Ben Hamouda M. F. auteur aut IRD Tarhouni J. auteur aut IRD Leduc Christian auteur aut IRD Zouari K. auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf born digital access As in many other semi-arid regions, the Plio-quaternary aquifer of the eastern coast of Cap Bon peninsula (NE Tunisia) shows a parallel increase in overexploitation and mineralization of groundwater resources and so the water quality is deteriorating. Different methods using geochemistry (ions Na+, Cl-, Ca2+, Mg2+, Br-) and stable isotopes (O-18, H-2) are compared with the hydrodynamic information for identifying the main processes involved in the increase of salinization. Along the coast, intrusion of seawater resulting from groundwater overexploitation is identified, but is not the only cause of qualitative degradation: the development of irrigation that induces soil leaching and transfer of fertilizers to groundwater over the whole aquifer extent is another major reason for the increase in salinization. A total of 48 groundwater wells were sampled to obtain additional information on the hydrochemical characteristics of the groundwater defined in previous studies. specialized Hydrogeology Geochemistry Isotopes Coastal aquifer Tunisia 062 63 5 889-901 2011 1866-6280 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010053628 10.1007/s12665-010-0758-1 1866-6280 [F B010053628] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010053628 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/intranet/publi/2011/07/010053628.pdf Accès réservé (Intranet de l'IRD) IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2011-08-03 2017-08-23 fdi:010053628 fre