Análisis hidrogeoquímico-multivariado del agua subterránea del sistema acuífero del Valle Medio del Magdalena, Colombia: Estudio a escala regional

Hydrogeochemical-multivariate analysis of groundwater in the aquifer system of the middle Magdalena valley, Colombia: Regional-scale study

Juan Pablo Malagón^1,*, Adriana Piña¹, Sebastián Argüello¹, Leonardo David Donado¹

¹Grupo de Investigación Hidrodinámica del Medio Natural, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Av. NQS 45-03, Laboratorio de Hidráulica (409) Of. 310, Bogotá D.C., Colombia.

* Autor para correspondencia: (J.P. Malagón) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

How to cite this article:

Malagón, J.P., Piña, A., Argüello, S., Donado, L.D., 2021, Análisis hidrogeoquímico-multivariado del agua subterránea del sistema acuífero del Valle Medio del Magdalena, Colombia: Estudio a escala regional: Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica Mexicana, 73 (3), A070421. http://dx.doi.org/10.18268/BSGM2021v73n3a070421

ABSTRACT

To identify the main geochemical processes that determine the chemical composition and quality of the groundwater of the Aquifer System of the Middle Valley of Magdalena - Colombia (SAVMM), a database was created with the physicochemical characterizations available in the different governmental and private entities located in the study area. In total, 2207 data were collected for the period between the years 2005 to 2014. For this study, samples that were complete, did not have transcription errors, and had an analytical error less than or equal to +/- 10% were kept. The number of valid samples was 140. Graphic, hydrochemical and statistical methods were used to understand geochemical processes. According to the analysis of the Piper diagram, it was observed that the calcium bicarbonate type of water is the dominant hydrogeochemical face throughout the study area, followed by the sodium bicarbonate and sodium chloride type. The study was complemented by doing a multivariate statistical analysis, including a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (AAJ). With the PCA, three components that represent 59.4% of the variability of the data were determined and with the AJJ 6 groups were obtained that represent the 140 physicochemical characterizations. The geology and hydrogeology of the study area was correlated with the results of the ACP and the AAJ, thus identifying 3 main geochemical processes that determine the chemistry of groundwater in the SAVMM: 1) Recharge - meteoric water infiltration, 2) Dissolution - interaction of water with silicates and carbonates 3) Anthropogenic Alteration - contamination due to the development of industrial activities carried out in the study area.

Keywords: Hydrogeochemistry, Principal Component Analysis, Hierarchical Clustering Analysis, Geochemical processes.