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Vogel, J. C., Talma, A. S., & Heaton, T. H. E. (1981). Gaseous nitrogen as evidence for denitrification in groundwater. Journal of Hydrology, 50, 191–200.
Abstract: By investigating the nitrate, oxygen, nitrogen and argon concentrations and 15N14N ratios in artesian groundwater with radiocarbon ages ranging up to 27,000 yr. a process of very slow denitrification in a confined aquifer is demonstrated. The calculated nitrogenisotope fractionation factor associated with this reaction is comparable to that reported for bacterial cultures in vitro and in vivo.
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Liu, Z., Tan, K., Li, C., Li, Y., Zhang, C., Song, J., et al. (2023). Geochemical and S isotopic studies of pollutant evolution in groundwater after acid in situ leaching in a uranium mine area in Xinjiang. Nuclear Engineering and Technology, 55(4), 1476–1484.
Abstract: Laboratory experiments and point monitoring of reservoir sediments have proven that stable sulfate reduction (SSR) can lower the concentrations of toxic metals and sulfate in acidic groundwater for a long time. Here, we hypothesize that SSR occurred during in situ leaching after uranium mining, which can impact the fate of acid groundwater in an entire region. To test this, we applied a sulfur isotope fractionation method to analyze the mechanism for natural attenuation of contaminated groundwater produced by acid in situ leaching of uranium (Xinjiang, China). The results showed that δ34S increased over time after the cessation of uranium mining, and natural attenuation caused considerable, area-scale immobilization of sulfur corresponding to retention levels of 5.3%–48.3% while simultaneously decreasing the concentration of uranium. Isotopic evidence for SSR in the area, together with evidence for changes of pollutant concentrations, suggest that area-scale SSR is most likely also important at other acid mining sites for uranium, where retention of acid groundwater may be strengthened through natural attenuation. To recapitulate, the sulfur isotope fractionation method constitutes a relatively accurate tool for quantification of spatiotemporal trends for groundwater during migration and transformation resulting from acid in situ leaching of uranium in northern China.
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Love, A. J., Shand, P., Karlstrom, K., Crossey, L., Rousseau-Gueutin, P., Priestley, S., et al. (2013). Geochemistry and Travertine Dating Provide New Insights into the Hydrogeology of the Great Artesian Basin, South Australia. Procedia Earth and Planetary Science, 7, 521–524.
Abstract: While of great national and societal significance, and importance in its own right, the Great Artesian Basin of Australia is an iconic example of a continental scale artesian groundwater system. New geochemical, hydrological, and neo-tectonic data suggests that existing models that involve recharge in eastern Australia, relatively simple flowpaths and discharge in springs in the western margin require modification. New geochemical data indicate a small volume flux of deeply derived (endogenic) fluids mixing into the aquifer system at a continental scale. Neo- tectonic data indicates active tectonism today that provides a fluid pathway through faults for the deeply sourced endogenic fluids to discharge in GAB travertine depositing springs.
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Brutsaert, W. (2017). Global land surface evaporation trend during the past half century: Corroboration by Clausius-Clapeyron scaling. Advances in Water Resources, 106, 3–5.
Abstract: Analyses of satellite data mainly over the world’s ocean surfaces have shown that during 1986–2006 global average values of atmospheric water vapor, precipitation and evaporation have increased at a relative rate of 0.0013a−1; this is roughly in accordance with the Clausius-Clapeyron equation for the average temperature trend during this period, and amounts to 0.065K−1 at the average temperature of T=14∘C. Application of this concept over the world’s land surfaces yields an average global evaporation trend during the past half century of around 0.4 to 0.5 mma−2; this confirms the values obtained in previous studies with totally different methods.
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Marteleto, T. de P., Abreu, A. E. S. de, Barbosa, M. B., Yoshinaga-Pereira, S., Bertolo, R. A., & Enzweiler, J. (2024). Groundwater apparent ages and isotopic composition in Crystalline, Diabase and Tubarão aquifers contact area in Campinas, Southeastern Brazil. Journal of South American Earth Sciences, 135, 104783.
Abstract: This study refines the hydrogeological conceptual model of an area with three interconnected aquifers, namely the Crystalline Aquifer System (CAS – igneous and metamorphic rocks), which is in contact with the Tubarão Aquifer System (TAS – sedimentary rocks) and the Diabase Aquifer System (DAS – diabase rocks). The detailed investigation involved geophysical logging and hydraulic and hydrodynamic characterization with straddle packers in a local tubular well, in which groundwater presents high uranium concentrations. Hydrogeochemical and isotope (δ2H, δ18O, 3H, δ13C, 14C) analysis in this well and in other three neighboring wells, with lower U concentrations, showed that ancient and modern waters (3H from <0.8 to 1.12 TU, 14C from 69.43 to 78.72 pMC) mix within the aquifer. During groundwater pumping, vertical fractures in the diabase aquifer possibly induce water mixing and recharge of the deeper levels of the aquifers from shallow layers. The high [U] are related to ancient waters from a confined aquifer hosted in CAS that reaches the wells through hydraulically active fractures located deeper than 159 m depth. Groundwater apparent ages do not increase systematically with depth, revealing a complex circulation model for CAS. The results obtained from the other wells, which are all located on drainage lineaments, reveal that one extracts modern water from DAS and TAS, another one extracts modern and ancient water from DAS and CAS, and the third extracts only ancient water from CAS, confirming the complexity of the local hydrogeology. Regarding regional groundwater management, the study revealed the need to characterize the sources of groundwater in each well, in order to protect modern waters from anthropogenic contamination and to protect ancient groundwater from overexploitation, as CAS hosts groundwaters recharged thousands of years ago or more.
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