%0 Journal Article
%T Seasonal Variations in Groundwater of the Phreatic Aquiferous Formations in Douala City-Cameroon: Hydrogeochemistry and Water Quality
%A Richard Ayuk Akoachere
%A Sonia Ebot Egbe
%A Thomson Areapkoh Eyong
%A Sophie Ngomune Edimo
%A Simon Ngomba Longonje
%A Diana Besem Tambe
%A Nji Bihmimihney Nelly
%J Open Access Library Journal
%V 6
%N 4
%P 1-26
%@ 2333-9721
%D 2019
%I Open Access Library
%R 10.4236/oalib.1105328
%X
This study
was to determine the seasonal variations of groundwater, the influence of the rock
formations on the groundwater solute chemistry and groundwater domestic-agro-industrial
quality using hydrogeochemical tools and physicochemical parameters; Ionic
ratios, Gibbs diagrams, Piper diagrams, Durov diagrams and water quality
indices. From
physicochemical parameters; in the rainy season, pH ranged from, 4.6-7.1; EC, 0.023-1.63 mS/cm;
Temperature, 26.3-290C andTDS,
0.015-1.09 mg/L and in the dry season pH ranged from 5-7.2; EC, 0.01-1.61 mS/cm;
Temperature, 24.4-29.50C andTDS,
0.01-1.08 mg/L. Forty groundwater samples; 20 per season, wet and dry
were analysed. Themajor ions fell below WHO acceptable
limits for both seasons. The sequences of abundance of major ions
were, Ca2 >K >Mg2 >NH4 >Na ,
HCO3->Cl->SO42->NO3->HPO42- in wet season and Ca2 >Mg2 >K >Na >NH4 , HCO3->Cl->SO42->HPO42->NO3- in dry season. Ion-exchange,
simple dissolution and uncommon dissolution processes determined groundwater
character. Groundwater ionic content was as a result of ion
exchange from rock-weathering. Water types
are; MgCl and MgHCO3 in both seasons. Hydrogeochemical facies are; Ca-Mg-Cl-SO4, characteristic of groundwater some distance
along its flow path and
Ca-Mg-HCO3, characteristic
of freshly recharged groundwater from precipitation. The groundwater indices of; Sodium Percent (%
Na), Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC) , Kelley¡¯s ratio (KR), Sodium Adsorption
Ratio (SAR), Electrical Conductivity (EC), Total Dissolved Solid (TDS),
USSL£¿ and Wilcox index were determined,
evaluated and found to be suitable for agro-industrial uses in all seasons. Permeability Index (PI) ,
Water quality index (WQI) and Magnesium Adsorption Ratio (MAR) were not
suitable in some areas and in some seasons.
%K Groundwater
%K Hydrogeochemistry
%K Seasonal Variations
%K Water Quality
%K Douala-Cameroon
%U http://www.oalib.com/paper/5304754