Comparison of hydrochemical informations of groundwater obtained from two different underground storage systems

Statistical- based, principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to chemical data from two underground storage systems containing LPG to assess the usefulness of such technique at the initial stage (Pyeongtaek) or middle stage (Ulsan) of hydrochemical studies. For the first case, both natural and anthropogenic contamination characterize regional groundwater. Saline water buffered by Namyang lake affects as a natural factor, whereas cement grouting influence as an artificial factor. For the second study area, contaminations due to operation of LPG caverns, such as disinfection activity and cement grouting effect, deteriorate groundwater quality. This study indicates that principal component analysis would be particularly useful for summarizing large data set for the purpose of subsurface characterization, assessing their vulnerability to contamination and protecting recharge zones.