An approach to estimate total dissolved solids in groundwater using electrical resistivity sounding and geochemical methods

Abstract

Electrical resistivity method gives somewhat reliable results in hydrogeophysical deductions, in which the disposition of aquifers can be suitably deciphered. The present study was conducted to validate the use of geoelectric sounding in estimating total dissolved solids (TDS) in groundwater. Twenty (20) resistivity measurements obtained have been interpreted by curve matching and computer iteration and converted to formation resistivities and thicknesses. The resistivities of the aquifer delineated were subsequently used to estimate TDS in groundwater which was correlated with those derived from previous geochemical analyses of ten (10) groundwater samples taken near sounding locations. The result shows a strong correlation (R2 > 0.8) indicating that the TDS determined by geoelectric sounding and geochemical method give similar results.

KEYWORDS: Total dissolved solid; groundwater; geoelectric; geochemical; aquifer