Groundwater Quality and Mineralization Processes in the Béchar Region, Algeria: A Hydrochemical and Statistical Approach

Rocznik Ochrona Środowiska 2026, vol. 28, pp. 153-164

Salih Lachache¹ Ten adres pocztowy jest chroniony przed spamowaniem. Aby go zobaczyć, konieczne jest włączenie w przeglądarce obsługi JavaScript., Abdelouahab Amroune² , Redha Ilyes Bendjillali¹ , Amina Lachache³ , Mohammed Sofiane Bendelhoum¹ , Ali Abderrazak Tadjeddine¹ 

	1. University Center of El Bayadh Nour El Bachir, Algeria 2. Mohamed Boudiaf University of M'Sila, Algeria 3. University Center of Tipaza, Algeria
	Ten adres pocztowy jest chroniony przed spamowaniem. Aby go zobaczyć, konieczne jest włączenie w przeglądarce obsługi JavaScript.
	https://doi.org/10.54740/ros.2026.012

Groundwater mineralization in arid regions like Béchar, Algeria, poses a major challenge for sustainable water management, as groundwater is the sole source. Intensive use, harsh climate, and rising demand from agriculture, industry, and households are driving progressive salinization and threatening water quality. To address this, an integrated approach combining hydrochemical analyses, graphical methods, and multivariate statistics was applied to identify the mechanisms shaping groundwater composition in the Béchar-Kénadsa basin. Results reveal three main water types: calcium bicarbonate (Ca - HCO₃, 35%), linked to limestone interactions; magnesium-potassium-sulfate (Mg - K - SO₄ - Cl, 40%), influenced by evaporitic deposits and agriculture; and sodium chloride (Na - Cl, 25%), tied to saline intrusions. Gibbs diagrams show that evaporation dominates 60% of samples, while 30% are controlled by water-rock interaction. Salinization is mainly caused by dissolution of Upper Cretaceous formations, with elevated sodium, chloride, and sulfate concentrations from the basin center to its outlet, further reinforced by ion exchange with clay. These findings emphasize the urgent need to protect recharge zones and regulate exploitation to preserve groundwater quality and ensure its long-term sustainability.

hydrogeochemical processes, groundwater salinization, evaporite dissolution, water–rock interaction, multivariate statistical analysis, Béchar-Kénadsa basin

AMA Style
Lachache S., Amroune A., Bendjillali R., Lachache A., Bendelhoum M., Tadjeddine A.. Groundwater Quality and Mineralization Processes in the Béchar Region, Algeria: A Hydrochemical and Statistical Approach. Rocznik Ochrona Środowiska. 2026; 28. https://doi.org/10.54740/ros.2026.012

ACM Style
Lachache S., Amroune A., Bendjillali R., Lachache A., Bendelhoum M., Tadjeddine A.. 2026. Groundwater Quality and Mineralization Processes in the Béchar Region, Algeria: A Hydrochemical and Statistical Approach. Rocznik Ochrona Środowiska. 28. DOI:https://doi.org/10.54740/ros.2026.012

ACS Style
Lachache S., Amroune A., Bendjillali R., Lachache A., Bendelhoum M., Tadjeddine A., Groundwater Quality and Mineralization Processes in the Béchar Region, Algeria: A Hydrochemical and Statistical Approach Rocznik Ochrona Środowiska 2026, 28, 153-164. https://doi.org/10.54740/ros.2026.012

APA Style
Lachache S., Amroune A., Bendjillali R., Lachache A., Bendelhoum M., Tadjeddine A. (2026). Groundwater Quality and Mineralization Processes in the Béchar Region, Algeria: A Hydrochemical and Statistical Approach. Rocznik Ochrona Środowiska, 28, 153-164. https://doi.org/10.54740/ros.2026.012

ABNT Style
LACHACHE S., AMROUNE A., BENDJILLALI R., LACHACHE A., BENDELHOUM M., TADJEDDINE A.. Groundwater Quality and Mineralization Processes in the Béchar Region, Algeria: A Hydrochemical and Statistical Approach. Rocznik Ochrona Środowiska, v. 28, p. 153-164, 2026. https://doi.org/10.54740/ros.2026.012

Chicago Style
Salih Lachache, Abdelouahab Amroune, Bendjillali Redha Ilyes, Amina Lachache, Bendelhoum Mohammed Sofiane, Ali Abderrazak Tadjeddine. 2026. "Groundwater Quality and Mineralization Processes in the Béchar Region, Algeria: A Hydrochemical and Statistical Approach". Rocznik Ochrona Środowiska 28, 153-164. https://doi.org/10.54740/ros.2026.012

Harvard Style
Lachache S., Amroune A., Bendjillali R., Lachache A., Bendelhoum M., Tadjeddine A. (2026) "Groundwater Quality and Mineralization Processes in the Béchar Region, Algeria: A Hydrochemical and Statistical Approach", Rocznik Ochrona Środowiska, 28, pp. 153-164. doi:https://doi.org/10.54740/ros.2026.012

IEEE Style
Lachache S., Amroune A., Bendjillali R., Lachache A., Bendelhoum M., Tadjeddine A., "Groundwater Quality and Mineralization Processes in the Béchar Region, Algeria: A Hydrochemical and Statistical Approach", RoczOchrSrod, vol 28, pp. 153-164. https://doi.org/10.54740/ros.2026.012