Hydrochemical Properties of the Groundwater Used for the Natural Mineral Waters in Precambrian Metamorphic Terrains, Korea

선캄브리아기 변성암지역에 분포하는 먹는 샘물 지하수의 수리화학적 특성

The quality of groundwater used for natural mineral water should be strictly regulated on international level by hydrogeology experts and officials because groundwater is greatly subjected to contaminations and its aquifer system may be easily destroyed by external reasons. A total of 18 natural mineral water plants exist in Precambrian metamorphic terrains of the Gyunggi massif and Yeungam massif. The g개undwater quality for the natural mineral water investigated in hydrochemical aspects shows that pH ranges from 6.85 to 8.02 with an average of 7.52. The electric conductivity (EC) and hardness average 134.1 $\mu$S/cm and 43.5, respectively, which are relatively low to the total average (151.4 $\mu$S/cm and 57.9). The contents of major cations and anions are in the order of $Ca^{2＋}$＞$Na^{＋}$＞Mg$^{2＋}$＞K$^{＋}$ and HCO$_3$$^{-}$ ＞SO$_4$$^{2－}$ ＞Cl$^{-}$ ＞F$^{-}$ , respectively. The dominant water types determined by Piper diagram are $Ca^{2＋}$－$Na^{＋}$－HCO$^{-}$ $_3$and $Ca^{2＋}$-HCO$^{-}$ $_3$, mainly due to the dissolution of plagioclase in the host rocks. Representative correlation coefficients between chemical species are $Ca^{2＋}$－HCO$^{-}$ $_3$(0.92), $Ca^{2＋}$－Cl$^{-}$ (0.63), $Na^{＋}$－F$^{-}$ (0.67), HCO$^{-}$ $_3$－Cl$^{-}$ (0.66), and $Na^{＋}$－HCO$^{-}$ $_3$(0.63). The determinative. coefficients between $Ca^{2＋}$ and HCO$^{-}$ $_3$, and (Ca$^{2＋}$＋$Na^{＋}$＋K$^{＋}$ and EC art highest among the elements. According to the saturation index, most chemical species are undersaturated with respect to major minerals, except for some silica phases. In viewpoint of phase equilibrium, the chemical evolution of the groundwater may continue to proceed with increasing pH because the groundwater is undersaturated with respect to feldspars.