Effect of groundwater chemistry on the swelling behavior of a Ca-bentonite for deep geological repository

The swelling properties of buffer material for high level radioactive waste repository in a near-field environment are of particular importance for achieving the low permeability sealing function. In this study, the free swelling behavior of a potential buffer material Zhisin clay is evaluated under simulated groundwater conditions such as immersion in NaCl, CaCl₂, and Na₂SO₄ solutions at various concentrations. Experimental results indicate that Zhisin clay, being a Ca-bentonite, exhibits reduced swelling strain in salt solutions. The amount of decrease in swelling strain upon saline water intrusion is affected by both the type and concentration of electrolyte. At the same concentration, the swelling strains in CaCl₂ solution are lower than those in NaCl solution due to the quasi-crystals formed in the presence of calcium ions. Also, the swells in Na₂SO₄ solution are found to be lower than those in NaCl solution. This is attributed to the precipitation of CaSO₄, which acts as binding agent and results in aggregation of clay particles.     

Spatial and temporal variations in the groundwater contributing areas of inland wetlands

Water quality and groundwater dynamics in wetlands are strongly influenced by the spatiotemporal distribution of contaminant application, and variations and changes in climate, vegetation, and anthropogenic interventions in its neighborhood. For groundwater-fed wetlands, this relevant neighborhood at least extends to the groundwater contributing area (GCA) boundary. In spite of its importance, understanding of the nature of GCA dynamics vis-à-vis meteorological variations remains largely understudied. This work attempts to map GCA of inland forested wetlands. Following that, two specific questions are answered: (a) Is GCA extent and its variation different than that of the topographic contributing area (TCA)? and (b) Is the temporal dynamics of GCA for different wetlands, all of which are experiencing very similar climatological forcing, similar? Our results show that GCAs for wetlands vary temporally, are much different in extent and shape than the TCA, and on an average are larger than the TCA. Although wetlands in the studied watershed experienced similar meteorological forcings, their covariation with forcings varied markedly. Majority of the wetlands registered an increase in GCA during dry period, but for a few the GCA decreased. This highlights the role of additional physical controls, other than meteorological forcings, on temporal dynamics of GCA. Notably, wetlands with larger TCA are found to generally have larger average GCA as well, thus indicating the dominant role of topography in determining the relative size of average GCA over the landscape. Our results provide a refined picture of the spatiotemporal patterns of GCA dynamics and the controls on it. The information will help improve the prediction of wet period dynamics, recharge, and contamination risk of groundwater-fed wetlands.     

Human impacts on large benthic foraminifers near a densely populated area of Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands

Human impacts on sand-producing, large benthic foraminifers were investigated on ocean reef flats at the northeast Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands, along a human population gradient. The densities of dominant foraminifers Calcarina and Amphistegina declined with distance from densely populated islands. Macrophyte composition on ocean reef flats differed between locations near sparsely or densely populated islands. Nutrient concentrations in reef-flat seawater and groundwater were high near or on densely populated islands. δ¹⁵N values in macroalgal tissues indicated that macroalgae in nearshore lagoons assimilate wastewater-derived nitrogen, whereas those on nearshore ocean reef flats assimilate nitrogen from other sources. These results suggest that increases in the human population result in high nutrient loading in groundwater and possibly into nearshore waters. High nutrient inputs into ambient seawater may have both direct and indirect negative effects on sand-producing foraminifers through habitat changes and/or the collapse of algal symbiosis.     

Stochastic evaluation of subsurface contaminant discharges under physical,chemical, and biological heterogeneities

A finite element 2D Monte Carlo approach is used to evaluate the sensitivity of groundwater contaminant discharges to a Damkohler number ω and spatial variability in aquifer hydraulic conductivity, initial microbial biomass concentrations, and electron acceptor/donor concentrations. Bioattenuation is most sensitive to spatial variations in incipient biomass and critical electron donors/acceptors for ω ≥ 1 (i.e., when pore-water residence times are high compared to the time needed for microbial growth or contaminant attenuation). Under these conditions, critical reaction processes can become substrate-limited at multiple locations throughout the aquifer; which in turn increases expected contaminant discharges and their uncertainties at monitored transects. For ω ≤ 0.2, contaminant discharge is not sensitive to incipient biomass variations. Physical heterogeneities expedite plume arrival and delay departure at transects and in turn attenuate peak discharges but do not affect cumulative contaminant discharges. Physical heterogeneities do, however, induce transect mass discharge variances that are bimodal functions of time; the first peak beings consistently higher. A simple stream tube model is invoked to explain the occurrence of peaks in contaminant discharge variance.     

祁连山断裂带中东段地下水地球化学特征研究

祁连山断裂带是中国西部地震活动最强烈的地区之一。本文应用Aquachem5.1对该断裂带中东段10口井水进行了水化学分析;同时利用Phreeqc软件对地下水化学组分和饱指数SI值进行了模拟计算;并结合氢氧和氦同位素组成特征初步分析了该断裂带地下水成因、水质类型、循环速度及循环深度。研究表明祁连山断裂中东段地下水均为大气成因,总体上体现为循环深度小、滞留时间短、水-岩反应程度较弱等特点,其化学活动性在空间上具有西弱东强分布特征。这一结论为今后进一步研究地下流体地震前兆异常提供了依据。     

Dissolved Nutrient Distributions in Groundwater in the Mediterranean Coastal Plains – the Case of Silifke,Turkey

Total carbon, nitrogen, and phosphate parameters were studied for the first time in the groundwater in the Silifke coastal plain, which is a RAMSAR site in Turkey. Seasonal variations of these parameters in the plain were examined based on groundwater data collected from 21 wells during the winter, spring, summer, and fall seasons. Total dissolved organic carbon (DOC), inorganic carbon (DIC), inorganic phosphate (DIP), inorganic nitrogen (DIN), and total alkalinity (TAlk) average values in the groundwater were low in all seasons (<2.2 mg/L for DOC; <54 mg/L for DIC; <0.06 mg/L for DIP; <1.5 mg/L for DIN; <232 mg/L for TAlk). The results showed a strong relationship between DIC and as expected. The results indicate that the content of these parameters in the groundwater of Silifke coastal plain pose no or little risk at present. However, computed Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) values indicated that the groundwater has a tendency to form scale and CaCO₃ precipitation may occur.     

山东省地下水污染特征与初步评价

以20世纪80年代以前地下水水质测试资料为背景,利用近几年工作中取得的大量水质测试资料,采用“污染指数法”进行区域地下水污染综合评价。研究表明：目前地下水仍以无机污染为主,但有机污染危害程度更大。“三氮”是浅层地下水的主要无机污染指标,其中又以硝酸盐污染为最。有机污染指标主要为1,2-二氯乙烷、1,1,2-三氯乙烷和四氯化碳等,裂隙岩溶水较孔隙水更容易受到有机物污染。     

金沙江水网各观测井温度梯度的精细测量结果及其分析

Fine measurements have been conducted to temperatures and their gradients of six wells of the Jinsha River Groundwater Observational Network.The results show that the influence depths of sun radiation heat are 50m to 125m,average temperature gradients in the wells range from 0.11 to 2.81℃/hm and most are 1～2℃/hm,and the temperature gradients on varied depth sections of one well are highly changeable.Lithology of strata and their integrity,particularly high-angle crashed fault zones,have imposed major effects on the influence depths of sun radiation heat and temperature gradients of the wells.The micro dynamic characteristics of water temperature,such as coseismic effects,tidal effects and anomalies of the wells prior to earthquakes,probably depend,to a large degree,on the temperature gradients of the depths at which the water temperature sensors are settled.     

泰安台钻孔应变观测干扰的识别

对山东泰安台钻孔应变干扰因素进行了分析总结,结果表明钻孔应变主要受地下水位、气压、系统故障以及电源干扰等影响。持续降雨是影响水位变化的主要因素,分量应变受水位影响较明显。降雪、降雨、大风、气温波动等均会造成气压的剧烈变化。体应变观测曲线与辅助气压曲线呈正相关,与温度变化呈负相关。