DELINEATION OF HEAVY METAL ZONE IN
AQUIFER SYSTEM USING GEOELECTRICAL
RESISTIVITY AND HYDROGEOCHEMICAL
METHODS
Nur Islami
Samsudin Hj Taib
Ismail Yusoff
Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences
University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
1
CONTENT
 Introduction
 Statement of problems: Summary
 Contribution to the knowledge
 Objective of the study
 Geology and hydrogeology
 Methodology
 Result and discussion
 Conclusions
2
INTRODUCTION
3
Introduction
South China Sea
690000
N
685000
The study area known as the
North Kelantan Quaternary
sediment lies within the latitude
5.83N and 6.23 N and longitude
102.14 E and 102.44 E.
680000
675000
Kota Bharu
Malacca
Strait
Kelantan River
It is located in the northern
portion of the State of Kelantan
which is on the north-eastern
coast of Peninsula Malaysia
Meter
670000
Bachok
Pengkalan Datu River
665000
Kemasin River
660000
655000
Legend
The area covers
approximately 487 Km2 which
of the surface elevation is less
than 35 m above mean sea
level.
Paddy Field
650000
Tobacco Field
Palm Oil Field
645000
Rubber Trees Field
Machang
455000
Introduction
Coconut Field
4 Km
640000
460000
465000
470000
475000
Meter
480000
485000
490000
495000
4
Introduction
 Groundwater is among North Kelantan’s most important
natural resources
 Almost hundred percent urban and rural communities uses
groundwater resource to fulfil their daily domestic use. In
the area around Kota Bharu (capital of Kelantan State),
domestic water for the communities is supplied by a water
company (Air Kelantan Sdn Bhd).
 The company use 85% of its water resources extracted
from groundwater, the rest is derived directly from the
river. The company pump groundwater and apply some
treatment for certain purpose (Ismail and Kiat, 1995).
 In the southern and northeastern region of Kota Bharu,
mainly the communities use the groundwater of shallow
aquifer extracted from their dug well or borehole.
Introduction
5
Introduction
 Agricultural activity (natural and or chemical
fertilizer) can cause
 negative impact of groundwater quality (Bernhard et
al. (1992), Singh et al. (1995), Obire et al. (2008)
among others).
 emission of nitrate into groundwater (Vosoughifar et
al., 2004; Mahvi et al., 2005; Jain et al., 2005).
 The contaminant (especially nitrate) leaching
from agricultural soils has been widely studied
(Almasri and Kaluarachchi, 2004; Saadi and
Maslouhi, 2003).
Introduction
6
Introduction
 Annual report from Mineral and Geosciences
Department indicate that high Fe
concentration in groundwater for certain area
including Perol, Pintu Geng pumping well
station and other
Introduction
7
STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS :
SUMMARY
8
Statement of problems: Summery
 The probability of groundwater contaminated by
human activity (chemical fertilizer in agriculture
area) and natural process (heavy metal and
salt/brackish) is very high.
 The combined methods is aimed to solve the
problem
Statement of problems : Summery
9
OBJECTIVE
10
OBJECTIVE
To study heavy metal in the soil that is
related to the high heavy metal
concentration in the groundwater.
Objective
11
GEOLOGY AND HYDROGEOLOGY
12
Topography feature of Kelantan State
Geology and Hydrogeology
13
The geology and potential aquifer map of Kelantan State
(Jabatan Mineral dan Geosains Malaysia – Kelantan, 2008)
Geology and Hydrogeology
14
GEOLOGY AND HYDROGEOLOGY
 The North Kelantan plain is covered by
Quaternary sediments overlying granite
bedrock.
 It is drained mainly by short rivers and
streams which flow into the South China
Sea.
 The central part of the plain is drained by
the largest river in the region, the Kelantan
River, and in the South East, it is drained
by Pengkalan Datu River.
Geology and Hydrogeology
15
GEOLOGY AND HYDROGEOLOGY
 The thickness of the Quaternary deposits varies from
25 m inland to about 200 m near the coast. There are
three formation: Gula Formation, Beruas Formation, Simpang
Formation (Bosch, 1986)
 The loose quaternary sediments consist of alternating
layers of coarse gravels to silts or mixtures of the two
 There are two main aquifer
 Shallow aquifer, mostly unconfined but occasionally confined or
semi-confined, thickness normally 2-3 m and may reach up 17.5 m.
=> first aquifer
 Deep aquifer, mainly confined, thickness usually more than 15 m, this
deep aquifer comprises three different layers, separated from each
other by semi-permeable strata of silt. => second, third and fourth
aquifer.
(Saim 1999)
Geology and Hydrogeology
16
METHODOLOGY
17
Methodology
 Geolectrical Resistivity
 profiling
 direct surface measurement (field and lab)
 Hydrogeochemical
 groundwater samples analysis
 groundwater data from Mineral Geosains Malaysia
 Soil Property Analysis
 Drill a new well
Methodology
18
Geoelectrical Resistivity
 Abem Terrameter SAS 4000
Methodology
19
Geoelectrical Resistivity
 Wenner Configuration
a = 2a ∆V/i
Methodology
Why Wenner??
Highest signal strength
(Schrott and Sass, 2008;
Kneisel, 2006; Loke, 2004;
Abu-Shariah, 2002, etc)
Less time
Depth of investigation is
0.519 time electrode spacing
(Loke, 2004; Merrick, 1997;
Barker, 1991;Edwards, 1977)
20
Geoelectrical Resistivity
Data Coverage and Resolution
Cannot be distinguished if resistivity value
for both layer is not too contrast
a= 5 m
a= 10 m
a = 40 m
5.19 m
Data coverage using Wenner
configuration for four cables with
5m electrode spacing
a = 100 m depth = 51.9 m
a = 110 m depth = 57.09
This layer is not covered
21
Geoelectrical Resistivity
 Data Processing
 Res2DINV Inversion software (Loke, 1995; 1996,
2002, 2007)
 The basic is aimed at finding a resistivity
distribution that gives a response similar to the
actual measured values
Methodology
22
Geoelectrical Resistivity
 Direct Resistivity Measurement
 Field
 Laboratory
C1 P1 P2 C2
For the small electrode spacing, the apparent resistivity becomes the
true resistivity of the material assuming that the material is
homogeneous (Telford, 1990).
Methodology
23
Hydrogeochemical

In-situ Parameter







pH
Temperature
Conductivity
Total Disolved Solid
Salinity
Physical well parameter (Well depth, depth to water table, and XY location,
ground level)
Major Cation and Anion
Tritor
Soil Water Sampler
Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP)
Methodology
Ion Chromatography (IC)
24
Soil Property Analysis
 Grain size distribution (Hamlin, 1991)
 Soil moisture content (Black, 1964)
 Hydraulic conductivity (Porchet method
(Oosterbaan and Nijland, 1994; van Hoorn, 2007)
Hand auger
Methodology
25
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
26
Grain size
Chemical soil
Concentration
(mg/Kg)
Percentage (%)
0
100
0
0
1
3
4
2
50000 100000
0
2
2
4
4
6
60m
6
8
10
12
14
10
12
14
16
16
18
18
20
20
Gravel
22
Coarse Sand
24
K
Ca
Mg
Fine Sand
Na
Pb
Cd
Silt & Clay
Se
Al
Mn
Cu
Zn
Fe
As
No
Dominant
Medium
Moisture
Resistivity Value
1
Clay to Fine
sand (surface)
Clay to Fine
sand
Medium sand
(surface)
Medium and
coarse sand
Granite
basement
Low (8-10%)
(unpolluted)
Fully saturated
(unpolluted)
High (unpolluted)
350-450 ohm.m
Fully Saturated
(unpolluted)
bounded by
saturated soil
50-100 ohm.m
2
Med sand
Test-site 3
24.1 m
5
8
Depth (m)
Depth (m)
Surface
measurement
3
4
5
150-250 ohm.m
30-60 ohm.m
>400 ohm.m
27
Hydrogeochemical result
In-situ parameters and water chemical result for Area 2. In the bottom, limit
concentration for domestic use by WHO (1992) and U.S.EPA (2002) is displayed.
High Fe
No indication
Relatively
concentration
of brackish
lower nitrate
water
concentration
Well Ground Depth Water
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
Sample
ID
KB20
KB21
KB25
KB26
KB28
KB29
KB30
KB36
KB37
KB39
KB42
KB43
KB44
KB45
KB49
WA201
WA202
WA203
WA204
WA205
WA206
WA207
WA208
WA209
WA210
WA211
WA212
WA213
WA214
WA215
WA216
WA217
WA218
X
Y
472600
472600
476400
476400
471600
471600
471600
477400
477400
479200
474800
475200
476500
476300
471550
472187
474470
477990
478537
471314
481202
477057
474066
480084
468975
470633
479159
470336
471906
474946
479179
475731
473016
666200
666200
673500
673500
674700
674700
674700
665900
674200
672200
673300
671100
671100
675200
674500
674575
674742
674718
670628
671360
671004
669403
667941
667965
667269
666528
665816
664245
662674
662852
662447
660712
660510
Depth
m
44.8
29
52.9
33.5
113.2
62.2
14.2
35.5
13
16.5
11
15
14.8
12
14
6
<7
<7
<7
6
<7
<7
<7
6
6
<7
<7
<7
<7
8
6
<8
5
Level
m
8.84
8.81
6.44
6.44
6.07
6.08
6.01
5.87
4.11
5.88
6.18
6.26
5.67
6
7.44
7
7
7
7
12
12
8
13
11
12
12
11
12
12
13
15
22
11
to
Water
m
2.98
4.03
5.45
5.14
7.95
7.99
7.43
3.23
3.49
1.95
5.13
5.12
4.52
4.76
3.8
3.1
2.4
None
None
3.1
2.65
1.9
2.8
2.3
2.26
2.23
2.09
2.22
1.8
2.6
2.8
3.4
1.81
Level
(msl)
5.86
4.78
0.99
1.3
-1.88
-1.91
-1.42
2.64
0.62
3.93
1.05
1.14
1.15
1.24
3.64
3.9
4.6
None
None
8.9
9.35
6.1
10.2
8.7
9.74
9.77
8.91
9.78
10.2
10.4
12.2
18.6
9.19
TDS Cond
mg/L S/cm
46.8
98.1
52 107.7
86
94
74
103
104
107
44.7
95.1
44.7
96.5
56
76
174
102
78
131
48
67
44
57
86
123
84
137
104
182
119.5 217.12
22.7 45.24
12.4
26.3
28.4 48.71
20.1 46.74
10.8 25.11
11.7
27.2
26.9 45.53
144.7
301
13.9
32.3
21.6
50.2
22.5
52.3
18.9
43.9
12.3
28.6
27.5 41.05
15.3
32.2
19.3
40.8
15.2
35.3
Sal
0/00
0
0
None
None
0
0
0
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
T
C
31
30.7
None
None
28.7
30.2
28.6
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
27
26.7
26.3
25.7
30
29.5
29.1
28.7
31.2
29.3
28.5
29.2
28.6
28.1
30.3
32.2
27.2
28.1
pH Chloride Nitrate Sulfate Fluoride
mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L
6.03
2.63
0.12 0.379 0.265
6.04
2.55
0.11 0.329 0.343
7.1
3
3.9
<5
<0.5
7
2
4.7
<5
<0.5
7.1
2.9
0.1 0.238 0.339
6.17
3.19
0.17 0.317 0.168
5.24 10.12
5.84 6.215 0.015
7.2
4
2.4
9
<0.5
6.8
6
<0.5
15
<0.5
8.1
20
1.5
10
<0.5
8.2
6
4.3
<5
<0.5
7.1
6
5
<5
<0.5
7.9
12
4.3
14
<0.5
7
8
9.7
6
<0.5
7.4
12
1.4
14
5
6.73
6.3
16.5 11.25 0.155
7.81
1.08
0 0.545
0
7.6
3.31
2.05 9.642 0.122
6.89
3.42
0 2.203 0.069
6.7
5.63
0 0.881
0
7.98
1.65
0
0
0
7.34
1.59
0 0.169
0
6
2.9
0 2.684
0.08
6.04
7.87
0
192 0.329
6.65
1.63
0
0
0
6.24
1.83
0
0
0
6.31
6.19
0 0.881
0
6.37
5.95
0.53
0
0
6.51
2.27
0
0
0
5.58
3.61
0 0.788
0
5.85
5.12
0 0.483
0.05
5.77
4.29
0 0.696
0
6.16
2.14
0 0.475
0
250
45
400
1.5
K
mg/L
4.697
4.889
5
3.8
8
5.363
2.128
6.6
2.7
1.7
1.6
1.2
1.8
2.8
3.1
3.068
2.364
1.456
3.143
1.029
0.824
1.024
2.431
22.99
1.038
1.057
0.795
0.961
0.992
1.805
5.111
3.983
1.26
Ca
mg/L
5.335
6.769
4.3
5.2
3.5
2.879
2.992
2.6
6
0.9
3.5
2.6
2.6
8.2
23
6.475
4.018
2.845
4.797
3.746
3.71
4.779
2.604
59
5.433
5.88
4.174
4.537
4.782
2.529
7.064
2.114
3.971
Mg
mg/L
3.301
4.517
2.1
3.1
3.7
3.302
1.524
2.4
2.9
1.6
1.8
1.3
1.6
1.3
2.6
2.978
2.384
1.384
1.047
0.455
0.426
0.571
0.753
18.52
0.598
0.671
0.466
0.548
0.517
0.576
1.28
0.711
0.498
150
Na
mg/L
9.502
7.459
8.6
7.6
8.5
7.867
10.13
5.7
62
21
5.9
4.6
20
7.9
9.2
8.462
6.284
5.845
4.382
2.098
0.86
1.589
2.895
13.64
1.423
1.746
1.983
2.13
1.214
2.915
5.113
2.566
1.346
200
Al
mg/L
0.134
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.135
0.245
0.125
0.132
0.215
0.064
0.032
0.176
0.122
0.056
0.035
0.29
0.1
0.02
0.126
1.464
0.282
0.047
0.2
Fe
mg/L
12.07
13.17
10
7.6
10
12.99
0.43
9.4
3
0.7
0.1
11
1.4
2.3
2.3
0.796
0.642
0.587
0.263
0.072
0.107
0.044
0.332
0.491
0.062
0.061
0.122
0.103
0
1.016
5.333
0.671
0.013
0.3
CO3
mg/L
0
0
<1
<1
<1
0
0
<1
<1
<1
<1
<1
<1
<1
<1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
28
HCO3
mg/L
6.7
0
48
54
54
3.4
0
29
205
17
23
16
31
33
70
6.2
22.4
15.4
14
0
0
1.8
7.6
113.4
9.3
115
0
2.6
9.1
11.2
48.2
16.2
12.3
Selected geoelectrical model
Potential aquifer
60m
A201
???
Legend
_ Geoelectrical Resistivity
N
Pengkalan Datu River
o Groundwater Sample
. Soil Sample
675000
60m
Granite Bedrock
A202
Kelantan River
Meters
670000
60m
A204
Marak Hill
665000
660000
60m
Gunong Panchor Hill
4 Km
A208
465000
470000
475000
480000
485000
Meters
28m
A210
29
60m
60m
Granite Bedrock
Legend
_ Geoelectrical Resistivity
N
Pengkalan Datu River
o Groundwater Sample
. Soil Sample aquifer
Potential
???
675000
60m
Kelantan River
60m
Meters
670000
Marak Hill
665000
60m
660000
Gunong Panchor Hill
4 Km
465000
470000
475000
480000
485000
Meters
60m
30
What is the cause of relatively
lower resistivity value (<20ohm.m)
appear in some geoelectrical model?
Songyu et al. (2008), reported his experiment result that polluted
soil by Fe has a good negative correlation with resistivity value
Al
Al Concentration (mg/Kg)
0
50000
100000
Fe
0
Contrast chemical soil
5
5
10
10
15
15
Depth (m)
Depth (m)
Fe
0
Concentration (mg/Kg)
0
50000
100000
20
20
25
25
30
30
35
WA2
35
40
WA1
40
Fe = 13.85
mg/l
Fe = 0.098
mg/l 31
Fe and Al concentration in other location soil sample
120000
y = 2.7665x + 22414
A1S01
Al (mg/Kg)
100000
A1S05
80000
A1S10
60000
A1S13
A2S04
40000
A2S05
20000
A2S06
0
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
Fe (mg/Kg)
A2S09
A2S10
Fe and Al had the same source when they
were deposited along geologic time
35000
120000
y = 21646x + 4567.1
WA106
25000
WA103
20000
WA119
WA215
15000
WA201
10000
KB39
5000
Al in soil (mg/Kg)
Fe in soil (mg/Kg)
30000
100000
WA106
80000
WA103
WA119
60000
WA215
40000
WA201
KB39
20000
WA211
WA211
0
0
0.5
1
1.5
Fe in water (mg/l)
Fe in groundwater is influenced by Fe
concentration in soil
WA115
0
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
WA115
Al in water (mg/l)
Al in ground water does not show any
correlation with Al in soil (Al dissolve at pH ~2)
32
690000
South China Sea
685000
680000
675000
670000
Unit in mg/L
0 to 0.1
0.1 to 0.2
0.2 to 0.3
0.3 to 0.4
0.4 to 0.5
0.5 to 0.6
0.6 to 0.7
0.7 to 0.8
0.8 to 0.9
0.9 to 1
1 to 2
2 to 3
Kota Bharu
Bhacok
Kelantan River
Pengkalan Datu River
Meter
Fe
distribution
in groundwater
(Area 1 and
Area 2)
N
Marak Hill
665000
Kemasin River
660000
Panchor Hill
655000
Jawa Hill
650000
645000
Boundary Range
4 Km
640000
460000
465000
470000
475000
480000
485000
490000
495000
Meter
Fe concentration (mg/L) in shallow aquifer (<10 m )
33
690000
South China Sea
685000
680000
Unit in mg/L
0 to 0.5
0.5 to 1
1 to 1.5
1.5 to 2
2 to 2.5
2.5 to 3 Kota Bharu
10 to 13
675000
670000
Bhacok
Kelantan River
Pengkalan Datu River
Meter
Fe
distribution
in groundwater
(Area 1 and
Area 2)
N
Marak Hill
665000
Kemasin River
660000
Panchor Hill
655000
Jawa Hill
650000
645000
Boundary Range
4 Km
640000
460000
465000
470000
475000
480000
485000
490000
495000
Meter
Fe concentration (mg/L) in aquifer (10-20 m )
34
690000
South China Sea
685000
680000
Unit in mg/L
0 to 1
7 to 8
8 to 9
9 to 10
10 to 11
11 to 12
12 to 13
13 to 14
Kota Bharu
675000
670000
Bhacok
Kelantan River
Pengkalan Datu River
Meter
Fe
distribution
in groundwater
(Area 1 and
Area 2)
N
Marak Hill
665000
Kemasin River
WA2
660000
Panchor Hill
655000
Jawa Hill
WA1
650000
645000
Boundary Range
4 Km
640000
460000
465000
470000
475000
480000
485000
490000
495000
Meter
Fe concentration (mg/L) in aquifer (>20 m )
35
Depth slice of resistivity
distribution
Relatively higher Fe
concentration in aquifer
36
CONCLUSION
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Conclusion
 The zones of higher Fe concentration in
aquifer system has been delineated along
depth slice of resistivity distribution.
 Fe concentration extends dipping from the
northern side of Boundary Range to the
northwestern.
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Recommendations
 The methods applied in this study have been
successful for chemical fertilizer monitoring,
detection nitrate in groundwater, delineating
present of heavy metal in the aquifer and to
predict concentration of salt water content in
the aquifer. A similar approach could be
applied to the other location in the Peninsula
Malaysia to get new water resources.
39
Acknowledgements
 I am most grateful to my supervisors Assoc. Prof. Dr.




Samsudin Hj Taib and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ismail Yusoff for their
invaluable suggestion, criticism and encouragement
throughout the study period.
Thank to Prof. Dr. Wan Hasiah Abdullah the one who has
given me a way to continue my study in University of
Malaya.
The financial support through the University of Malaya
research grants no PJPFS308/2008C is gratefully
acknowledged.
Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, University of
Malaya
Jabatan Mineral dan Geosains Malaysia Kelantan for
providing water chemical data and Geology map
40
Terimakasih
THANK YOU
41