Research Article

Multidimensional Assessment of Groundwater in Reyhanlı (Hatay, Türkiye): Hydrogeochemistry, Irrigation Suitability and Health Risk Assessment

Volume: 28 Number: 83 May 31, 2026
TR EN

Multidimensional Assessment of Groundwater in Reyhanlı (Hatay, Türkiye): Hydrogeochemistry, Irrigation Suitability and Health Risk Assessment

Abstract

Groundwater is a valuable resource for drinking, irrigation, and industrial applications in arid and semi-arid regions. Groundwater quality is an important issue that should be monitored for both human consumption and agricultural irrigation. However, groundwater quality, suitability of groundwater for irrigation, and its risk assessment for human health in the Reyhanlı district of Hatay province, located in southern Türkiye, have not been sufficiently investigated. In this study, for the first time, the chemical composition of groundwater in the Reyhanlı district, the factors/mechanisms controlling its composition, its suitability for irrigation, as well as the non-carcinogenic health risks of metal(loid)s in the groundwater for adults and children were determined. The pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS) values, as well as concentrations of major ions, boron, and various metal(loid)s (As, Al, Fe, Mn, Ni, Cr, Cu, Co, Cd, Pb, Zn) in groundwater were determined. Piper diagram, Gibbs diagram, and chloroalkaline indices were used to determine the hydrochemical facies of groundwater, the main mechanisms controlling groundwater chemistry, and the direction of the ion exchange process, respectively. The suitability of groundwater for irrigation was investigated by calculating SAR, Na%, SSP, RSC, MH, PI, PS, and KR indices. In addition, the suitability of groundwater for irrigation was assessed using the United States Salinity Laboratory (USSL) diagram and the Wilcox diagram. According to the Weighted Arithmetic Water Quality Index (WAWQI), all groundwater was classified as “excellent”. The levels of metal(loid)s in all groundwater samples comply with the WHO guideline values for drinking water. The results of the health risk assessment have shown that the hazard quotients and hazard index are less than 1 for both adults and children, indicating that the groundwater does not pose a health risk.

Keywords

Thanks

I would like to thank the General Directorate of Hatay Water and Wastewater Administration and Ilgar Project for the data provided. These data formed the basis for the analysis of groundwater suitability for agricultural irrigation and human health risk assessment.

References

  1. Batarseh M, Imreizeeq E, Tilev S, Al Alaween M, Suleiman W, Al Remeithi AM, et al. Assessment of groundwater quality for irrigation in the arid regions using irrigation water quality index (IWQI) and GIS-Zoning maps: Case study from Abu Dhabi Emirate, UAE. Groundw Sustain Dev 2021;14:100611. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2021.100611.
  2. Li Z, Lu C, Zhang Y, Wu C, Liu B, Shu L. Mechanisms of evolution and pollution source identification in groundwater quality of the Fen River Basin driven by precipitation. Science of The Total Environment 2024;952:175893. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175893.
  3. Pandey S, Mohapatra G, Arora R. Groundwater quality, human health risks and major driving factors in arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan, India. J Clean Prod 2023;427:139149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.139149.
  4. Sheng D, Meng X, Wen X, Wu J, Yu H, Wu M, et al. Hydrochemical characteristics, quality and health risk assessment of nitrate enriched coastal groundwater in northern China. J Clean Prod 2023;403:136872. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136872.
  5. Ghosh A, Bera B. Hydrogeochemical assessment of groundwater quality for drinking and irrigation applying groundwater quality index (GWQI) and irrigation water quality index (IWQI). Groundw Sustain Dev 2023;22:100958. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2023.100958.
  6. Prapanchan VN, Subramani T, Karunanidhi D, Gopinathan P. Groundwater quality assessment for drinking and irrigation purposes and its human health risks in the Sevathur mine region, south India. Desalination Water Treat 2024;320:100883. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dwt.2024.100883.
  7. Eekhout JPC, Delsman I, Baartman JEM, van Eupen M, van Haren C, Contreras S, et al. How future changes in irrigation water supply and demand affect water security in a Mediterranean catchment. Agric Water Manag 2024;297:108818. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2024.108818.
  8. Hussein EE, Derdour A, Zerouali B, Almaliki A, Wong YJ, Ballesta-de los Santos M, et al. Groundwater Quality Assessment and Irrigation Water Quality Index Prediction Using Machine Learning Algorithms. Water (Basel) 2024;16:264. https://doi.org/10.3390/w16020264.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Environmental Pollution and Prevention, Health and Ecological Risk Assessment, Environmental Engineering (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

May 31, 2026

Submission Date

June 4, 2025

Acceptance Date

July 30, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 28 Number: 83

APA
Acarer Arat, S. (2026). Multidimensional Assessment of Groundwater in Reyhanlı (Hatay, Türkiye): Hydrogeochemistry, Irrigation Suitability and Health Risk Assessment. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Mühendislik Fakültesi Fen Ve Mühendislik Dergisi, 28(83), 170-183. https://doi.org/10.21205/deufmd.2026288302
AMA
1.Acarer Arat S. Multidimensional Assessment of Groundwater in Reyhanlı (Hatay, Türkiye): Hydrogeochemistry, Irrigation Suitability and Health Risk Assessment. DEUFMD. 2026;28(83):170-183. doi:10.21205/deufmd.2026288302
Chicago
Acarer Arat, Seren. 2026. “Multidimensional Assessment of Groundwater in Reyhanlı (Hatay, Türkiye): Hydrogeochemistry, Irrigation Suitability and Health Risk Assessment”. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Mühendislik Fakültesi Fen Ve Mühendislik Dergisi 28 (83): 170-83. https://doi.org/10.21205/deufmd.2026288302.
EndNote
Acarer Arat S (May 1, 2026) Multidimensional Assessment of Groundwater in Reyhanlı (Hatay, Türkiye): Hydrogeochemistry, Irrigation Suitability and Health Risk Assessment. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Mühendislik Fakültesi Fen ve Mühendislik Dergisi 28 83 170–183.
IEEE
[1]S. Acarer Arat, “Multidimensional Assessment of Groundwater in Reyhanlı (Hatay, Türkiye): Hydrogeochemistry, Irrigation Suitability and Health Risk Assessment”, DEUFMD, vol. 28, no. 83, pp. 170–183, May 2026, doi: 10.21205/deufmd.2026288302.
ISNAD
Acarer Arat, Seren. “Multidimensional Assessment of Groundwater in Reyhanlı (Hatay, Türkiye): Hydrogeochemistry, Irrigation Suitability and Health Risk Assessment”. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Mühendislik Fakültesi Fen ve Mühendislik Dergisi 28/83 (May 1, 2026): 170-183. https://doi.org/10.21205/deufmd.2026288302.
JAMA
1.Acarer Arat S. Multidimensional Assessment of Groundwater in Reyhanlı (Hatay, Türkiye): Hydrogeochemistry, Irrigation Suitability and Health Risk Assessment. DEUFMD. 2026;28:170–183.
MLA
Acarer Arat, Seren. “Multidimensional Assessment of Groundwater in Reyhanlı (Hatay, Türkiye): Hydrogeochemistry, Irrigation Suitability and Health Risk Assessment”. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Mühendislik Fakültesi Fen Ve Mühendislik Dergisi, vol. 28, no. 83, May 2026, pp. 170-83, doi:10.21205/deufmd.2026288302.
Vancouver
1.Seren Acarer Arat. Multidimensional Assessment of Groundwater in Reyhanlı (Hatay, Türkiye): Hydrogeochemistry, Irrigation Suitability and Health Risk Assessment. DEUFMD. 2026 May 1;28(83):170-83. doi:10.21205/deufmd.2026288302

This journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0).

download?token=eyJhdXRoX3JvbGVzIjpbXSwiZW5kcG9pbnQiOiJmaWxlIiwicGF0aCI6IjliNTAvMDBjMi8xZmIxLzY5MjZmZDIyOGE1NzgyLjA3MzU5MTk2LnBuZyIsImV4cCI6MTc2NDE2OTMzMSwibm9uY2UiOiI2MTU1ODg1NGZlYzhkZTA1OThkNTU2NGFmYTQzYTc0YiJ9.O5b4Ex8bMlFv5797LL8VnE9YWS_X5880dfbmOp2-kc8