Spatial Assessment of Groundwater Quality for Drinking Purposes in Tobruk City, Libya

Jumma Elgali; Alaa Khamis

doi:10.36602/faj.2026.n21.07

Authors

Jumma A. Elgali Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, Tobruk University, Libya
Alaa A. Khamis Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, Tobruk University, Libya

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36602/faj.2026.n21.07

Keywords:

groundwater quality, water characteristics assessment, spatial analysis, Drinking water

Abstract

The research aims to assess the groundwater quality in the city of Tobruk by analyzing its physical and chemical characteristics, in order to determine its suitability for drinking according to the adopted. Ten groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for the following parameters: TDS, pH, T.H, Ca²⁺, ^-NO₃^-, Mg²⁺ and ^-SO₄². The GIS technique was employed to analyze and illustrate the spatial distribution of groundwater quality. The results indicated that the groundwater in the study area is of poor quality. The analyses revealed that most parameters exceeded the permissible limits specified by drinking water standards. On the other hand, the spatial distribution maps showed that the water quality in the northern and northeastern parts of the study area was of lower quality than the southern parts.

References

Al-Aman Laboratory for Chemical Analysis and Consultations. (2024, December). Groundwater analysis results for the study area (Tobruk, Libya) [Unpublished report].

Bishnoi, M., & Malik, R. (2008). Ground water quality in environmentally degraded localities of Panipat city, India. Journal of Environmental Biology, 29(6).

Drever, J. I. (1979). The geochemistry of natural waters: Surface and groundwater environments (3rd ed.). Prentice Hall.

Elgali, J. A. J. (2013). The impacts of anthropogenic activities on groundwater pollution in Derna Region, Libya (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). National University of Malaysia.

Nwer, B. A. (2005). The application of land evaluation technique in the north-east of Libya (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Cranfield University at Silsoe.

Sharma, M. K., & Kumar, M. (2020). Sulphate contamination in groundwater and its remediation: An overview. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 192(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-8051-6

World Health Organization. (2017). Guidelines for drinking-water quality (4th ed., incorporating the 1st addendum). WHO. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549950

الجالي، جمعه أرحومة؛ وسليمان، محمود محمد (2022) التحليل المكاني لجودة المياه الجوفية في بلدية بئر الأشهب. [Spatial analysis of groundwater quality in Bir Al-Ashhab Municipality].مجلة جامعة سرت للعلوم الإنسانية. 13(1).

عبد العزيز، عبد الرزاق مصباح، العماري، خيري محمد، وصابر، على خير (2019) تقييم جودة المياه الجوفية لأغراض الشرب باستخدام مؤشر جودة المياه في مدينة صرمان – ليبيا، [Assessment of groundwater quality for drinking purposes using the water quality index in Sorman City, Libya] المجلة الليبية لعلوم وتكنولوجيا البيئة. (2).

عبد السلام، بشير محمد (2017) مدينة طبرق بليبيا دراسة في جغرافية المدن [Tobruk city in Libya: A study in urban geography]. أطروحة دكتوراه غير منشورة. قسم الجغرافيا. جامعة المنصورة.

لشهب، سعد. علي، عبد المنعم، أقدورة، فائزة. (2019) دراسة بعض مؤشرات تلوث المياه الجوفية في نطاق مدينة المرج. [A study of some groundwater pollution indicators in the city of Al-Marj] مجلة العلوم والدراسات الإنسانية -كلية الآداب والعلوم – المرج. (60).

هاشم. نوار جليل (2005). مشكلة تلوث المياه في العراق وآفاقها المستقبلية. [Water pollution problem in Iraq and its future prospects].مجلة دراسات وبحوث الوطن العربي. (17).