Hydrochemical Characteristics and Ion Source Analysis of the Yarlung Tsangpo River Basin

In order to investigate the hydrochemical characteristics and their controlling factors, 212 water samples from the Yarlung Tsangpo River and its tributaries were collected over three precipitation periods in 2018 and analyzed using mathematical statistics, the Gibbs and ion ratio methods, and principal component analysis. The results showed the following: (1) The cations in the water were mainly Ca2+, Na+ and Mg2+, and the anions HCO3- and SO42- were predominant, accounting for more than 97% of the total anion concentrations. The concentration of total dissolved solids (TDS) was 204.51 mg/L. The water chemistry type was SO4 center dot(HCO3)Ca-center dot(Mg) water. (2) The concentrations of major ions in the Yarlung Tsangpo River fluctuate, but in general, the vast majority of the major ions in the water follow the trend of both first increasing and then decreasing in the three precipitation periods. The hydrochemical features of the Yarlung Tsangpo Basin have seasonal differences. (3) The Gibbs model and the PCA analyses showed that the Yarlung Tsangpo River water chemical components are mainly affected by rock weathering. In addition, the influence of the mining industry also plays an important role. The heavy metal concentrations in the three precipitation periods of the Yarlung Tsangpo River could reach the standard of first-class surface water quality.

Automated summary

This study investigated the hydrochemical characteristics and controlling factors of the Yarlung Tsangpo River and its tributaries. The results showed that the water chemistry was dominated by Ca2+, Na+, Mg2+, HCO3-, and SO42-. The concentrations of major ions in the river fluctuated and showed seasonal differences. The water chemistry was mainly influenced by rock weathering and the mining industry. The heavy metal concentrations in the river met the standard for first-class surface water quality.