Groundwater quality in some areas of Sirte City, Libya

Abstract

This study investigates groundwater quality in various areas of Sirte City, located in northern Libya, focusing on identifying the most prevalent pollutants. The research specifically examines pH levels and other key pollution indicators, including total dissolved solids (TDS), salinity, and electrical conductivity (EC) of the water. The study is centered on assessing the physicochemical parameters of groundwater in the Sirte City area. A total of twenty-eight surface water samples were collected from different directions (west, east, and south) around Sirte City during the Winter season, from January to March 2016. The overall findings revealed mean to all directions of water quality parameters as follows: pH 7.37, TDS 7419.9 mg/L, salinity 8.91 mg/L, EC 10.2 µS/cm, Na 225 mg/L, K 30.0 mg/L, and total hardness (TH) 11.4 mg/L. The results are shown for each direction separately, TDS 3324 mg/L in the south, 13663 mg/L in the west, and 5272 mg/L in the east. Similarly, the average salinity values ranged from 3.70 mg/L in the south, 16.2 mg/L in the west, to 6.80 mg/L in the east. The results further indicated that the average pH, conductivity, and metal concentrations were highest in the western wells of Sirte City compared to the eastern and southern wells. The average TH values were 6.57 mg/L in the south, 13.5 mg/L in the west, and 14.1 mg/L in the east. Additionally, the concentrations of heavy metals in the studied samples were below the detection limits of the measurement devices used. Notably, the lowest concentrations of heavy metals were found in the southern and middle-western regions, while the highest concentrations were observed in the eastern region. Furthermore, it was observed that the water samples from the western direction were the most saline, whereas those from the eastern and southern directions were less saline.The all results above were increasing than permissible limit According to World Health Organization specifications .

The results of this study suggest that all collected surface water samples from the Sirte region are natural and acceptable for livestock and agricultural use, as well as for cleaning purposes. However, simple treatment is necessary to make the water suitable for human consumption, particularly when compared to WHO and Libyan water quality standards.