257
29.6 μg/l. Statistically significant differences were observed between shallow and
deep groundwater in the investigated region regarding Ba concentrations (Table 8.4).
Sources of Zn in groundwater include textile industries and battery production,
agricultural fertilizers and sprays, and metallurgical activities like galvanizing of
metal and alloy production. It is present in minerals like shale (95 mg/kg), sandstone (16 mg/kg), limestone (20 mg/kg), and igneous rock (70 mg/kg) (Hem 1972).
The concentrations in the investigated region ranged between 2.34 and 1371.41 μg/l
with the mean value of 13.97 μg/l. Zinc was found in significantly higher concentrations in deep groundwater with a median value of 16.03 μg/l compared to the shallow groundwater with a median of 11.50 μg/l.
8.3.2 Factor Analysis
Factor analysis applied for all investigated samples to identify the association
between investigated variables was less than satisfactory since obtained factors
account for only 36.82% of the total variance and 45.64% of communalities. It is
assumed that this outcome arises from an inadequate data processing approach.
Groundwater in the investigated region is constantly pumped and circulates through
the soil. Such practice contributes to the accumulation of certain elements in the
upper soil layers and their leaching downstream to the aquifer. Shallow groundwater
situated under irrigated land will be more affected with the pollution of these elements which may result in unreliable results from the conducted statistical analysis
if shallow and deep groundwaters under the irrigated land are statistically processed
together. Therefore, another factor analysis was performed processing only deep
groundwater samples. The loading values for each variable, E-values, and communalities are given in Table 8.5. The analysis revealed five factors that account for
almost 60% of the total variance and total communalities of 76.66%. The factor
associations in deep groundwater are F1 (Cl, SO 4 , Na, K, and B), F2 (HCO 3
−
, Ca,
As, Mg), F3 (NO 3
−
, NO 2
−
, Mg, Cu), F4 (Mn, Ni, Ti), and F5 (NH 4
+
, PO 4 , Fe). The
first factor (Cl
−
, SO 4
2−
, Na, K, and B) associates the most affected ions by rainwater
leaching through the soil. Extensive studies on rainfall composition showed that Cl,
SO 4 , and Na are the most abundant components in rainwater (Hem 1985). The first
factor positively correlates these ions suggesting that the origin of these ions is
probably associated with the leaching of rainwater. Potassium is an essential element for plants. It is considered that its content in plants is near 0.3% (Mason 1952)
meaning that its concentrations in dry plant material will be higher so the organic
residues in soil may present a considerable source of potassium that may be affected
by rainwater leaching. The second factor F2 (HCO 3
−
, Ca, As, and Mg) makes association between ions that arise from the water-rock interactions and main hydrogeochemical reactions that arise from groundwater hydrology. As it was previously
mentioned, investigated groundwater belongs to the Ca-HCO 3 type, and carbonate
rock watering plays a significant role in groundwater chemistry. In the presence of
8 Groundwater Pollution Under the Intensive Agriculture Production
29.6 μg/l. Statistically significant differences were observed between shallow and
deep groundwater in the investigated region regarding Ba concentrations (Table 8.4).
Sources of Zn in groundwater include textile industries and battery production,
agricultural fertilizers and sprays, and metallurgical activities like galvanizing of
metal and alloy production. It is present in minerals like shale (95 mg/kg), sandstone (16 mg/kg), limestone (20 mg/kg), and igneous rock (70 mg/kg) (Hem 1972).
The concentrations in the investigated region ranged between 2.34 and 1371.41 μg/l
with the mean value of 13.97 μg/l. Zinc was found in significantly higher concentrations in deep groundwater with a median value of 16.03 μg/l compared to the shallow groundwater with a median of 11.50 μg/l.
8.3.2 Factor Analysis
Factor analysis applied for all investigated samples to identify the association
between investigated variables was less than satisfactory since obtained factors
account for only 36.82% of the total variance and 45.64% of communalities. It is
assumed that this outcome arises from an inadequate data processing approach.
Groundwater in the investigated region is constantly pumped and circulates through
the soil. Such practice contributes to the accumulation of certain elements in the
upper soil layers and their leaching downstream to the aquifer. Shallow groundwater
situated under irrigated land will be more affected with the pollution of these elements which may result in unreliable results from the conducted statistical analysis
if shallow and deep groundwaters under the irrigated land are statistically processed
together. Therefore, another factor analysis was performed processing only deep
groundwater samples. The loading values for each variable, E-values, and communalities are given in Table 8.5. The analysis revealed five factors that account for
almost 60% of the total variance and total communalities of 76.66%. The factor
associations in deep groundwater are F1 (Cl, SO 4 , Na, K, and B), F2 (HCO 3
−
, Ca,
As, Mg), F3 (NO 3
−
, NO 2
−
, Mg, Cu), F4 (Mn, Ni, Ti), and F5 (NH 4
+
, PO 4 , Fe). The
first factor (Cl
−
, SO 4
2−
, Na, K, and B) associates the most affected ions by rainwater
leaching through the soil. Extensive studies on rainfall composition showed that Cl,
SO 4 , and Na are the most abundant components in rainwater (Hem 1985). The first
factor positively correlates these ions suggesting that the origin of these ions is
probably associated with the leaching of rainwater. Potassium is an essential element for plants. It is considered that its content in plants is near 0.3% (Mason 1952)
meaning that its concentrations in dry plant material will be higher so the organic
residues in soil may present a considerable source of potassium that may be affected
by rainwater leaching. The second factor F2 (HCO 3
−
, Ca, As, and Mg) makes association between ions that arise from the water-rock interactions and main hydrogeochemical reactions that arise from groundwater hydrology. As it was previously
mentioned, investigated groundwater belongs to the Ca-HCO 3 type, and carbonate
rock watering plays a significant role in groundwater chemistry. In the presence of
8 Groundwater Pollution Under the Intensive Agriculture Production