The use of factor analysis to distinguish the influence of parent material, mining and agriculture on groundwater composition in the Strumica valley, Macedonia

Boev, Ivan and Šorša, Ajka and Kovacevik, Biljana and Mitrev, Sasa and Boev, Blazo (2016) The use of factor analysis to distinguish the influence of parent material, mining and agriculture on groundwater composition in the Strumica valley, Macedonia. Geologica Croatica, 69 (2). pp. 245-253. ISSN 1333-4875

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Abstract

Determination of groundwater chemistry in the Strumica valley was essential given its widespread
use for irrigation in the agricultural industry. 224 samples were collected form boreholes forming
the dataset for the study. The groundwater chemical composition was examined for selected
analytes: As, Sr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, Ba, Pb, Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, Ti, Li, Cr, Fe, U, CaCO3, Cl-,
NO3
-, NH4
+, SO4
2- and PO4
3-. The source and internal correlations of the analytes were subjected
to multivariate statistical analyses (factor analyses), which yielded 7 factors. Geochemical
maps of these factors were generated using the kriging method. The groundwater chemistry was
predominantly controlled by the geology with some anthropogenic influence due to agriculture
and mining, affecting the concentrations and spatial distribution of arsenic, phosphates, sulphates,
nitrates and some metals (copper, iron, chromium, lead, nickel, zinc). Mining of copper/
gold (molybdenum) in the region of Ilovica increased the concentration of Al, Cu, Pb, Cr, NO3
-,
Ni, Zn, Na, K, Li and PO4
3- in groundwater, but only at a local level.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: groundwater, chemistry, factor analyses, Strumica, Macedonia
Subjects: Natural sciences > Earth and related environmental sciences
Agricultural Sciences > Other agricultural sciences
Natural sciences > Other natural sciences
Divisions: Faculty of Natural and Technical Sciences
Depositing User: Biljana Kosturanova
Date Deposited: 07 Jul 2016 07:56
Last Modified: 07 Jul 2016 07:56
URI: https://eprints.ugd.edu.mk/id/eprint/16043

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