Hydrochemical Study of Santa María Valley in Catamarca and Tucumán, NW of Argentina.

LOPEZ, J.P.; SALES, ADRIANA; GARCIA, J.W.

Environmental Earth Sciences

Springer

Lugar: Berlin Heidelberg; Año: 2016

1866-6280

Hydrochemical researches in Santa María Valley located in Catamarca and Tucumán in the northwest of Argentina were carried out to assess the chemical characteristics of surface water and groundwater, to understand the sources of dissolved ions by defining the principal hydrochemical processes in order to provide theoretical bases to developing strategies of natural resources uses in the region. This region is dominated by a semi-arid climate. A total of twenty five water samples have been collected. The physicochemical parameters determined in werepH, electrical conductivity (EC), major ions (calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulphate, carbonate and bicarbonate) and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). According to the Piper diagram, the region mainly contain followed by followed by Na HCO3-Cl, Ca-Na-HCO3-SO4 , and Mg- Ca-Na-HCO3 water types. The contents of sodium, calcium, magnesium, chloride sulphate and bicarbonatein the waters of the area areexplained by the dissolution of halite, calcite, dolomite and gypsum and other reactions like cation exchange and weathering of minerals of basement rocks.