Study and interpretation of the chemical characteristics of natural water

Abstract

Introduction 3 Purpose and scope of report 4 Acknowledgments 5 Properties of water 5 Composition of the earth's crust 6 Water as a geochemical agent The role of water in erosion Chemistry of weathering processes Collection of quality-of-water data Collection of water samples Surface-water sampling Ground-water sampling Completeness of sample coverage Analyses of water samples Field testing of water Electric logs as indicators of ground-water quality Laboratory procedures Expression of water analyses Analyses reported in terms of hypothetical combinations Analyses expressed in terms of ions Determinations included in analyses Units used in reporting analyses Weight-per-weight units Weight-per-volume units Equivalent-weight units Composition of anhydrous residue Parts per million as calcium carbonate Comparison of units of expression Significance of properties and constituents reported in water analyses_ _ Specific electrical conductance Units for reporting conductance Physical basis of conductance Range of conductance values Accuracy and reproducibility of conductance values Hydrogen-ion concentration (pH) Hydrolysis Buffered solutions Interpretation of pH data Range of pH values Accuracy and reproducibility of pH values Color Sources and significance of color in water 49 Residue on evaporition 49 Theoretical basis of determination 50 Range of concentration 51 Accuracy and reproducibility of results 51 III Significance of properties and constituents reported in water analyses-Continued Acidity Sources of acidity of natural water Chemistry of acidity determination Range of concentration Reproducibility of acidity data Sulfate Sources of sulfate in natural water Chemistry of sulfate in natural water Range of concentration Accuracy and reproducibility of results Chloride Sources of chloride in water Chemistry of chloride in natural water Oceanic chloride Juvenile chloride Cyclic chloride Range of concentration Accuracy and reproducibility of results Fluoride Source of fluoride in water Chemistry of fluoride in natural water Range of concentration Accuracy and reproducibility of results Nitrate Source of nitrate in water Chemistry of nitrate in natural water 116 Range of concentration Accuracy and reproducibility of results Phosphate Sources of phosphate Chemistry of phosphate in natural water 119 Range of concentration 120 Accuracy and reproducibility of results 120 Boron 120 Sources of boron 120 Chemistry of boron in natural water Range of concentration 122 Accuracy and reproducibility of results 122 Trace or minor constituents-Cations 124 Heavy metals 124 Titanium 124 Chromium 124 Zinc 125 Nickel and cobalt 126 Copper 126 Tin 127 Lead 127 Cadmium 128 Mercury 128 Arsenic 129 Selenium 130 Significance of properties and constituents reported in water analyses-Continued Trace or minor constituents-Cations-Continued Alkaline-earth metals Beryllium Strontium Barium Alkali metals and ammonium Lithium Rubidium Cesium Ammonium Radioactive components Uranium Radium Radon Thorium Trace or minor constituents-Anions Bromide Iodide Sulfite and thiosulf ate Total dissolved solids-Computed Chemistry of dissolved solids determination Accuracy and reproducibility of results Dissolved gases Biochemical oxygen demand Hardness Utilization Range of concentration Accuracy and reproducibility of results Percent sodium Sodium-adsorption ratio Density Organization and study of water-analysis data Evaluation of water analyses Tabulation Study techniques Inspection and comparison Use of ratios Use of averages 156 Palmer's geochemical classification 162 Graphical representation 164 Scatter diagrams 165 Ionic-concentration diagrams 168 Percentage-composition diagrams Frequency diagrams Chemical analyses plotted against nonchemical variables 186 Hydrographs 186 Dissolved-solids rating curves 188 Water-quality profiles 192 Quality-of-water maps 192 Selection of study techniques 10. Effect of temperature on solubility of calcium carbonate (calcite) in water in the presence of CO2 VIII CONTENTS Page FIGURE 11. Solubility of magnesium carbonate in water at 25C in the presence of CO2 81 12. Relation of conductance to chloride, hardness, and sulfate concentrations, Gila River at Bylas, Ariz., Oct. 1, 1943 to Sept. 30, 1944 13. Sodium-chloride relationship, Gila River at Bylas, Ariz., Oct. 1, 1943, to Sept. 30, 1944 14. Analyses represented by vertical bar graphs of equivalents per million 15. Analyses represented by bar graphs of parts per million 16. Bar graph of equivalents per million which also shows hardness values in parts per million 17. Analyses in equivalents per million represented by vectors__ _ 18. Analyses represented by patterns based on equivalents per million 19. Analyses represented by linear plotting of cumulative percentage composition based on parts per million 20. Analyses represented by logarithmic plotting of concentrations in parts per million 21. Analyses represented by circular diagrams subdivided on the basis of percen