Hydrogeochemical Characterization and Environmental Impact of Fluoride Contamination in Groundwater from Al-Dhala Basin, Yemen

Abstract

Groundwater is the only source of water in the Al-Dhala Basin, and its quality is important because it defines the suitability of the groundwater for drinking and other domestic uses. The main objective of the study was to obtain a better understanding of the factors controlling the high levels of F in groundwater samples. Groundwater samples from the study area were collected from 28 selected wells. The areas with high fluoride concentrations have been identified, and the possible causes for its variation have been investigated. The regional hydrogeochemical investigation indicates that water-rock interaction is probably the main reason for the high concentration of ions in groundwater. The geochemical modeling indicates that calcite and fluorite are the main minerals controlling the aqueous geochemistry of elevated fluoride ion contamination occurring in the groundwater of the study area.

The fluoride ion concentration in Al-Dhala Basin comprises 71% of the water used for the drinking purpose. Dental and skeletal fluorosis are present in people in the area who receive their drinking water sources at high levels of fluoride from the wells. The population of the study area is at high risk because of the excessive intake of fluoride, especially in the absence of knowledge of the fluoride consumption.