Environmental effects of boron element on Gharabagh groundwater contamination and provide methods to reduce or eliminate its impact

Abstract

Groundwater is one of the main sources of drinking water and agriculture in Salmas, Agh ziyarat and Gharabagh plains. Since drinking water of Gharabagh plain supplied through two deep wells within the village, but after successive droughts in the selected area as a result of water shortages and low quality of drinking water and consumers dissatisfaction with drinking water after sampling and chemical analysis of water it is determined that concentration of Boron element is much higher than standard limit. Currently to diagnose contamination strategies to prevent environmental impacts some investigations have been conducted. From available water resources, 45 samples a few years ago and 15 samples were prepared in 2014 in order to determine boron concentration by using GIS package. According to the results of analysis and geological maps of studying area identified that origin of pollution is underground mineral water. This water after passing through layers of rock containing boron and dissolving it, some of that reached to the ground surface as hot springs enter the groundwater and contaminate Agh ziyarat and Abegarm regions, and some part transferred to the Khorkhoreh Chay and Ghapagh Tappeh villages through faults and cause pollution in groundwater of these areas. In this research, to prevent further contamination of the groundwater and environmental impacts in the area, solutions in order to reduce the contamination are recommended.