Integrated use of hydrochemistry and resistivity methods in groundwater contamination caused by a recently closed solid waste site

 In order to investigate the groundwater contamination by solid waste disposal using both hydrochemical and geophysical methods, the Halkalı (I˙stanbul) solid waste disposal site which was closed in 1994 was investigated. The disposal site lies on a ridge between two valleys filled with alluvium. A total of six boreholes were drilled on two lines across the Menekşe valley adjacent to the Halkalı site. Groundwater samples collected from these boreholes were analyzed for various contaminant parameters. The results indicate that TDS and chloride concentrations decrease horizontally away from the waste site whereas they increase with depth. Electrical soundings carried out at 12 locations yielded high resistivity values at the upstream part of Menekşe valley while lower values were obtained from the locations near the leachate seepage points. Received: 11 November 1997 · Accepted: 23 February 1998     

Hydrogeology and hydrogeochemistry of Günyüzü semi-arid basin (Eski?ehir, Central Anatolia)

Groundwater is often the only water source in semi-arid regions of Turkey. Günyüzü Basin, located in the Sakarya River basin, SW of Eskişehir, exhibits semi-arid conditions. The study area is composed of Paleozoic metamorphic rocks, Eocene granitic rocks, Neogene sedimentary rocks, and Quaternary alluvium. In the basin, Paleozoic Marbles are the main reservoir rocks for hot and cold water, bordered by impermeable diabases dykes at the sides and by impermeable granites and schists. Neogene-aged limestones, conglomerates and alluvium represent the other significant aquifers. Water samples chosen to exemplify the aquifer characteristics, were collected from springs and wells in both the dry and the wet seasons. The cation and anion permutation of the samples show that carbonates are the dominant lithology in the formation of chemical composition. δ¹⁸O (−11.2 to −8.9‰) and δ²H (−79 to −60‰) isotopic values show that all waters (thermal and cold) are meteoric in origin. The hydrological, hydrochemical, and isotopic properties of the waters reveal that there exist two main groups of groundwater systems; one of these is deep circulating, while the other one is shallow. Tritium values, 0–4 TU (Tritium Unit) indicate the presence of old, static water in these aquifer systems.     

CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> emissions from a municipal site for final disposal of solid waste in Gualeguaychu,Entre Rios Province,Argentina

This paper estimates CO₂ fluxes in a municipal site for final disposal of solid waste, located in Gualeguaychu, Argentina. Estimations were made using the accumulation chamber methods, which had been calibrated previously in laboratory. CO₂ fluxes ranged from 31 to 331 g m⁻² day⁻¹. Three different populations were identified: background soil gases averaging 46 g m⁻² day⁻¹, intermediate anomalous values averaging 110 g m⁻² day⁻¹ and high anomalous values averaging 270 g m⁻² day⁻¹. Gas samples to a depth of 20 cm were also taken. Gas fractions, XCO₂ < 0.1, XCH₄ < 0.01, XN₂ ~0.71 and XO₂ ~0.21, δ¹³C of CO₂ (−34 to −18‰), as well as age of waste emplacement, suggest that the study site may be at the final stage of aerobic biodegradation. In a first approach, and following the downstream direction of groundwater flow, alkalinity and δ¹³C of dissolved inorganic carbon (−15 to 4‰) were observed to increase when groundwater passed through the disposal site. This suggests that the CO₂ generated by waste biodegradation dissolves or that dissolved organic matter appears as a result of leachate degradation.     

Hydrochemical evaluation of groundwater quality in the Çavuşçayı basin, Sungurlu-Çorum, Turkey

The purpose of this study is to investigate the quality and usage possibility of groundwater in the Çavuşçayı basin and suggest the best water structure for the groundwater use. Results from hydrochemical analyses reveal that groundwater is mostly affected by salty (Na⁺–Cl⁻) waters of the Incik Formation and brackish (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺–SO ₄ ²⁻ ) waters of the Bayındır Formation. The Alibaba saltpan discharged (2 l/s) from the Incik Formation is used for salt production. In the basin, salinity risk increases with depth and along the groundwater flow direction. Therefore, shallow water and trenches opened in the alluvium aquifer at the east of the basin were determined to yield suitable water with no Na⁺ and Cl⁻ contamination. Following the heavy rainy period, waters of less salinity and conductivity are possibly used for agriculture.     

Geochemical and C, O, Sr, and U-series isotopic evidence for the meteoric origin of calcrete at Solitario Wash, Crater Flat, Nevada, USA

Calcite-rich soils (calcrete) in alluvium and colluvium at Solitario Wash, Crater Flat, Nevada, USA, contain pedogenic calcite and opaline silica similar to soils present elsewhere in the semi-arid southwestern United States. Nevertheless, a ground-water discharge origin for the Solitario Wash soil deposits was proposed in a series of publications proposing elevation-dependent variations of carbon and oxygen isotopes in calcrete samples. Discharge of ground water in the past would raise the possibility of future flooding in the unsaturated zone at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, site of a proposed high-level nuclear waste repository. New geochemical and carbon, oxygen, strontium, and uranium-series isotopic data disprove the presence of systematic elevation-isotopic composition relations, which are the main justification given for a proposed ground-water discharge origin of the calcrete deposits at Solitario Wash. Values of δ¹³C (−4.1 to −7.8 per mil [‰]), δ¹⁸O (23.8–17.2‰), ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.71270–0.71146), and initial ²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratios of about 1.6 in the new calcrete samples are within ranges previously observed in pedogenic carbonate deposits at Yucca Mountain and are incompatible with a ground-water origin for the calcrete. Variations in carbon and oxygen isotopes in Solitario Wash calcrete likely are caused by pedogenic deposition from meteoric water under varying Quaternary climatic conditions over hundreds of thousands of years.     

Characteristics of deep groundwater flow in a basin marginal setting at Sellafield,Northwest England: Cl and halide evidence

A number of chemical and physical processes inside and outside a sedimentary basin (e.g. evaporite dissolution and topographic drive, respectively) affect groundwater flow near the basin’s margin. Contrasting formations at the margin, typically basinal sedimentary rocks and basement, are host to the interplay between these processes so that groundwater flows and compositions change within a relatively small volume. To interpret how groundwater flow and geochemistry have evolved, interactions between these processes must be understood. Such interactions were investigated near the margin of the East Irish Sea Basin in NW England, by sampling deep groundwaters (to 1500 m below sea level) from Ordovician volcanic basement rocks and Carboniferous to Triassic sedimentary cover rocks. Variable Br/Cl ratios and Cl concentrations in deep saline waters and brines indicate mixing patterns. Variations in ³⁶Cl/Cl constrain the timing of mixing. Relatively low Br/Cl ratios (ca. 1 × 10⁻³ by mass) characterise brine from the western sedimentary cover and reflect halite dissolution further west. Saline water with relatively high Br/Cl ratios (ca. 2 × 10⁻³ by mass) of uncertain origin occupies the eastern basement. These two waters mix across the area. However, mixing alone cannot explain variable ³⁶Cl/Cl ratios, which partly reflect differing in situ³⁶Cl production rates in different rock formations. Most ³⁶Cl/Cl ratios in groundwater sampled from the eastern metavolcanic basement (mean = 25 × 10⁻¹⁵) and western sedimentary cover (mean = 10 × 10⁻¹⁵) are at or close to equilibrium with in situ³⁶Cl production. These variations in ³⁶Cl/Cl across the site possibly took >1.5 Ma to be attained, implying that deep groundwater flow responded only slowly to the Quaternary glaciation of the site. Interplay between varied processes in basin marginal settings does not necessarily imply flow instability.     

Hydrogeochemical properties of CO2-rich thermal–mineral waters in Kayseri (Central Anatolia), Turkey

The present study highlights the hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical characteristics of the CO₂-rich thermal–mineral waters in Kayseri, Turkey. These waters of Dokuzpınar cold spring (DPS) (12–13°C), Yeşilhisar mineral spring (YMS) (13–16°C), Acısu mineral spring (ACMS) (20–22.5°C), Tekgöz thermal spring (TGS) (40–41°C), and Bayramhacı thermal-mineral spring (BTMS) (45–46.5°C) have different physical and chemical compositions. The waters are located within the Erciyes basin in the Central Anatolian Crystalline complex consisting of three main rock units. Metamorphic/crystalline rocks occur as the basement, sedimentary rocks of Upper Cretaceous-Quaternary age form the cover, and volcanosedimentary rocks Miocene-Quaternary in age represent the extrusive products of magmatism acting in that period. All these units are covered unconformably by terrace and alluvial deposits, and travertine occurrences have variable permeability. Dokuzpinar cold spring, YMS and ACMS localized mainly along the faults within the region have higher Na⁺ and Cl⁻ contents whereas TGS and BTMS have higher amounts of Ca²⁺ and HCO ₃ ⁻ . The high concentrations of Ca²⁺ and HCO ₃ ⁻ are mainly related to the high CO₂ contents resulting from interactions with carbonate rocks. Whereas the high Na⁺ content is derived from the alkaline rocks, such as syenite, tuff and basalts, the Cl⁻ is generally connected to the dissolution of the evaporitic sequences. These waters are of meteoric-type. BTMS deviates from meteoric water line. The content is related to the increases in the δ¹⁸O compositions due to mineral–water interaction (re-equilibrium) process. CO₂-dominated YMS and ACMS with low temperatures have higher mineralizations. Yeşilhisar mineral spring, ACMS, TGS and BTMS are oversaturated in terms of calcite, aragonite, dolomite, goethite and hematite, and undersaturated with respect to gypsum, halite and anhydrite. Yeşilhisar mineral spring, ACMS and BTMS are also characterized by recent travertine precipitation. Dokuzpınar cold spring is undersaturated in terms of the above minerals. The higher ratios of Ca/Mg and Cl/HCO₃, and lower ratios of SO₄/Cl in BTMS than TGS suggest that TGS has shallow circulation compared to BTMS, and/or has much more heat-loss enroute the surface. The sequence of hydrogeochemical and isotopic compositions of the waters is in an order of DPS>YMS>ACMS>TGS>BTMS and this suggests a transition period from a shallow circulation to a deep circulation path.     

Use of USLE/GIS technology integrated with geostatistics to assess soil erosion risk in different land uses of Indagi Mountain Pass—Çankırı, Turkey

The universal soil loss equation (USLE) is an erosion model to estimate average soil loss that would generally result from splash, sheet, and rill erosion from agricultural plots. Recently, use of USLE has been extended as a useful tool predicting soil losses and planning control practices by the effective integration of the GIS-based procedures to estimate the factor values on a grid cell basis. This study was performed for five different lands uses of Indağı Mountain Pass, Cankırı to predict the soil erosion risk by the USLE/GIS methodology for planning conservation measures in the site. Of the USLE factors, rainfall-runoff erosivity factor (USLE-R) and topographic factor (USLE-LS) were greatly involved in GIS. These were surfaced by correcting USLE-R site-specifically using DEM and climatic data and by evaluating USLE-LS by the flow accumulation tool using DEM and watershed delineation tool to consider the topographical and hydrological effects on the soil loss. The study assessed the soil erodibility factor (USLE-K) by randomly sampled field properties by geostatistical analysis. Crop management factor for different land-use/land cover type and land use (USLE-C) was assigned to the numerical values from crop and flora type, canopy and density of five different land uses, which are plantation, recreational land, cropland, forest and grassland, by means of reclassifying digital land use map available for the site. Support practice factor (USLE-P) was taken as a unit assuming no erosion control practices. USLE/GIS technology together with the geostatistics combined these major erosion factors to predict average soil loss per unit area per unit time. Resulting soil loss map revealed that spatial average soil loss in terms of the land uses were 1.99, 1.29, 1.21, 1.20, 0.89 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ for the cropland, grassland, recreation, plantation and forest, respectively. Since the rate of soil formation was expected to be so slow in Central Anatolia of Turkey and any soil loss of more than 1 ton ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ over 50–100 years was considered as irreversible for this region, soil erosion in the Indağı Mountain Pass, to the great extent, attained the irreversible state, and these findings should be very useful to take mitigation measures in the site.     

Hydrogeochemical controls and usability of groundwater in the semi-arid Mayo Tsanaga River Basin: far north province,Cameroon

Deuterium, δ ¹⁸O, major ions and dissolved silica in groundwater from semi-arid Mayo-Tsanaga river basin in the Far North Province, Cameroon were used to trace hydrogeochemical processes that control their concentrations and to explore for usability of the water. Electrical conductivity ranges from 57–2,581 μs/cm with alternating low and high values along the hydraulic gradient. Waters from piedmont alluvium show low concentrations in major cations, which peak in Mg within basalt, Na within plain alluvium, and Ca within basalt and the sandy Limani-Yagoua ridge. The initial dominant groundwater composition is CaHCO₃, which did not evolve within the basalt and piedmont alluvium, but evolved to NaHCO₃ in the granite and plain alluvium. The main processes controlling the major ions composition include the following: (1) dissolution of silicates and fluorite; (2) precipitation of fluorite and carbonate; (3) cation exchange of Ca in water for Na in clay; (4) and anthropogenic activities. The δD and δ ¹⁸O ratios vary from −35 to 0.7 and −5.3 to 1.1‰, respectively. The lowest and highest isotope ratios are observed in groundwater within the downstream sandy Limani-Yagoua ridge and the upstream graintes respectively. Variation in isotope ratios depends on altitude effect of −0.48‰ per 100 m between 600 and 850 m asl, and on evaporation, which had insignificant effect on the water salinity. Seventy percent of the groundwater shows poor drinking quality and 90% is suitable for irrigation. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Evolution of tidal creek networks in a high sedimentation environment: A 5-year experiment at Tijuana Estuary, California

In a large (8 ha) salt marsh restoration site, we tested the effects of excavating tidal creeks patterned after reference systems. Our purposes were to enhance understanding of tidal creek networks and to test the need to excavate creeks during salt marsh restoration. We compared geomorphic changes in areas with and without creek networks (n = 3; each area 1.3 ha) and monitored creek cross-sectional areas, creek lengths, vertical accretion, and marsh surface elevations for 5 yr that included multiple sedimentation events. We hypothesized that cells with creeks would develop different marsh surface and creek network characteristics (i.e., surface elevation change, sedimentation rate, creek cross-sectional area, length, and drainage density). Marsh surface vertical accretion averaged 1.3 cm yr⁻¹ with large storm inputs, providing the opportunity to assess the response of the drainage network to extreme sedimentation rates. The constructed creeks initially filled due to high accretion rates but stabilized at cross-sectional areas matching, or on a trajectory toward, equilibrium values predicted by regional regression equations. Sedimentation on the marsh surface was greatest in low elevation areas and was not directly influenced by creeks. Time required for cross-sectional area stabilization ranged from 0 to > 5 yr, depending on creek order. First-order constructed creeks lengthened rapidly (mean rate of 1.3 m yr⁻¹) in areas of low elevation and low vegetation cover. New (volunteer) creeks formed rapidly in cells without creeks in areas with low elevation, low vegetation cover, and high elevation gradient (mean rate of 6.2 m yr⁻¹). After 5 yr, volunteer creeks were, at most, one-fourth the area of constructed creeks and had not yet reached the upper marsh plain. In just 4 yr, the site’s drainage density expanded from 0.018 to reference levels of 0.022 m m⁻². Pools also formed on the marsh plain due to sediment resuspension associated with wind-driven waves. We conclude that excavated creeks jump-started the development of drainage density and creek and channel dimensions, and that the tidal prism became similar to those of the reference site in 4–5 yr.     

Release of Arsenic from Volcanic Rocks through Interactions with Inorganic Anions and Organic Ligands

The effects of a number of inorganic anions (F⁻, HCO₃ ⁻, B(OH)₄⁻, Cl⁻, I⁻) and of the siderophore DFO-B on the release of As from volcanic rocks were investigated in batch experiments. While previously reported field and laboratory data support a role of inorganic anions on As mobilization into aquifers, the role of siderophores on As-induced mobilization was less investigated. Fluoride, bicarbonate and DFO-B have shown a significant influence on the release of As from the rocks. Lava was mostly affected among the investigated rocks at pH 6 and 20°C by releasing 4% of its initial As content in the presence of 0.01 M F⁻and 10% in the presence of 500 μM DFO-B. The effect of fluoride was larger at pH 6 than at pH 8.5 for all the rocks. In the case of DFO-B, there was also a larger effect at pH 6 compared to pH 8 for the various rocks except tuff. Bicarbonate played a role under alkaline conditions while its effect was negligible at pH 6. Anion exchange processes in the presence of fluoride and bicarbonate and complexation processes in the presence of the siderophore DFO-B appear to be the major processes responsible for the release of arsenic from the rocks. The siderophore DFO-B plays mainly an indirect role on the As release by complexing Al, Fe and Mn, thus favoring the dissolution of the rocks and the consequent release of As bound to surface Al, Fe and Mn oxy-hydroxides. These findings suggest that ionic interactions with fluoride, bicarbonate and siderophore may be a further triggering factor in the mobilization of As from aquifer rocks.     

Geothermal investigations in the Upper Vindhyan sedimentary rocks of Shivpuri area,central India

Heat flow has been determined by combining temperature measurements in 7 boreholes with thermal conductivity measurements in the Upper Vindhyan sedimentary rocks of Shivpuri area, central India. The boreholes are distributed at 5 sites within an area of 15 × 10 km²; their depths range from 174 to 268 m. Geothermal gradients estimated from borehole temperature profiles vary from 8.0–12.7 mK m⁻¹ in the sandstone-rich formations to 25.5–27.5 mK m⁻¹ in the shale-rich formations, consistent with the contrast in thermal conductivities of the two rock types. Heat flow in the area ranges between 45 and 61 mW m⁻², with a mean of 52±6 mW m⁻². The heat flow values are similar to the >50 mW m⁻² heat flow observed in other parts of the northern Indian shield. The heat flow determinations represent the steady-state heat flow because, the thermal transients associated with the initial rifting, convergence and sedimentation in the basin as well as the more recent Deccan volcanism that affected the region to the south of the basin would have decayed, and therefore, the heat flow is in equilibrium with the radiogenic heat production of the crust and the heat flow from the mantle. The present study reports the heat flow measurements from the western part of the Vindhyan basin and provides heat flow information for the Bundhelkhand craton for the first time. Radioelement (Th, U and K) abundances have been measured both in the sedimentary rocks exposed in the area as well as in the underlying basement granite-gneiss of Bundelkhand massif exposed in the adjacent area. Radioactive heat production, estimated from those abundances, indicate mean values of 0.3 μW m⁻³ for sandstone with inter-bands of shale and siltstone, 0.25 μW m⁻³ for sandstone with inter-bands siltstone, 0.6 μW m⁻³ for quartzose sandstone, and 2.7 μW m⁻³ for the basement granitoids. With a total sedimentary thickness not exceeding a few hundred metres in the area, the heat production of the sedimentary cover would be insignificant. The radioactive heat contribution from the basement granitoids in the upper crust is expected to be large, and together with the heat flow component from the mantle, would control the crustal thermal structure in the region.     

Sedimentation,dredging, and spoil disposal in a subtropical estuarine lagoon

Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, is an estuary used as a harbor for a military installation and for recreation, fishing, and research purposes. Rapid shoaling of the bay had been reported and attributed to increased stream erosion and sedimentation from the newly suburbanized watershed. Comparison of a 1976 bathymetric survey of Kaneohe Bay with that of a 1927 survey indicates an average shoaling of the lagoonal area of 1.0 m. Average shoaling for the north and middle bay at 0.6m/49 years (1.2 cm yr⁻¹ is lower than for the south bay at 1.5m/49 years (3.1 cm yr⁻¹). The total lagoonal fill in the 49-year period is about 1.95× 10⁷ m³, assigned as follows: 64% carbonate detritus from the reefs as well as growth of living coral and unrecorded dredging spill, 9% recorded dredging spoils, and only 27% terrigenous sediment. Seismic reflection profiles distinguish spoil from natural sediment and show that the infilling sediment is trapped between, burying reef structures built during Quaternary lower stands of the sea. There had been little obvious change between 1882 and 1927 surveys. All information suggests that increased shoaling rates since 1927 are due to reported and unreported disposal of dredge spoil, mainly from 1939 to 1945 for ship and seaplane channels in the south bay, and not from increased runoff and urbanization around the south bay. Hawaii Institute of Geophysics Contribution No. 1257.     

Hydraulic properties of the crystalline basement

Hydraulic tests in boreholes, up to 4.5 km deep, drilled into continental crystalline basement revealed hydraulic conductivity (K) values that range over nine log-units from 10⁻¹³−10⁻⁴ m s⁻¹. However, K values for fractured basement to about 1 km depth are typically restricted to the range from 10⁻⁸ to 10⁻⁶ m s⁻¹. New data from an extended injection test at the KTB research site (part of the Continental Deep Drilling Program in Germany) at 4 km depth provide K=5 10⁻⁸ m s⁻¹. The summarized K-data show a very strong dependence on lithology and on the local deformation history of a particular area. In highly fractured regions, granite tends to be more pervious than gneiss. The fracture porosity is generally saturated with Na–Cl or Ca–Na–Cl type waters with salinities ranging from <1 to >100 g L⁻¹. The basement permeability is well within the conditions for advective fluid and heat transport. Consequently, fluid pressure is hydrostatic and a Darcy flow mechanism is possible to a great depth. Topography-related hydraulic gradients in moderately conductive basement may result in characteristic advective flow rates of up to 100 L a⁻¹ m⁻² and lead to significant advective heat and solute transfer in the upper brittle crust. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Hydrogeochemical genesis of groundwaters with abnormal fluoride concentrations from Zhongxiang City,Hubei Province,central China

The groundwaters from Zhongxiang City, Hubei Province of central China, have high fluoride concentration up to 3.67 mg/L, and cases of dental fluorosis have been found in this region. To delineate the nature and extent of high fluoride groundwaters and to assess the major geochemical factors controlling the fluoride enrichment in groundwater, 14 groundwater samples and 5 Quaternary sediment samples were collected and their chemistry were determined in this study. Some water samples from fissured hard rock aquifers and Quaternary aquifers have high fluoride concentrations, whereas all karst water samples contain fluoride less than 1.5 mg/L due to their high Ca/Na ratios. For the high fluoride groundwaters in the fissured hard rocks, high HCO₃ ⁻ concentration and alkaline condition favor dissolution of fluorite and anion exchange between OH⁻ in groundwater and exchangeable F⁻ in some fluoride-bearing minerals. For fluoride enrichment in groundwaters of Quaternary aquifers, high contents of fluoride in the aquifer sediments and evapotranspiration are important controls.     

Geologic framework and isotope tracing of the arsenious Quaternary Aquifer of the southwestern North Bengal Plain,West Bengal,India

The aim of the paper is to understand the geological control of groundwater, the recharge sources, the relative age of groundwater and the interaction between surface water and groundwater of the southwestern part of North Bengal Plain in the alluvium filled gap between the Rajmahal hills on the west and the Garo hills on the east. The area is covered by Quaternary alluvia of two different ages, viz. the Older Alluvium and the Newer Alluvium. The Older Alluvium of Pleistocene age is made up of argillaceous bed reddish brown in color and interspread with ‘kankar’ and laterite debris and the Newer Alluvium is dark, loosely compacted and has a high moisture content. A hydrostarigraphic model of the top 120 m geological column has been built by direct field observation, constructing Fence diagram, lithofacies and isotope analyses. The model indicates an oscillating environment of deposition of sediments from bottom to top with oxidizing at the bottom followed by reducing and then oxidizing environment at the top. The hydrogeochemistry of groundwater also suggests a predominantly reducing condition of the aquifer with high HCO₃ ⁻, low SO₄ ²⁻ and NO₃ ⁻ concentrations. The shallow groundwater at places contains heavy metals such as copper, cadmium, manganese, iron, chromium and arsenic. The δ¹⁸O and tritium values of groundwater are within the range of monsoon precipitation composition which indicates that groundwater is probably recharged primarily from precipitation. The plots of δ¹⁸O and δD show slight deviation from the Local Mean Water Lines suggesting that some evaporation of rainfall occurs prior to or during infiltration. Therefore groundwater occurs under unconfined condition. Lithofacies analysis indicates that the sediments below the depth of 40 m are the potential water bearing formation. Depletion or enrichment of δ¹⁸O and δD with depth was not observed and tritium content is also similar at various depths indicating possibility of mixing of groundwater from various depths due to pumping which may lead to contamination of the deeper aquifer by heavy metals and arsenic.     

Geochemistry and environmental effect of cadmium in the super-large Jinding Pb-Zn deposit,Yunnan Province,China

The Jinding Pb-Zn deposit in Yunnan Province is the representative of a Cd-enriched area and mining activities lead to the release of Cd into the hypergenic ecosystem, resulting in Cd pollution. The concentrations of Cd vary greatly from one type to another type of rocks in the mining district. In the host rock, Cd concentrations range from 50×10^-6 to 650×10^-6 with an average of 310×10^-6. In primary ores, Cd concentrations range from 14×10^-6 to 2800×10^-6 with an average of 767×10^-6. However, in oxidized ores, Cd concentrations are highest, varying within the range of 110×10^-6 to 8200×10^-6 , averaging 1661×10^-6. It is shown that the oxidized ores are the main carder and environmental source of Cd. Leaching test showed that Pb/Zn ores are easy to oxidize and thereafter release Cd and other harmful elements. These leached elements in the leachate may be precipitated rapidly in the order of Zn〉Pb〉Cd. As for the concentration distribution of Cd in the Bijiang River, it is estimated to be 15.7 μg/L Cd in water, 49.3 mg/L in suspended substances, and 203.7 mg/L in sediments. The average value of Cd in soil from the polluted area is 83.0 mg/kg. Natural weathering of Cd-rich rocks and minerals imposes a potential environmental risk on the aquatic ecosystem of the Bijiang catchment.     

Impact of liquid waste disposal on potable groundwater resources near Perth,Western Australia

 Drilling of 15 boreholes at a disused liquid waste disposal site near Perth, Western Australia, has indicated that a contamination plume extends about 1000 m in a southerly direction from the site in the direction of groundwater flow. The plume is up to 600 m wide and 5–40 m thick. Chemical and microbiological analyses have indicated that contaminated groundwater contains high concentrations of ammonia, iron, and bacteria at levels that commonly exceed national drinking water guidelines. It is likely that a proposed water supply production well in the path of the contamination plume will have to be abandoned, and additional wells may have to be abandoned if the plume continues to extend in the direction of groundwater flow. There is currently insufficient information to indicate whether the plume is continuing to expand, but studies on similar plumes in the Perth metropolitan area have indicated that contaminated groundwater can move at rates up to 100 m yr^–1. Several other liquid waste disposal sites are now located in residential areas of Perth where wells are used for garden irrigation. Further work is required to ensure that there is no potential impact of groundwater contamination on public health in these areas. Received: 31 July 1995 · Accepted: 18 September 1995     

Case study: a 3D resistivity and induced polarization imaging from downstream a waste disposal site in Brazil

A contaminated site from a downstream municipal solid waste disposal site in Brazil was investigated by using a 3D resistivity and induced polarization (IP) imaging technique. This investigation purpose was to detect and delineate contamination plume produced by wastes. The area was selected based on previous geophysical investigations, and chemical analyses carried out in the site, indicating the presence of a contamination plume in the area. Resistivity model has successfully imaged waste presence (ρ < 20 Ωm), water table depth, and groundwater flow direction. A conductive anomaly (ρ < 20 Ωm) outside wastes placement was interpreted as a contamination plume. Chargeability model was also able to imaging waste presence (m > 31 mV/V), water table depth, and groundwater flow direction. A higher chargeability zone (m > 31 mV/V) outside wastes placement and following conductive anomaly was interpreted as a contamination plume. Normalized chargeability (MN = m/ρ) confirmed polarizable zone, which could be an effect of a salinity increase (contamination plume), and the clay presence in the environment.     

Magnetic properties and heavy metal content of sanitary leachate sludge in two landfill sites near Bandung,Indonesia

Magnetic properties and heavy metal content of landfill leachate sludge samples from two municipal solid waste disposal sites near Bandung, West Java, Indonesia, and their correlation with heavy metals are studied in the present work. Leachate was found to be sufficiently magnetic with mass-specific magnetic susceptibility that varies from 64.8 to 349.0 × 10⁻⁸ m³ kg⁻¹. It is, however, less magnetic than the soils around the landfill sites. The magnetic minerals are predominantly pseudo-single domain and multidomain magnetite. Leachate samples from the older but inactive disposal site, Jelekong, are found to be more magnetic than that from Sarimukti, the younger and active site. The enhancement of leachate due to the soil-derived ferrimagnetic particles is possibly the same for both Sarimukti and Jelekong. The fact that strong correlation between magnetic parameters and heavy metals is observed in Jelekong but is absent in Sarimukti suggests that the use of magnetic measurement as a proxy measurement for heavy metal content in leachate is plausible provided that the magnetic susceptibility exceeds certain threshold value. Moreover, the accumulation of magnetic minerals and heavy metals in leachate might depend on the activity and the age of landfill site.