Multivariate Statistical Analysis of Hydrochemical Data and Stable Isotopes of Groundwater Contaminated with Nitrate at Huay Sai Royal Development Study Center and Adjacent Areas in Phetchaburi Province, Thailand

Abstract

Due to the continuous expansion in agriculture production and industry for many years, groundwater usage has been increasing, with a decrease in groundwater levels in many cases. In addition, in some areas, groundwater quality has degraded due to agrochemical contamination from agricultural areas. The aims of this research pertains to aquifers as follows: (1) to evaluate hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater using multivariate statistical analysis, including principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), and (2) to integrate the stable isotopes 18O and 2H with hydrochemical data to evaluate the origin of the groundwater and indirectly identify the pollution sources of groundwater contaminated with nitrate (NO3). Water samples were collected from 60 groundwater wells with different hydrogeological characteristics and land use types in both the rainy season (in October) and the summer seasons (in February) in the Cha Am district of Phetchaburi Province. The groundwater was separated into 3 types: Ca-Na-Cl, Ca-Na-HCO3-Cl, and Na-Cl. Two groundwater wells (no. 19 and 41), which were located southeast and southwest of the study area, had relatively high NO3− concentrations (47 mg/L NO3 and 50 mg/L NO3, respectively) that were higher than the groundwater quality standards. These two wells corresponded to the second group that was exposed by HCA. The PCA results revealed the influence of seawater intrusion. Furthermore, multivariate statistical analysis (PC 2) revealed that the NO3− that is mainly released from potassium nitrate (KNO3), for example, during pineapple cultivation, directly contaminated the groundwater system.