Nature Environment and Pollution Technology

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Geophysical Assessment of the Environmental Pollution at Downstream of Wadi Uranah, Southwest of Makkah, Saudi Arabia


Affiliations
1 Department of Geophysics, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 80206, Saudi Arabia
2 Geohazards Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 80200, Saudi Arabia
3 Geology Department, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, 41522, Egypt
 

This study aims to incorporate the analysis and interpretation of aeromagnetic data with the results of vertical electrical sounding to investigate the horizontal and vertical extensions of subsurface contaminant plume caused by the wastewater dumpsite at the downstream of Wadi Uranah. It is also the aim of this study to investigate the subsurface geological and structural elements controlling the flow and accumulation of contamination. The results show that the contamination flow and accumulation are controlled mainly by the subsurface faults and basement topography. Subsurface faults form pathways for the contamination, while subsided basement blocks form basins with thick sedimentary cover, suitable for accumulation of the contamination. The southwestern part of the area, close to the Red Sea, is probably affected by seawater intrusion.

Keywords

Aeromagnetic Data, Environmental Pollution, Wastewater Dumpsite, Wadi Uranah.
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Aero-Service Corporation, Hunting Geology and Geophysics Limited and Lockwood Survey Corporation Limited. Under the Burau De Researches Geophysics Et Minieres, 1965-1966, Airborne Magnetometer-Scintilation Counter Survey Map, Scale 1:50,000, sheet DD

  • Al-Garni, M.A. 2005. Investigating the groundwater occurrence in Wadi Rahjan and its potential contribution to AinZubaida using magnetic and electric methods, KSA. Journal of King Abdul Aziz Univeristy: Earth Sciences, 18: 23-47.

  • Al-Harthi, A.A. 2003. Preliminary environmental assessment of the pollution of soil and water at Wadi Uranah, Makkah Al-Mukarramah, Saudi Arabia. Journal of King Abdul Aziz University: Earth Sciences, 13: 123-150.

  • Al-Rehaili, M.H. and Bankhar, K.A. 1998. Environmental impacts of liquid waste disposal at Makkah Al-Mukaramah region. Saudi Geological Survey, Internal Report, pp. 10.

  • Al-Shanti, A.M.S. 1966. Oolitic iron ore deposits in Wadi Fatima between Jeddah and Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabian Directorate General of Mineral Resources, 2: 51.

  • Amigun, J.O. and Adelusi, A.O. 2013. Ground magnetic mapping of subsurface structures beneath obanla, federal university of technology, akure Nigeria: implication for hydrogeological study. FUTA Journal of Research in Sciences, 2: 225-234.

  • Bahabri, A.A. 2011. Geoenvironmental assessments of polluted water and soil due to sewage water at Wadi Uranah, south-west of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Ph.D. Thesis, King Abdul Aziz University, pp. 255.

  • Dobrin, M.B. and Savit C.H. 1988. Introduction to Geophysical Prospecting. Fourth Edition, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, pp. 867.

  • Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) 1985. Water quality for agriculture. FAO Irrigationnd Drainage Paper No. 29.

  • Johnson, P. 2006. Explanatory notes to the map of proterozoic geology of western Saudi Arabia. Technical Report, SGS-TR-2006-4, Saudi Geological Survey.

  • Ministry of Agriculture and Water (MAW) 1988. Water atlas of Saudi Arabia. Department of Water Resources Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Water, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

  • Meteorology and Environmental Protection Administration (MEPA) 1989. Environmental standards. Saudi Arabia Document, pp. 1409-1410.

  • Moore, T.A. and Al-Rehaili, M.H. 1989. Geologic map of the Makkah Quadrangle. Sheet 21D, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabian Directorate General of Mineral Resources Geoscience Map GM-107, Scale 1:250,000, pp. 62.

  • Ogungbe, A.S., Onori, E.O. and Olaoye, M.A. 2012. Application of electrical resistivity techniques in the investigation of groundwater contamination: A case study of Ile-Epo Dumpsite, Lagos, Nigeria. International Journal of Geomatics and Geosciences, 3(1): 30-41.

  • Ojo, O.A. 2015. Detection of leachate plumes migration depth using vertical electrical sounding method. The African Review of Physics, 10: 0034

  • Parasnis, D.S. 1996. Mining Geophysics. Elservier Publishing Co., Amesterdam, London, New York.

  • Reid, A.B., Allsop, J.M., Granser, H., Millett, A.J. and Somerton, I.W. 1990. Magnetic interpretation in three dimensions using Eulerde convolution. Geophysics, 55: 80-91.

  • Saudi Arabian Standards Organization (SASO) 1991. Standards for Drinking Water.

  • Sirwa, Q.S. 2014. 2D electrical resistivity tomography survey for shallow environmental study at wastewater valley of southwestern Erbil city, Iraqi Kurdistan Region. Research Journal of Environmental and Earth Sciences, 6(5): 266-277.

  • Telford, W.M. and Sheriff, R.E. 1990. Applied Geophysics. Cambridge University Press.

  • World Health Organization (WHO) 1993. Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality, Recommendations. 2nd Edition, Geneva, Vol. 1.


Abstract Views: 462

PDF Views: 0




  • Geophysical Assessment of the Environmental Pollution at Downstream of Wadi Uranah, Southwest of Makkah, Saudi Arabia

Abstract Views: 462  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

N. Alandoonisi
Department of Geophysics, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 80206, Saudi Arabia
H. M. Harbi
Geohazards Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 80200, Saudi Arabia
A. Atef
Department of Geophysics, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 80206, Saudi Arabia
H. Aboualnaga
Geohazards Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 80200, Saudi Arabia
M. Rashed
Geology Department, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, 41522, Egypt

Abstract


This study aims to incorporate the analysis and interpretation of aeromagnetic data with the results of vertical electrical sounding to investigate the horizontal and vertical extensions of subsurface contaminant plume caused by the wastewater dumpsite at the downstream of Wadi Uranah. It is also the aim of this study to investigate the subsurface geological and structural elements controlling the flow and accumulation of contamination. The results show that the contamination flow and accumulation are controlled mainly by the subsurface faults and basement topography. Subsurface faults form pathways for the contamination, while subsided basement blocks form basins with thick sedimentary cover, suitable for accumulation of the contamination. The southwestern part of the area, close to the Red Sea, is probably affected by seawater intrusion.

Keywords


Aeromagnetic Data, Environmental Pollution, Wastewater Dumpsite, Wadi Uranah.

References