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Evaluation of 2D resistivity imaging technique for delineating subsurface seepage of hydrocarbon-contaminated water southeast of Karbala city, Iraq

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Abstract

2D imaging technique was applied in (8) transects near a pit of contaminated water near contaminated well southeast of Karbala city, Iraq. Each transect was 30 m long with 1 m electrode spacing. Data acquisition was fulfilled by using Wenner electrode array. The resistivity of water-contaminated zone is found less than 3Ω.m and the top dry zone recorded relatively high resistivity (more than 170Ω.m). It is found that the greatest amount of seepage was found moving towards northeast direction coincided with groundwater movement direction, whereas there was no movement towards northwest and southeast directions and restricted on the closest areas to the pit location. The outcomes suggested that the 2D imaging technique is a successful and powerful tool in separating contaminated zone from clear one and in detecting underground seepage depth and moving direction.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the general director of General Commission for Groundwater (Mr. Dhafir Abdullah) and investigation department staff for providing requirements for achieving the field work and helping me with necessary information about the studied area and the contaminated well.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Studies and Investigations Department, General Commission for Ground Water, Baghdad, Iraq

    Firas H. AL-Menshed

  2. College of Science, Department of Geology, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq

    Jassim M. Thabit

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  1. Firas H. AL-Menshed
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  2. Jassim M. Thabit
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Correspondence to Firas H. AL-Menshed.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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AL-Menshed, F.H., Thabit, J.M. Evaluation of 2D resistivity imaging technique for delineating subsurface seepage of hydrocarbon-contaminated water southeast of Karbala city, Iraq. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 6523–6531 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-8310-9

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