article · Water
Rapid economic expansion in Egypt's Central Eastern Desert has led to poorly coordinated groundwater extraction, negatively affecting regional reserves. An evaluation of twenty-one groundwater samples across the Eocene Carbonate, Nubian Sandstone, and Fractured Basement aquifers revealed significant hydrochemical degradation. Seawater intrusion alongside water-rock interactions, including cation exchange and mineral weathering, largely control the water chemistry. Most samples display electrical conductivity levels exceeding natural water salinity thresholds, with chemistry dominated by sodium, calcium, chloride, and sulfate ions. As a consequence of high salinity, extreme total hardness, and elevated concentrations of aluminium, cadmium, iron, manganese, and nickel that breach human consumption thresholds, the groundwater is unfit for drinking, domestic purposes, or agricultural irrigation. Sustainable resource management in the region demands structured mitigation and adaptation approaches.
Uncoordinated extraction coupled with saltwater intrusion has degraded vital groundwater reservoirs in an arid economic zone. Knowing that the water is unusable for drinking or agriculture without intervention informs local communities and resource managers of severe environmental risks. These findings emphasise the urgency of monitoring groundwater quality to protect public health and support sustainable resource management.
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The rapid expansion of economic activities in Egypt’s Central Eastern Desert has resulted in poorly coordinated groundwater development, having a negative impact on the resource. This study was conducted to assess the hydrochemical characteristics of the different aquifers in the Central Eastern Desert, with an emphasis on the impact of seawater intrusion and groundwater quality for different purposes. A total of 21 groundwater samples were collected representing the three main aquifers (Eocene Carbonate, Nubian Sandstone, and Fractured Basement) in the Central Eastern Desert, and analyzed for major ions and trace elements. The majority of the samples had electrical conductivity values that exceeded the salinity limit for natural water. Groundwater saline load is primarily influenced by sodium, calcium, chloride, and sulfate concentrations. The groundwater in the Central Eastern Desert mainly consists of Na-Cl, Ca-Cl, and Na-SO4 water-types. Saltwater intrusion and water-rock interactions via cation exchange and minerals weathering are the primary controlling factors of groundwater hydrochemistry. The high salinity of this groundwater renders it unsuitable for irrigation or consumption. Additionally, it is unfit for domestic use based on total hardness values. Furthermore, the Al, Cd, Fe, Mn, and Ni concentrations in the investigated groundwater exceed the allowable limits for human consumption. Proper mitigation measures and adaptation strategies are required for groundwater sustainability in the Central Eastern Desert.
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DOI: 10.3390/w15050971
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