater quality by collecting groundwater samples from nearby populated areas. A total of 30 samples were collected from these three sources: rivers (6 samples), drains (9 samples), and groundwater (15 samples). The analysis revealed that the levels of PTEs in the samples from these three resources having a mean value: arsenic (As) 23.5 µg/L, zinc (Zn) 2.35 mg/L, manganese (Mn) 0.51 mg/L, lead (Pb) 6.63 µg/L, and chromium (Cr) 10.9 µg/L, exceeded the recommended values set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Furthermore, PTEs including (As 84%), (Zn 65%), (Mn 69%), (Pb 53%), (Cr 53%), and (Ni 27%), samples were beyond the recommended values of WHO. The results of the Principal Component Analysis indicated that surface water and groundwater exhibited total variability of 83.87% and 85.97%, respectively. This indicates that the aquifers in the study area have been contaminated due to both natural geogenic factors and anthropogenic sources. These sources include the discharge of industrial effluents, wastewater from municipal sources, mining activities, agricultural practices, weathering of rocks, and interactions between rocks and water. Spatial distribution maps clearly illustrated the widespread mobilization of PTEs throughout the study area. Furthermore, a health risk assessment was conducted to evaluate the potential adverse health effects of PTEs through the ingestion of drinking groundwater by both children and adults. Health risk assessment result show the mean carcinogenic values for As, Cr, Pb and Ni in children are calculated to be (1.88E-04), (2.61E-04), (2.16E-02), and (5.74E-05), respectively. Similarly, the mean carcinogenic values for the above mentioned PTEs in adults were recorded to be (2.39E-05), (3.32E-05), (1.19E-03), and (7.29E-06) respectively. The total hazard index values for As, Zn, Cr, Pb, Mn, Cu, and Ni in children were observed to be (9.07E + 00), (9.95E-07), (4.59E-04), (5.75E-04), (4.72E-05), (2.78E-03), and (5.27E-05) respectively. The analysis revealed that As has an adverse effect on the population of the study area as compared to other PTEs investigated in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahid Ullah
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Fazila Younas
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Aziz Ur Rahim Bacha
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Organic Pol- Lution Prevention and Control, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - Abdur Rashid
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Wedad A Al-Onazi
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 22452, 11495, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad Fahad Sardar
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Prewarning, Protection and Restoration of Bohai Sea, Ministry of Natural Resources, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China.
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Khan NU, Shahid M, Khalid S, Natasha N, Alothman ZA, Al-Kahtani AA, Imran M, Murtaza B. Arsenic level in groundwater and biological samples in Khanewal, Pakistan. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2023; 45:8943-8952. [PMID: 37442923 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-023-01682-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Groundwater is the most valuable natural source in our earth's planet, being contaminated in various regions worldwide. Despite considerable research, there are scarce data regarding arsenic (As) levels in groundwater and its build-up in biological samples in Pakistan. The current investigation analyzed As contamination in four tehsils of District Khanewal (Kabirwala tehsil, Jahaniyan tehsil, Mian Channu tehsil, and Khanewal tehsil). For that, 123 groundwater samples, 19 animal milk samples, 20 human nails, and 20 human hair samples were collected from the study area. Arsenic concentration in groundwater was up to 51.8 µg/L with an average value of 7.2 µg/L. About 28 water samples (23%) had As contents > WHO limit and 38 samples (31%) > DEP-NJ limit. Low levels of As were detected in biological samples. Average As levels were 23 µg/L in the milk samples and 298 µg/kg in human hair. Arsenic contents were not detected in nail samples, except in one sample from Kabirwala tehsil. The maximum values of hazard quotient and cancer risk in District Khanewal were 4.9 and 0.0022, respectively. It is anticipated that long-term use of As-containing water may led to poisoning of humans in the study area, especially in Kabirwala. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor As contamination in the groundwater of Kabirwala tehsil to reduce the potential health hazards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Najeeb Ullah Khan
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Shahid
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan.
| | - Sana Khalid
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan
| | - Natasha Natasha
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan
| | - Zeid A Alothman
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah A Al-Kahtani
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad Imran
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan
| | - Behzad Murtaza
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan
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Qaiser FUR, Zhang F, Pant RR, Zeng C, Khan NG, Wang G. Characterization and health risk assessment of arsenic in natural waters of the Indus River Basin, Pakistan. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 857:159408. [PMID: 36243075 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The elevated concentrations of arsenic in natural water are one of the major environmental threats to human health. However, the existing characteristics, controlling mechanisms, and associated risks of arsenic in natural waters in the Indus River Basin (IRB), Pakistan, are yet to be unequivocally understood. In this study, a total of 203 samples of surface water (SW), shallow groundwater (SGW), and deep groundwater (DGW) were collected from the IRB to assess the geochemical characteristics of arsenic and its associated health risks, as all three kinds of waters are the main sources of drinking and domestic usage. The results revealed that the arsenic concentrations in the SW, SGW, and DGW were in the ranges of 1.1-26.45, 1.05-44.44, and 0.67-41.09 μg L-1, respectively. Furthermore, the predominance of As (V) (97 %) over As(III) (3 %) confirmed that the desorption of As in oxidizing environments with elevated pH and Eh is the controlling mechanism. The hazard quotient of 11-45 % and 20-60 % samples and cancer risk of 26-64 % and 26-68 % samples indicated high health risks for the adults and children, respectively, suggesting an immense need for appropriate measures of reducing natural water arsenic concentrations in IRB from the human health perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faizan Ur Rehman Qaiser
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and Resources (TPESER), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; China-Pakistan Joint Research Center on Earth Sciences, CAS-HEC, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Department of Earth Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Pakistan
| | - Fan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and Resources (TPESER), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; China-Pakistan Joint Research Center on Earth Sciences, CAS-HEC, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ramesh Raj Pant
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and Resources (TPESER), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Central Department of Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
| | - Chen Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and Resources (TPESER), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Nangyal Ghani Khan
- Department of Earth Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Pakistan
| | - Guanxing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and Resources (TPESER), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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Giménez-Forcada E, Luque-Espinar JA, López-Bahut MT, Grima-Olmedo J, Jiménez-Sánchez J, Ontiveros-Beltranena C, Díaz-Muñoz JÁ, Elster D, Skopljak F, Voutchkova D, Hansen B, Hinsby K, Schullehner J, Malcuit E, Gourcy L, Szőcs T, Gál N, Þorbjörnsson D, Tedd K, Borozdins D, Debattista H, Felter A, Cabalska J, Mikołajczyk A, Pereira A, Sampaio J, Perşa D, Petrović Pantic T, Rman N, Arnó G, Herms I, Rosenqvist L. Analysis of the geological control on the spatial distribution of potentially toxic concentrations of As and F - in groundwater on a Pan-European scale. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 247:114161. [PMID: 36343451 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.114161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The distribution of the high concentrations of arsenic (As) and fluoride (F-) in groundwater on a Pan-European scale could be explained by the geological European context (lithology and structural faults). To test this hypothesis, seventeen countries and eighteen geological survey organizations (GSOs) have participated in the dataset. The methodology has used the HydroGeoToxicity (HGT) and the Baseline Concentration (BLC) index. The results prove that most of the waters considered in this study are in good conditions for drinking water consumption, in terms of As and/or F- content. A low proportion of the analysed samples present HGT≥ 1 levels (4% and 7% for As and F-, respectively). The spatial distribution of the highest As and/or F- concentrations (via BLC values) has been analysed using GIS tools. The highest values are identified associated with fissured hard rock outcrops (crystalline rocks) or Cenozoic sedimentary zones, where basement fractures seems to have an obvious control on the distribution of maximum concentrations of these elements in groundwaters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Giménez-Forcada
- CIDE-CSIC, Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación, 46113 Moncada, Valencia, Spain; CN IGME-CSIC, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, 37001 Salamanca, Spain.
| | | | | | - Juan Grima-Olmedo
- CN IGME-CSIC, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, 46004 Valencia, Spain.
| | | | | | | | - Daniel Elster
- GBA, Geological Survey of Austria, A-1030 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Ferid Skopljak
- FZZG - Geological Survey of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
| | - Denitza Voutchkova
- GEUS, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Birgitte Hansen
- GEUS, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Klaus Hinsby
- GEUS, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Jörg Schullehner
- AU, Aarhus University Department of Public Health, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Eline Malcuit
- BRGM, Geological Survey of France, 45100 Orléans, France.
| | | | - Teodóra Szőcs
- MBFSZ, Mining and Geological Survey of Hungary, 1145 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Nóra Gál
- MBFSZ, Mining and Geological Survey of Hungary, 1145 Budapest, Hungary.
| | | | - Katie Tedd
- GSI, Geological Survey Ireland, A94 N2R6 Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Dāvis Borozdins
- LEGMC, Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Center, LV-1019 Riga, Latvia.
| | | | - Agnieszka Felter
- PGI, Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institute, 00-975 Warszawa, Poland.
| | - Jolanta Cabalska
- PGI, Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institute, 00-975 Warszawa, Poland.
| | - Anna Mikołajczyk
- PGI, Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institute, 00-975 Warszawa, Poland.
| | - Ana Pereira
- LNEG - National Laboratory of Energy and Geology, 2610-999 Amadora, Portugal.
| | - Jose Sampaio
- LNEG - National Laboratory of Energy and Geology, 2610-999 Amadora, Portugal.
| | - Diana Perşa
- IGR, Geological Institute of Romania, Bucharest, Romania.
| | | | - Nina Rman
- GeoZS, Geological Survey of Slovenia, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Georgina Arnó
- ICGC, Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya, 08038 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Ignasi Herms
- ICGC, Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya, 08038 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Lars Rosenqvist
- SGU, Geological Survey of Sweden, SE-751 28 Uppsala, Sweden.
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Lone SA, Jeelani G, Padhya V, Deshpande RD. Identifying and estimating the sources of river flow in the cold arid desert environment of Upper Indus River Basin (UIRB), western Himalayas. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 832:154964. [PMID: 35367560 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
A reliable water supply in different Himalayan River basins is increasingly important for domestic, agriculture, and hydropower generation. These water resources are under serious threat due to climate change, with the potential to alter the economic stability of 237 million people living in the Indus River Basin alone. In the present study, we used new stable water isotope data set to identify and estimate the different sources of streamflow and their controlling factors in the Upper Indus River Basin (UIRB), India. The data set presented wide spatial and temporal variability without the distinct isotopic signature of various sources of river flow. However, variable but distinct signatures of sources of river/stream flow exist at the sub-basin or catchment scale. These variabilities are ascribed to changing physiographical, meteorological, and local climatic conditions. Further, the distinct microclimatic conditions including altitudinal variability, aspect slope, etc. govern the spatio-temporal variability of sources and streamflow, hence different lapse rates at sub-basin/catchment scale. The study suggested that the contribution of snowmelt and glacier melt to river flow varies spatially and temporally. The Bayesian mixing model results suggested that snowmelt contribution is higher in Indus (63 ± 1.2%) and Shyok (58 ± 1.7%) while as, glacier melt contribution is higher in Nubra 64 ± 2.3% and Suru 60 ± 2.7% sub-basins/catchments. The groundwater contribution (baseflow) sustains and regulates the flow in rivers/streams during winter and spring, which is very vital for the local water supply. The study suggests that the spatially diverse rugged topography and microclimate in UIRB dominantly control the differential contribution from various sources of river flow. The warming climate, which has resulted in a decrease in solid precipitation, continuous glacier mass loss, early melting of snow cover, etc., would have an inconsistent impact on the perennial flow of rivers with the potential to alter the economic and political stability in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suhail A Lone
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Kashmir, Srinagar 190006, India
| | - Ghulam Jeelani
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Kashmir, Srinagar 190006, India.
| | - Virendra Padhya
- Geoscience Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad 380009, India
| | - R D Deshpande
- Geoscience Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad 380009, India
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Natural Processes and Anthropogenic Activity in the Indus River Sedimentary Environment in Pakistan: A Critical Review. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse9101109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The Indus River is Asia’s longest river, having its origin in the Tibet Mountain northwest of Pakistan. Routed from northern Gilgit and flowing to the plains, the river passes through several provinces and is connected by numerous small and large tributaries. The river was formed tectonically due to the collusion of the Indian and Eurasian plates, which is referred to as the Indus suture Plains zone (ISPZ). The geological setting of the study area is mainly composed of igneous and metamorphic rocks. The river passed through a variety of climatic zones and areas, although the predominant climate is subtropic arid and sub arid to subequatorial. Locally and globally, anthropogenic activities such as building, dams, and water canals for irrigation purposes, mining exploration, and industries and factories all affected the physical and chemical behaviors of the sediments in various rivers. The main effect of human activities is the reworking of weathered soil smectite, a chemical weathering indicator that rises in the offshore record about 5000 years ago. This material indicates increased transport of stronger chemically weathered material, which may result from agriculture-induced erosion of older soil. However, we also see evidence for the incision of large rivers into the floodplain, which is also driving the reworking of this type of material, so the signal may be a combination of the two. Sediments undergo significant changes in form and size due to clashing with one another in the high-charge river.
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