Movement of trichloroethene in a discontinuous permafrost zone

At a site with discontinuous permafrost in Fairbanks, Alaska, releases of trichloroethene (TCE), an industrial solvent, have caused contamination of the groundwater. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the migration pathway of the TCE groundwater plume and the distribution of the discontinuous permafrost at the site. The TCE plume configuration is substantially different than what regional hydrology trends would predict. Using GIS, we conducted a geostatistical analysis of field data collected during soil-boring installations and groundwater monitoring well sampling. With the analysis results, we constructed maps of the permafrost-table elevation (top of permafrost) and of the groundwater gradients and TCE concentrations from multiyear groundwater sampling events. The plume concentrations and groundwater gradients were overlain on the permafrost map to correlate permafrost locations with groundwater movement and the spatial distribution of TCE moving with groundwater. Correlation of the overlay maps revealed converging and diverging groundwater flow in response to the permafrost-table distribution, the absence of groundwater contamination in areas with a high permafrost-table elevation, and channeling of contaminants and water between areas of permafrost. In addition, we measured groundwater elevations in nested wells to quantify vertical gradients affecting TCE migration. At one set of nested wells down gradient from an area of permafrost we measured an upward vertical gradient indicating recharge of groundwater from the subpermafrost region of the aquifer causing dilution of the plume. The study indicates that the variable distribution of the permafrost is affecting the way groundwater and TCE move through the aquifer. Consequently, changes to the permafrost configuration due to thawing would likely affect both groundwater movement and TCE migration, and areas that were contaminant-free may become susceptible to contamination.     

Source and persistence of pesticides in a semi-confined chalk aquifer of southeast England

Pesticide contamination in groundwater is an increasing problem that poses a significant long-term threat to water quality. Following the detection of elevated concentrations of diuron in boreholes in a semi-confined chalk aquifer from southeast England, a sampling programme was undertaken. Between 2003 and 2004 diuron was observed in 90% of groundwaters analysed. In 60% of groundwater samples metabolites of diuron were more prevalent than the parent compound. Longer-term (1989-2005) monitoring shows that pollution of the aquifer by atrazine, simazine, and more recently diuron, shows a positive correlation with periods of high groundwater levels. Results from groundwater residence time indicators suggest that the highest diuron concentrations are associated with waters containing the greatest proportion of recent recharge. There is some evidence to indicate that diuron occurrence can be spatially related to areas of urban and industrial development and is probably correlated with amenity usage.     

Redistribution of contaminants by a fluctuating water table in a micro-porous, double-porosity aquifer: field observations and model simulations

Large seasonal fluctuations of the water table are characteristic of aquifers with a low specific yield, including those fractured, double-porosity aquifers that have significant matrix porosity containing virtually immobile porewater, such as the Chalk of northern Europe. Where these aquifers are contaminated, a strong relationship between water table elevation and contaminant concentration in groundwater is commonly observed, of significance to the assessment, monitoring, and remediation of contaminated groundwater. To examine the processes governing contaminant redistribution by a fluctuating water table within the 'seasonally unsaturated zone', or SUZ, profiles of porewater solute concentrations have been established at a contaminated site in southern England. These profiles document the contaminant distribution in porewater of the Chalk matrix over the SUZ at a greater level of detail than recorded previously. A novel double-porosity solute transport code has been developed to simulate the evolution of the SUZ matrix porewater contaminant profiles, given a fluctuating water table, when the groundwater is initially contaminated and the SUZ is initially free of contamination. The model is simply characterised by: the matrix-fracture porosity ratio, the matrix block geometry, and a characteristic diffusion time. De-saturation and re-saturation of fractures is handled by a new approximation method. Contaminant accumulates in the upper levels of the SUZ, where it is less accessible to mobile groundwater, and acts as a persistent secondary source of contamination once the original source of contamination has been removed or has become depleted. The 'SUZ process' first attenuates the progress of contaminants in groundwater, and subsequently controls the slow release of contamination back to the mobile groundwater, thus prolonging the duration of groundwater contamination by many years. The SUZ process should operate in any fractured, micro-porous lithology e.g. fractured clays and mudstones, making this approach widely applicable.     

Biogeochemistry at a wetland sediment–alluvial aquifer interface in a landfill leachate plume

The biogeochemistry at the interface between sediments in a seasonally ponded wetland (slough) and an alluvial aquifer contaminated with landfill leachate was investigated to evaluate factors that can effect natural attenuation of landfill leachate contaminants in areas of groundwater/surface-water interaction. The biogeochemistry at the wetland-alluvial aquifer interface differed greatly between dry and wet conditions. During dry conditions (low water table), vertically upward discharge was focused at the center of the slough from the fringe of a landfill-derived ammonium plume in the underlying aquifer, resulting in transport of relatively low concentrations of ammonium to the slough sediments with dilution and dispersion as the primary attenuation mechanism. In contrast, during wet conditions (high water table), leachate-contaminated groundwater discharged upward near the upgradient slough bank, where ammonium concentrations in the aquifer where high. Relatively high concentrations of ammonium and other leachate constituents also were transported laterally through the slough porewater to the downgradient bank in wet conditions. Concentrations of the leachate-associated constituents chloride, ammonium, non-volatile dissolved organic carbon, alkalinity, and ferrous iron more than doubled in the slough porewater on the upgradient bank during wet conditions. Chloride, non-volatile dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and bicarbonate acted conservatively during lateral transport in the aquifer and slough porewater, whereas ammonium and potassium were strongly attenuated. Nitrogen isotope variations in ammonium and the distribution of ammonium compared to other cations indicated that sorption was the primary attenuation mechanism for ammonium during lateral transport in the aquifer and the slough porewater. Ammonium attenuation was less efficient, however, in the slough porewater than in the aquifer and possibly occurred by a different sorption mechanism. A stoichiometrically balanced increase in magnesium concentration with decreasing ammonium and potassium concentrations indicated that cation exchange was the sorption mechanism in the slough porewater. Only a partial mass balance could be determined for cations exchanged for ammonium and potassium in the aquifer, indicating that some irreversible sorption may be occurring.Although wetlands commonly are expected to decrease fluxes of contaminants in riparian environments, enhanced attenuation of the leachate contaminants in the slough sediment porewater compared to the aquifer was not observed in this study. The lack of enhanced attenuation can be attributed to the fact that the anoxic plume, comprised largely of recalcitrant DOC and reduced inorganic constituents, interacted with anoxic slough sediments and porewaters, rather than encountering a change in redox conditions that could cause transformation reactions. Nevertheless, the attenuation processes in the narrow zone of groundwater/surface-water interaction were effective in reducing ammonium concentrations by a factor of about 3 during lateral transport across the slough and by a factor of 2 to 10 before release to the surface water. Slough porewater geochemistry also indicated that the slough could be a source of sulfate in dry conditions, potentially providing a terminal electron acceptor for natural attenuation of organic compounds in the leachate plume.     

Calibration and validation of an integrated nitrate transport model within a well capture zone

Groundwater contamination by nitrate was investigated in an agricultural area in southern Quebec, Canada, where a municipal well is the local source of drinking water. A network of 38 piezometers was installed within the capture zone of the municipal well to monitor water table levels and nitrate concentrations in the aquifer. Nitrate concentrations were also measured in the municipal well. A Water flow and Nitrate transport Global Model (WNGM) was developed to simulate the impact of agricultural activities on nitrate concentrations in both the aquifer and municipal well. The WNGM first uses the Agriflux model to simulate vertical water and nitrate fluxes below the root zone for each of the seventy agricultural fields located within the capture zone of the municipal well. The WNGM then uses the HydroGeoSphere model to simulate three-dimensional variably-saturated groundwater flow and nitrate transport in the aquifer using water and nitrate fluxes computed with the Agriflux model as the top boundary conditions. The WNGM model was calibrated by reproducing water levels measured from 2005 to 2007 in the network of piezometers and nitrate concentrations measured in the municipal well from 1997 to 2007. The nitrate concentrations measured in the network of piezometers, however, showed greater variability than in the municipal well and could not be reproduced by the calibrated model. After calibration, the model was validated by successfully reproducing the decrease of nitrate concentrations observed in the municipal well in 2006 and 2007. Although it cannot predict nitrate concentrations in individual piezometers, the calibrated and validated WNGM can be used to assess the impact of changes in agricultural practices on global nitrate concentrations in the aquifer and in the municipal well.     

Factors influencing natural occurrence of fluoride-rich groundwaters: a case study in the southeastern part of the Korean Peninsula

Factors regulating the occurrence of fluoride in groundwater were investigated using natural isotope tracers and geochemical data in the southeastern part of Korea where about 10% of the total public water-supply wells (n=422) inspected in this study had fluoride levels exceeding the drinking water limit of Korea (1.5 mg/l). The F-rich public wells are mostly distributed along the major faults, especially in the terrain of the F-rich granitic rocks. The stable isotope analysis results provide substantial information for the relative ages of groundwaters. It is revealed that the F-rich groundwaters are deeply circulating paleogroundwaters and occur along the faults due to upward flow along the fault plane. While reacting with granitic rocks for a prolonged period, the F concentrations of groundwater are continuously enriched even after the groundwater reaches an equilibrium state with respect to fluorite (CaF2) due to removal of Ca by precipitation of calcite (CaCO3). These observations reflect that rock chemistry, groundwater age, well depth, and geologic structure are the important factors controlling the occurrence of high F groundwaters. However, high F groundwaters are rarely observed in the fault zones where the associated fractures are widely developed. Isotopic signature provides an evidence for deep penetration of recently recharged groundwater into the wide fault zone, indicating that the hydrologic condition of the fault is also an important factor controlling the occurrence of high F groundwaters.     

In situ modification of an aquifer material by a cationic surfactant to enhance retardation of organic contaminants

Sorption of hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (HDTMA), a cationic surfactant, on aquifer material from Columbus AFB, Mississippi, U.S.A., was examined. Transport studies using flow-through columns and a box model aquifer showed that an almost stationary zone of HDTMA-modified aquifer material could be produced in situ without a significant decrease in hydraulic conductivity.Perchloroethylene (PCE) and naphthalene sorption isotherms on the HDTMA-modified aquifer material were linear, and sorption coefficients were increased by over two orders of magnitude relative to the unmodified material. The retardation of PCE by insitu emplaced HDTMA zones within a column was examined. Agreement between batch- and column-derived sorption coefficients and breakthrough curve symmetry indicates that local equilibrium was attained. Significant retardation of a naphthalene plume by an in situ emplaced surfactant zone was demonstrated in the box model aquifer system.The experimental results indicate that it is feasible to create in situ a sorbent zone within an aquifer using cationic surfactants. In most situations, the sorbent zone concept needs to be coupled with contaminant degradation processes for sorbent emplacement to be a practical tool in the remediation of groundwater contamination sites. Sorbent zones may be of benefit in the engineering of suitable environments for microbial or abiotic degradation reactions and by providing time slow reactions to occur.     

Groundwater-surface water interaction and its role on TCE groundwater plume attenuation

A field investigation of a TCE plume in a surficial sand aquifer shows that groundwater-surface water interactions strongly influence apparent plume attenuation. At the site, a former industrial facility in Connecticut, depth-discrete monitoring along three cross-sections (transects) perpendicular to groundwater flow shows a persistent VOC plume extending 700 m from the DNAPL source zone to a mid-size river. Maximum TCE concentrations along a transect 280 m from the source were in the 1000s of microg/L with minimal degradation products. Beyond this, the land surface drops abruptly to a lower terrace where a shallow pond and small streams occur. Two transects along the lower terrace, one midway between the facility and river just downgradient of the pond and one along the edge of the river, give the appearance that the plume has strongly attenuated. At the river, maximum TCE concentrations in the 10s of microg/L and similar levels of its degradation product cis-DCE show direct plume discharge from groundwater to the river is negligible. Although degradation plays a role in the strong plume attenuation, the major attenuation factor is partial groundwater plume discharge to surface water (i.e. the pond and small streams), where some mass loss occurs via water-air exchange. Groundwater and stream mass discharge estimates show that more than half of the plume mass discharge crossing the first transect, before surface water interactions occur, reaches the river directly via streamflow, although river concentrations were below detection due to dilution. This study shows that groundwater and surface water concentration measurements together provide greater confidence in identifying and quantifying natural attenuation processes at this site, rather than groundwater measurements alone.     

Numerical simulation of a fine-grained denitrification layer for removing septic system nitrate from shallow groundwater

One of the most common methods to dispose of domestic wastewater involves the release of septic effluent from drains located in the unsaturated zone. Nitrogen from such systems is currently of concern because of nitrate contamination of drinking water supplies and eutrophication of coastal waters. It has been proposed that adding labile carbon sources to septic distribution fields could enhance heterotrophic denitrification and thus reduce nitrate concentrations in shallow groundwater. In this study, a numerical model which solves for variably saturated flow and reactive transport of multiple species is employed to investigate the performance of a drain field design that incorporates a fine-grained denitrification layer. The hydrogeological scenario simulated is an unconfined sand aquifer. The model results suggest that the denitrification layer, supplemented with labile organic carbon, may be an effective means to eliminate nitrogen loading to shallow groundwater. It is also shown that in noncalcareous aquifers, the denitrification reaction may provide sufficient buffering capacity to maintain near neutral pH conditions beneath and down gradient of the drain field. Leaching of excess dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from the denitrification layer is problematic, and causes an anaerobic plume to develop in simulations where the water table is less than 5-6 m below ground surface; this anaerobic plume may lead to other down gradient changes in groundwater quality. A drain field and denitrification layer of smaller dimensions is shown to be just as effective for reducing nitrate, but has the benefit of reducing the excess DOC leached from the layer. This configuration will minimize the impact of wastewater disposal in areas where the water table is as shallow as 3.5 m.     

MTBE Transport Screening Analysis in Vadose Zone Risk and Liability Apportionment Assessment

The problem of allocating liability cleanup costs is an arduous task when more than one potentially responsible party has contributed to the groundwater plume. This problem is most likely to be encountered when dealing with methyl- tert -butyl-ether (MTBE) contamination, as MTBE is seen to travel large distances in underlying aquifers. There has been a signi®cant effort in the recent past to develop liability allocation methodologies that incorporate fate and transport behavior and toxicological characteristics of the contaminants. The application of such methods often requires estimation of contaminant input from the vadose zone into the underlying aquifer. A screening level analysis is presented here to develop preliminary insights on relative mass contributions arising from different source types. The analysis illustrates how different vadose zone conceptualizations lead to vastly different contaminant loadings. Parametric studies indicate that the contaminant flux into the aquifer is very sensitive to changes in water infiltration rates. Hence, a reliable estimate of this parameter is critical for equitable allocation of remedial costs. Conceptual model formulation, should focus on identifying whether the fuel present in the aquifer can flow as a separate phase. It is also important to obtain reliable estimates for fluid saturations at the site.     

MTBE Transport Screening Analysis in Vadose Zone Risk and Liability Apportionment Assessment

The problem of allocating liability cleanup costs is an arduous task when more than one potentially responsible party has contributed to the groundwater plume. This problem is most likely to be encountered when dealing with methyl-tert -butyl-ether (MTBE) contamination, as MTBE is seen to travel large distances in underlying aquifers. There has been a significant effort in the recent past to develop liability allocation methodologies that incorporate fate and transport behavior and toxicological characteristics of the contaminants. The application of such methods often requires estimation of contaminant input from the vadose zone into the underlying aquifer. A screening level analysis is presented here to develop preliminary insights on relative mass contributions arising from different source types. The analysis illustrates how different vadose zone conceptualizations lead to vastly different contaminant loadings. Parametric studies indicate that the contaminant flux into the aquifer is very sensitive to changes in water infiltration rates. Hence, a reliable estimate of this parameter is critical for equitable allocation of remedial costs. Conceptual model formulation, should focus on identifying whether the fuel present in the aquifer can flow as a separate phase. It is also important to obtain reliable estimates for fluid saturations at the site.     

Assessment of Aquifer Vulnerability in an Agricultural Area in Spain Using the DRASTIC Model

The assessment of aquifer vulnerability is a very important task, especially in agricultural areas because the quality and availability of groundwater affects both the sustainability of agriculture and the quality of life. In this study, an integrated approach is considered, with the use of the generic and agricultural DRASTIC models as well as a geographic information system (GIS), to assess groundwater vulnerability in the agricultural area of Barrax, in the province of Albacete, in Spain. Seven parameters—depth to water, net recharge, aquifer media, soil media, topography, impact of vadose zone media, and hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer (DRASTIC)—have been considered as weighted layers to enable an accurate groundwater risk mapping. The results of the generic DRASTIC model indicated very low vulnerability to contamination for Barrax groundwater due to limited urban and industrial development in the wider area. However, agricultural activities impose pressure to groundwater resources and the results of the agricultural DRASTIC model show that 6.86% of the study area is characterized by very high, 2.29% by high, 47.28% by medium, 38.28% by low, and the remaining 5.29% by no vulnerability to groundwater contamination. The distribution of nitrate concentration in groundwater in the area under study is quite well correlated with the agricultural DRASTIC vulnerability index. Sensitivity analysis was also performed to acknowledge statistical uncertainty in the estimation of each parameter used, to assess its impact, and thus to identify the most critical parameters that require further investigation. Depth to water and impact of vadose zone are the parameters that had the most noticeable impact on the generic DRASTIC vulnerability index followed by the soil media and topography. In contrast, the agricultural DRASTIC method is more sensitive to the removal of the depth to water parameter followed by the topography and the soil media parameters.     

Behaviour and fate of nine recycled water trace organics during managed aquifer recharge in an aerobic aquifer

The fate of nine trace organic compounds was evaluated during a 12month large-scale laboratory column experiment. The columns were packed with aquifer sediment and evaluated under natural aerobic and artificial anaerobic geochemical conditions, to assess the potential for natural attenuation of these compounds during aquifer passage associated with managed aquifer recharge (MAR). The nine trace organic compounds were bisphenol A (BPA), 17β-estradiol (E2), 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2), N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), N-nitrosomorpholine (NMOR), carbamazepine, oxazepam, iohexol and iodipamide. In the low organic carbon content Spearwood sediment, all trace organics were non-retarded with retardation coefficients between 1.0 and 1.2, indicating that these compounds would travel at near groundwater velocities within the aquifer. The natural aerobic geochemical conditions provided a suitable environment for the rapid degradation for BPA, E2, iohexol (half life <1day). Lag-times for the start of degradation of these compounds ranged from <15 to 30days. While iodipamide was persistent under aerobic conditions, artificial reductive geochemical conditions promoted via the addition of ethanol, resulted in rapid degradation (half life <1days). Pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine and oxazepam) and disinfection by-products (NDMA and NMOR) did not degrade under either aerobic or anaerobic aquifer geochemical conditions (half life >50days). Field-based validation experiments with carbamazepine and oxazepam also showed no degradation. If persistent trace organics are present in recycled waters at concentrations in excess of their intended use, natural attenuation during aquifer passage alone may not result in extracted water meeting regulatory requirements. Additional pre treatment of the recycled water would therefore be required.     

The significance of heterogeneity on mass flux from DNAPL source zones: an experimental investigation

Understanding the process of mass transfer from source zones of aquifers contaminated with organic chemicals in the form of dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPL) is of importance in site management and remediation. A series of intermediate-scale tank experiments was conducted to examine the influence of aquifer heterogeneity on DNAPL mass transfer contributing to dissolved mass emission from source zone into groundwater under natural flow before and after remediation. A Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) spill was performed into six source zone models of increasing heterogeneity, and both the spatial distribution of the dissolution behavior and the net effluent mass flux were examined. Experimentally created initial PCE entrapment architecture resulting from the PCE migration was largely influenced by the coarser sand lenses and the PCE occupied between 30 and 60% of the model aquifer depth. The presence of DNAPL had no apparent effect on the bulk hydraulic conductivity of the porous media. Up to 71% of PCE mass in each of the tested source zone was removed during a series of surfactant flushes, with associated induced PCE mobilization responsible for increasing vertical DNAPL distributions. Effluent mass flux due to water dissolution was also found to increase progressively due to the increase in NAPL-water contact area even though the PCE mass was reduced. Doubling of local groundwater flow velocities showed negligible rate-limited effects at the scale of these experiments. Thus, mass transfer behavior was directly controlled by the morphology of DNAPL within each source zone. Effluent mass flux values were normalized by the up-gradient DNAPL distributions. For the suite of aquifer heterogeneities and all remedial stages, normalized flux values fell within a narrow band with mean of 0.39 and showed insensitivity to average source zone saturations.     

Groundwater characterization and potential impacts of agricultural activities in the Sers El Kef plain

Tunisia has very limited potential of surface and groundwater resources which are subject to different quantitative and qualitative forms of degradation. The risk of groundwater pollution results from the interaction between the vulnerability of aquifers to pollution and anthropogenic activities. Our research focuses on the study of the Sers water table water quality (northwest Tunisia) following the inputs used for agricultural activities in the region. Water samples were extracted from 40 wells to analyze the main physicochemical parameter indicators of the groundwater quality. The results obtained show that these waters have two major facies: Na-Cl and Ca-Mg-SO₄. The nitrate contents are relatively high suggesting that the agricultural activities are probably the most important anthropogenic source of water contamination. The results of the Standardized Principal Component Analysis (SPCA) confirm the geochemical methods and results and provide further information about the water quality of the Sers El Kef aquifer. In addition, the pollution degree differs from one site to another depending on the spreading rate of nitrogen fertilizers and the distance from the pollution source.     

Migration of contaminants through the unsaturated zone overlying the Hesbaye chalky aquifer in Belgium: a field investigation

This paper presents the results of a detailed field investigation that was performed for studying groundwater recharge processes and solute downward migration mechanisms prevailing in the unsaturated zone overlying a chalk aquifer in Belgium. Various laboratory measurements were performed on core samples collected during the drilling of boreholes in the experimental site. In the field, experiments consisted of well logging, infiltration tests in the unsaturated zone, pumping tests in the saturated zone and tracer tests in both the saturated and unsaturated zones. Results show that gravitational flows govern groundwater recharge and solute migration mechanisms in the unsaturated zone. In the variably saturated chalk, the migration and retardation of solutes is strongly influenced by recharge conditions. Under intense injection conditions, solutes migrate at high speed along the partially saturated fissures, downward to the saturated zone. At the same time, they are temporarily retarded in the almost immobile water located in the chalk matrix. Under normal recharge conditions, fissures are inactive and solutes migrate slowly through the chalk matrix. Results also show that concentration dynamics in the saturated zone are related to fluctuations of groundwater levels in the aquifer. A conceptual model is proposed to explain the hydrodispersive behaviour of the variably saturated chalk. Finally, the vulnerability of the chalk to contamination issues occurring at the land surface is discussed.     

Integrated methodology for assessing the HCH groundwater pollution at the multi-source contaminated mega-site Bitterfeld/Wolfen

A large-scale groundwater contamination characterises the Pleistocene groundwater system of the former industrial and abandoned mining region Bitterfeld/Wolfen, Eastern Germany. For more than a century, local chemical production and extensive lignite mining caused a complex contaminant release from local production areas and related dump sites. Today, organic pollutants (mainly organochlorines) are present in all compartments of the environment at high concentration levels. An integrated methodology for characterising the current situation of pollution as well as the future fate development of hazardous substances is highly required to decide on further management and remediation strategies. Data analyses have been performed on regional groundwater monitoring data from about 10 years, containing approximately 3,500 samples, and up to 180 individual organic parameters from almost 250 observation wells. Run-off measurements as well as water samples were taken biweekly from local creeks during a period of 18 months. A kriging interpolation procedure was applied on groundwater analytics to generate continuous distribution patterns of the nodal contaminant samples. High-resolution geological 3-D modelling serves as a database for a regional 3-D groundwater flow model. Simulation results support the future fate assessment of contaminants. A first conceptual model of the contamination has been developed to characterise the contamination in regional surface waters and groundwater. A reliable explanation of the variant hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) occurrence within the two local aquifer systems has been derived from the regionalised distribution patterns. Simulation results from groundwater flow modelling provide a better understanding of the future pollutant migration paths and support the overall site characterisation. The presented case study indicates that an integrated assessment of large-scale groundwater contaminations often needs more data than only from local groundwater monitoring. The developed methodology is appropriate to assess POP-contaminated mega-sites including, e.g. HCH deposits. Although HCH isomers are relevant groundwater pollutants at this site, further organochlorine pollutants are present at considerably higher levels. The study demonstrates that an effective evaluation of the current situation of contamination as well as of the related future fate development requires detailed information of the entire observed system.     

Effects of a reactive barrier and aquifer geology on metal distribution and mobility in a mine drainage impacted aquifer

The Nickel Rim aquifer has been impacted for five decades by a metal-rich plume generated from the Nickel Rim mine tailings impoundment. Metals released by the oxidation of pyrrhotite in the unsaturated zone of the tailings migrate into the downgradient aquifer, affecting both the groundwater and the aquifer solids. A reactive barrier has been installed in the aquifer to remove sulfate and metals from the groundwater. The effect of the reactive barrier on metal concentrations in the aquifer solids has not previously been studied. In this study, a series of selective extraction procedures was applied to cores of aquifer sediment, to ascertain the distribution of metals among various solid phases present in the aquifer. Extraction results were combined with groundwater chemistry, geochemical modelling and solid-phase microanalyses, to assess the potential mobility of metals under changing geochemical conditions. Reactions within the reactive barrier caused an increase in the solid-phase carbonate content downgradient from the barrier. The concentrations of poorly crystalline, oxidized phases of Mn and Fe, as well as concentrations of Cr(III) associated with oxidized Fe, and poorly crystalline Zn, are lower downgradient from the barrier, whereas total solid-phase metal concentrations remain constant. Iron and Mn accumulate as oxidized, easily extractable forms in a peat layer overlying the aquifer. Although these oxides may buffer reducing plumes, they also have the potential to release metals to the groundwater, should a reduced condition be imposed on the aquifer by remedial actions.     

Combined geospatial,geophysical and hydrochemical studies on coastal aquifer at Muttom–Mandaikadu area,Tamilnadu, India

A study was conducted in the Muttom–Mandaikadu coastal region, which is among the profitable coastal sectors in Tamil Nadu, to find the groundwater potential as well as its quality by an integrated geospatial, geophysical and geochemical approach. The GIS-based weighted overlay analysis was used to merge five thematic layers to create the groundwater potential zone map. The geophysical resistivity survey was performed in the study area at 26 stations by applying Schlumberger vertical electrical sounding technique. The observed data were inverted to develop a subsurface lithology model and its electrical properties using one-dimensional software AGI Earth Imager. The combined vertical electrical sounding result and remote sensing thematic maps have exposed the potential zone of groundwater in the study area. From the inferred results, it was observed that 20.8% of the area has ample groundwater potential and 7.7% of the area has scanty groundwater potential. The saltwater intrusion zone had been predicted by validating aquifer resistivity with Dar-Zarrouck (D-Z) parameter. From the geophysical and geochemical interpreted results, it was found that aquifers in 34.6% of the study area are vulnerable to saline contamination. The 4-D model with integrated groundwater quantity and quality suggests that the study area's Western part falls under excellent-to-good groundwater potential zone and excellent water quality.

     

Hydrochemical and multivariate statistical interpretations of spatial controls of nitrate concentrations in a shallow alluvial aquifer around oxbow lakes (Osong area, central Korea)

Hydrochemical and multivariate statistical interpretations of 16 physicochemical parameters of 45 groundwater samples from a riverside alluvial aquifer underneath an agricultural area in Osong, central Korea, were performed in this study to understand the spatial controls of nitrate concentrations in terms of biogeochemical processes occurring near oxbow lakes within a fluvial plain. Nitrate concentrations in groundwater showed a large variability from 0.1 to 190.6 mg/L (mean = 35.0 mg/L) with significantly lower values near oxbow lakes. The evaluation of hydrochemical data indicated that the groundwater chemistry (especially, degree of nitrate contamination) is mainly controlled by two competing processes: 1) agricultural contamination and 2) redox processes. In addition, results of factorial kriging, consisting of two steps (i.e., co-regionalization and factor analysis), reliably showed a spatial control of the concentrations of nitrate and other redox-sensitive species; in particular, significant denitrification was observed restrictedly near oxbow lakes. The results of this study indicate that sub-oxic conditions in an alluvial groundwater system are developed geologically and geochemically in and near oxbow lakes, which can effectively enhance the natural attenuation of nitrate before the groundwater discharges to nearby streams. This study also demonstrates the usefulness of multivariate statistical analysis in groundwater study as a supplementary tool for interpretation of complex hydrochemical data sets.