Abstract: The current global intrusion of seawater into coastal aquifers causes salinization of groundwater and thus significant degradation of its quality. This study quantified the effect of seawater intrusion and freshening events in coastal aquifers on trace elements (Li, B, Mn and Ba) across the fresh-saline water interface (FSI) and their possible use as indicators for these events. This was done by combining field data and column experiments simulating these events. The experiments enabled quantification of the processes affecting the trace element composition and examination of whether salinization and freshening events are geochemically reversible, which has been seldom investigated. The dominant process affecting trace element composition during salinization and freshening is ion exchange. The results of the experiments show that the concentrations of major cations and Li+ were reversible during salinization and freshening, whereas B, Mn2+ and Ba2+ were not. During salinization, Li+ and B were depleted due to sorption by 10 and 100μmol·L−1, respectively, to about half of their expected conservative concentrations. The relative depletion of Li+ increased with distance from the shore, representing the propagation of salinization. Ba2+ and Mn2+ were desorbed from the sediment during salinization and enriched by tenfold in the aqueous phase compared to their concentration in seawater ( 0.1 μeq·L−1). During freshening both were depleted by almost tenfold compared to their concentration in fresh groundwater ( 0.7 μeq·L−1). The depletion of Mn2+ is a sensitive marker for freshening because Mn2+ has a strong affinity to the solid phase. Moreover, this study shows that both Mn2+ and Ba2+ can be used as sensitive hydrogeochemical tools to distinguish between salinization and freshening events in the FSI zone in coastal aquifers.

Abstract: The lower reaches of the Sabarmati River Basin in Gujarat have intense agricultural and industrial activities and this part is affected by problems of groundwater salinity. Here we attempt to assess the processes governing the causes of groundwater salinity in the coastal alluvial aquifer, employing δ18O and δD isotopes in integration with ionic ratio. The different hydrochemical facies such Na–Mg–HCO3–Cl, Na–Cl–SO4, Na–Mg–Cl–HCO3–SO4 and Na–Cl of groundwater show the occurrence of complex geochemical phenomenon in the study area. Ionic ratio (such as Mg2+/Ca2+, Na+/Cl−, SO24/Cl-, K+/Cl−) and isotopic composition (δ18O and δD) of groundwater indicate that while in coastal areas seawater intrusion is taking place, in inland areas various anthropogenic activities and overexploitation have induced salinity in groundwater. Over-pumping of groundwater has also induced lateral intermixing of highly saline water in the vicinity of coastal areas with relatively fresh/low saline groundwater along specific flow pathways.