Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Advisor
Duke Ophori
Department
Earth and Environmental Studies
Start Date
27-4-2019 8:45 AM
End Date
27-4-2019 9:24 AM
Abstract
It is known that the use of road deicers is beneficial, but road salts have also been shown to affect surface water and groundwater quality. This study conducted major ion concentration analyses on groundwater samples collected by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) for the Upper Passaic River Basin (UPRB). Results show that the contribution of chloride to total dissolved solids increased significantly by 2010. Trend plots show strong correlation of increases in sodium and chloride with time that are not observed with other major ions such as calcium and magnesium. Decadal bivariate plots of sodium versus chloride show strong increases in correlation from 1960 to 2010 and an overall strong correlation, while those of calcium versus chloride and calcium versus sodium display poor correlation. Plots of Piper diagrams show that the groundwater facies have changed through time, starting as a single Ca(HCO3)2 species and shifting gradually towards a NaCl dominated species. In general, groundwater in the UPRB is fresh with total dissolved solids less than 500 mg/L. Against the natural evolutionary trend, chloride is found to dominate other chemical species in this freshwater system. The findings of this study show evidence that NaCl road deicing salt application can be linked with changes in groundwater composition in the UPRB.
Included in
Road Deicing Salts on Groundwater in the Upper Passaic River Basin, New Jersey
It is known that the use of road deicers is beneficial, but road salts have also been shown to affect surface water and groundwater quality. This study conducted major ion concentration analyses on groundwater samples collected by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) for the Upper Passaic River Basin (UPRB). Results show that the contribution of chloride to total dissolved solids increased significantly by 2010. Trend plots show strong correlation of increases in sodium and chloride with time that are not observed with other major ions such as calcium and magnesium. Decadal bivariate plots of sodium versus chloride show strong increases in correlation from 1960 to 2010 and an overall strong correlation, while those of calcium versus chloride and calcium versus sodium display poor correlation. Plots of Piper diagrams show that the groundwater facies have changed through time, starting as a single Ca(HCO3)2 species and shifting gradually towards a NaCl dominated species. In general, groundwater in the UPRB is fresh with total dissolved solids less than 500 mg/L. Against the natural evolutionary trend, chloride is found to dominate other chemical species in this freshwater system. The findings of this study show evidence that NaCl road deicing salt application can be linked with changes in groundwater composition in the UPRB.