International Science Community Association Research Journal of Chemical Sciences 2231 - 606X 7 4 2017 04 18 Hydrochemical characterization of water resources in the Santa María Valley, NW of Argentina 14 23 EN Paul Barna 1 Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, Govt. V.Y.T. PG Autonomous College, Durg- 491001, C.G., India Tiwari Alka 2 Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, Govt. V.Y.T. PG Autonomous College, Durg- 491001, C.G., India K.C. Bed Raj 1 Mahendra Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University, Nepalganj, Nepal A. Sales 1 Instituto de Química Analítica, Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Ayacucho 471. S. M. de Tucumán. CP 4000, Argentina J.P. López 2 Facultad deCiencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Miguel Lillo 205. S. M. de Tucumán. CP 4000. Argentina J. García 3 Facultad deCiencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Miguel Lillo 205. S. M. de Tucumán. CP 4000. Argentina P. Balverdi 4 Instituto de Química Analítica, Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Ayacucho 471. S. M. de Tucumán. CP 4000, Argentina P. Marchisio 5 Instituto de Química Analítica, Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Ayacucho 471. S. M. de Tucumán. CP 4000, Argentina > Research Paper 2017 3 15 2017 04 18 Hydrochemical researches in Santa María Valley located in Catamarca and Tucumán in the northwest of Argentina were carried out to assess the chemical characteristics of surface water and groundwater, to understand the sources of dissolved ions by defining the principal hydrochemical processes in order to provide theoretical bases to developing strategies of natural resources uses in the region. This region is dominated by a semi-arid climate. A total of twenty five water samples have been collected. The physicochemical parameters determined in water by standardized methods werepH, electrical conductivity (EC), major ions (calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulphate, carbonate and bicarbonate) and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). According to the Piper diagram, the region mainly contains Na-Ca–HCO3 followed by Na-HCO3-Cl, Ca-Na-HCO3-SO4 and Mg-Ca-Na-HCO3 water types. The contents of sodium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, sulphate and bicarbonatein the waters of the area areexplained by the dissolution of halite, calcite, dolomite and gypsum and other reactions like cation exchange and weathering of minerals of basement rocks. Copyright@ International Science Community Association