scholarly journals Hydrogeochemical Processes and Natural Background Levels of Chromium in an Ultramafic Environment. The Case Study of Vermio Mountain, Western Macedonia, Greece

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 2809
Author(s):  
Eleni Vasileiou ◽  
Panagiotis Papazotos ◽  
Dimitrios Dimitrakopoulos ◽  
Maria Perraki
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogeochemical Processes ◽  
Natural Background ◽  
Catchment Scale ◽  
Background Levels ◽  
Groundwater Samples ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Natural Spring ◽  
Physical And Chemical

The hydrogeochemical processes and natural background levels (NBLs) of chromium in the ultramafic environment of Vermio Mountain, Western Macedonia, Greece, were studied. Seventy groundwater samples were collected from 15 natural springs between 2014‒2020, and an extensive set of physical and chemical parameters were determined. The ultramafic-dominated environment of western Vermio Mt. favors elevated groundwater concentrations of dissolved magnesium (Mg2+), silicon (Si), nickel (Ni), and Cr in natural spring waters. Chromium was the principal environmental parameter that exhibited a wide range of concentrations, from 0.5 to 131.5 μg/L, systematically exceeding the permissible limit of 50 μg/L for drinking water. Statistical evaluation of hydrogeological, hydrochemical, and hydrological data highlighted the water-ultramafic rock process as the predominant contributor of Cr in groundwater. The NBL assessment for Cr and Cr(VI) was successfully applied to the typical ultramafic-dominated spring “Potistis” that satisfied all the methodology criteria. The NBLs of Cr and Cr(VI) were defined at 130 μg/L and 100 μg/L, respectively, revealing that a natural ultramafic-dominated environment exhibits the geochemical potential to contribute very high concentrations of geogenic Cr to groundwater. The holistic methodology, proposed herein, could be implemented in any catchment scale to assess geogenic and anthropogenic Cr-sources that degrade groundwater quality.

scholarly journals Multi-Media Geochemical Exploration in the Critical Zone: A Case Study over the Prairie and Wolf Zn–Pb Deposits, Capricorn Orogen, Western Australia

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1174
Author(s):  
Anicia Henne ◽  
Nathan Reid ◽  
Robert L. Thorne ◽  
Samuel C. Spinks ◽  
Tenten Pinchand ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Mineral Exploration ◽  
Critical Zone ◽  
Element Geochemistry ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Surface Sample ◽  
Plant Matter ◽  
Groundwater Samples ◽  
High Concentrations

In this study, we compared traditional lithochemical sample media (soil) with hydrochemical (groundwater), biogeochemical (plant matter of mulga and spinifex), and other near-surface sample media (ferro-manganese crust), in a case study applied to mineral exploration in weathered terrain, through the critical zone at the fault-hosted Prairie and Wolf Zn–Pb (Ag) deposits in Western Australia. We used multi-element geochemistry analyses to spatially identify geochemical anomalies in samples over known mineralization, and investigated metal dispersion processes. In all near-surface sample media, high concentrations of the metals of interest (Zn, Pb, Ag) coincided with samples proximal to the mineralization at depth. However, the lateral dispersion of these elements differed from regional (several km; groundwater) to local (several 100′s of meters; solid sample media) scales. Zinc in spinifex leaves over the Prairie and Wolf deposits exceeded the total concentrations in all other sample media, while the metal concentrations in mulga phyllodes were not as pronounced, except for Ag, which exceeded the concentrations in all other sample media. These observations indicate potential preferential metal-specific uptake by different media. Pathfinder elements in vegetation and groundwater samples also indicated the Prairie Downs fault zone at the regional (groundwater) and local (vegetation) scale, and are, therefore, potentially useful tools to trace fault systems that host structurally controlled, hydrothermal Zn–Pb mineralization.

scholarly journals Natural Background Levels of Potentially Toxic Elements in Groundwater from a Former Asbestos Mine in Serpentinite (Balangero, North Italy)

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 735
Author(s):  
Elisa Sacchi ◽  
Massimo Bergamini ◽  
Elisa Lazzari ◽  
Arianna Musacchio ◽  
Jordi-René Mor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxic Elements ◽  
Statistical Evaluation ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Potentially Toxic Elements ◽  
Contaminated Site ◽  
Natural Background ◽  
Background Levels ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Real Challenge

The definition of natural background levels (NBLs) for potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in groundwater from mining environments is a real challenge, as anthropogenic activities boost water–rock interactions, further increasing the naturally high concentrations. This study illustrates the procedure followed to derive PTE concentration values that can be adopted as NBLs for the former Balangero asbestos mine, a “Contaminated Site of National Interest”. A full hydrogeochemical characterisation allowed for defining the dominant Mg-HCO3 facies, tending towards the Mg-SO4 facies with increasing mineralisation. PTE concentrations are high, and often exceed the groundwater quality thresholds for Cr VI, Ni, Mn and Fe (5, 20, 50 and 200 µg/L, respectively). The Italian guidelines for NBL assessment recommend using the median as a representative concentration for each monitoring station. However, this involves discarding half of the measurements and in particular the higher concentrations, thus resulting in too conservative estimates. Using instead all the available measurements and the recommended statistical evaluation, the derived NBLs were: Cr = 39.3, Cr VI = 38.1, Ni = 84, Mn = 71.36, Fe = 58.4, Zn = 232.2 µg/L. These values are compared to literature data from similar hydrogeochemical settings, to support the conclusion on their natural origin. Results highlight the need for a partial rethink of the guidelines for the assessment of NBLs in naturally enriched environmental settings.

scholarly journals Natural Radioactivity in Thermal Waters: A Case Study from Poland

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 541
Author(s):  
Chau Nguyen Dinh ◽  
Jakub Nowak
Keyword(s):  
Natural Radioactivity ◽  
Transport Model ◽  
Thermal Waters ◽  
Chemical Compositions ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Physical And Chemical ◽  
Radium Activity ◽  
Hydrochemical Types ◽  
Chemical Water

A natural radioactivity in thermal water was investigated based on 19 selected thermal waters from Poland. The analysed results show that the radionuclides’ concentrations in the study waters vary over a wide range. The temperature of the waters varies from above 20 °C to above 80 °C. The waters are characterised by different mineralisation, chemical compositions, and belong to different hydrochemical types. There is a good correlation between the water temperature and the depths of the aquifer formations occurrence, suggesting the thermal energy originates from the thermal geogradient. The concentration of radium is well correlated with the water mineralisation. The ratio of radium activity (226Ra/228Ra) in groundwater relates not only the ratio of uranium activity to that of thorium (238U/232Th) in aquifer formation, but also depends on the physical and chemical water properties. Based on the concentration of radon and its transport model, the radiation exposures due to inhalation of 222Rn and its progeny for employees and clients of the spa were assessed. The use of the thermal waters as a drinking resource may be problematic due to the possibility of exceeding the recommended annual committed effective dose 0.1 mSv.

scholarly journals How to manage potential groundwater contaminations by As, Fe and Mn in lower Po Plain: a proposal from the case study of Cremona

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Rotiroti ◽  
Letizia Fumagalli ◽  
Tullia Bonomi
Keyword(s):  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Contaminated Site ◽  
Anthropogenic Influences ◽  
Natural Background ◽  
Po Plain ◽  
Administrative Procedure ◽  
Background Levels ◽  
Fe And Mn ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Definition Of

The Legislative Decree 152/06 on environmental regulations also governs polluted site remediation (Part IV). A potentially contaminated site is defined when concentrations exceed the limits reported in the Attachment 5 (Title V). Nevertheless, the Legislative Decree 152/06 considers the possibility of higher limits than Attachment 5 for trace elements in the case of natural high contents by the definition of natural background levels. The lower Po Plain is characterized by high natural concentrations of As, Fe and Mn in groundwater and, at the same time, is one of the most important areas for the Italian productive system, and thus, possible direct sources of As, Fe and Mn or indirect anthropogenic influences could also exist. Therefore, an operative tool is required to determine the natural background levels and to understand if measured high concentrations are attributable to natural backgrounds or to anthropogenic sources/influences, and consequently, to decide on the beginning of the administrative procedure requested by the Legislative Decree 152/09 through the site characterization phase. This work presents a proposal of procedure to manage potentially contaminated site by As, Fe and Mn in the lower Po Plain, that was developed in the framework of a scientific collaboration between the Province of Cremona and the University of Milano-Bicocca. The procedure involves the following four steps, preceded by the derivation of natural background levels as step zero: (1) comparing new measurements to natural background levels; (2) testing the presence of direct anthropogenic sources of As, Fe and Mn; (3) excluding false positives and (4) testing the presence of indirect anthropogenic influences on As, Fe and Mn concentrations. The operative application of the proposed procedure is actually under consideration by the Province of Cremona.

scholarly journals Observed and projected impacts of slow cultural eutrophication on the fish assemblages of a shallow tropical African reservoir

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-34
Author(s):  
Moshood K. Mustapha
Keyword(s):  
Point Source ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Natural Background ◽  
Phosphate Fertilizers ◽  
Cultural Eutrophication ◽  
Background Levels ◽  
Sustainable Exploitation ◽  
Run Off ◽  
Management Techniques ◽  
High Concentrations

Abstract High concentrations of nitrate and phosphate which was above the normal natural background levels which ranged between 1.4 mg l-1 ±0.1 - 6.4 mg l-1 ±0.3 and 0.7 mg l-1 ±0.0 - 2.2 mg l-1 ±0.2 were recorded in Oyun reservoir, Offa, Nigeria, a shallow tropical African reservoir. The relatively high nitrate and phosphate load was observed to have come from a non-point source of run-off of nitro-phosphate fertilizers from nearby farmlands into the reservoir. This resulted in slow cultural eutrophication. This was observed to have impacted on the catch and fish assemblages of the reservoir with high abundance and dominance of pelagic phytoplanktivorous fishes such as cichlids, while benthic and non-phytoplanktivorous species were found in low abundance. Other possible impacts of the eutrophication when it becomes accelerated were discussed. Measures to reduce the eutrophication in order to enhance adequate fish assemblages and management techniques for sustainable exploitation of the fisheries in the reservoir were suggested.

Site specific agricultural soil management with the use of new technologies

2013 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-67
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
Digital Interface ◽  
Appropriate Treatment ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Soil Variation ◽  
Soil Information ◽  
Remote Sensing Techniques ◽  
Agricultural Areas

<p>The Soil Science Institute of Thessaloniki produces new digitized Soil Maps that provide a useful electronic database for the spatial representation of the soil variation within a region, based on in situ soil sampling, laboratory analyses, GIS techniques and plant nutrition mathematical models, coupled with the local land cadastre. The novelty of these studies is that local agronomists have immediate access to a wide range of soil information by clicking on a field parcel shown in this digital interface and, therefore, can suggest an appropriate treatment (e.g. liming, manure incorporation, desalination, application of proper type and quantity of fertilizer) depending on the field conditions and cultivated crops. A specific case study is presented in the current work with regards to the construction of the digitized Soil Map of the regional unit of Kastoria. The potential of this map can easily be realized by the fact that the mapping of the physicochemical properties of the soils in this region provided delineation zones for differential fertilization management. An experiment was also conducted using remote sensing techniques for the enhancement of the fertilization advisory software database, which is a component of the digitized map, and the optimization of nitrogen management in agricultural areas.</p>

Emissions of porewater compounds and gases from the subaquatic sediment disposal site “rodewischhafen”, hamburg harbour

1998 ◽  
Vol 37 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 87-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Kussmaul ◽  
A. Groengroeft ◽  
H. Koethe
Keyword(s):  
Water Surface ◽  
Disposal Site ◽  
Dredged Material ◽  
Water Fluxes ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Deposit Surface ◽  
Groundwater Samples ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Mud Deposit

In the year 1993 a confined and unused harbour basin was used to store 290,000 m3 of fine-grained dredged material from Hamburg harbour. About 70% of the deposit surface was water covered. The edge areas were above the water table and covered with reed. Emissions of dissolved compounds into the groundwater, as well as surface gas emissions were measured from 1994 to 1996. As indicators for water fluxes from the deposit we used NH4+ and HCO3− because of their high concentrations in mud porewater in comparison to groundwater. The average concentrations of NH4+ and HCO3− in the porewater increased during 2 years from 85 to 250 mg NH4+ 1−1 and from 2.0 to 3.1 g HCO3− 1−1, while the groundwater samples showed constant values of 8 mg NH4+ 1−1 and 0.7 g HCO3− 1−1. Furthermore, the average gas emissions over the water surface were 3.2 g CH4 m−2 d−1 and 0.8 g CO2 m−2 d−1. In contrast, no methane and 3.0 g CO2 m−2 d−1 were emitted from land areas. The results indicated, that there were no significant emissions of mud porewater compounds into the groundwater but high CH4-emissions over the water covered surface of the mud deposit.

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