Conceptual understanding and groundwater quality of selected basin-fill aquifers in the Southwestern United States

Thiros, Susan A.; Bexfield, Laura M.; Anning, David W.; Huntington, Jena M.

doi:10.3133/pp1781

Cited by 39 publications

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“…A survey of domestic wells in this basin showed that 27 of the 161 wells tested (16.8%) had As in excess of the MCL (5). Despite the elevated concentrations of As in this region, studies have been limited to groundwater surveys (3,5), without investigating the mechanisms of As reduction or the role of dissimilatory arsenaterespiring bacteria (DARB) in producing elevated groundwater As concentrations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in this region to examine As V reduction in relation to both iron transformation and microbial community characteristics.…”

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confidence: 99%

Arsenic(V) Reduction in Relation to Iron(III) Transformation and Molecular Characterization of the Structural and Functional Microbial Community in Sediments of a Basin-Fill Aquifer in Northern Utah

Mirza

Muruganandam

Meng

et al. 2014

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Basin-fill aquifers of the Southwestern United States are associated with elevated concentrations of arsenic (As) in groundwater. Many private domestic wells in the Cache Valley Basin, UT, have As concentrations in excess of the U.S. EPA drinking water limit. Thirteen sediment cores were collected from the center of the valley at the depth of the shallow groundwater and were sectioned into layers based on redoxmorphic features. Three of the layers, two from redox transition zones and one from a depletion zone, were used to establish microcosms. Microcosms were treated with groundwater (GW) or groundwater plus glucose (GW؉G) to investigate the extent of As reduction in relation to iron (Fe) transformation and characterize the microbial community structure and function by sequencing 16S rRNA and arsenate dissimilatory reductase (arrA) genes. Under the carbon-limited conditions of the GW treatment, As reduction was independent of Fe reduction, despite the abundance of sequences related to Geobacter and Shewanella, genera that include a variety of dissimilatory iron-reducing bacteria. The addition of glucose, an electron donor and carbon source, caused substantial shifts toward domination of the bacterial community by Clostridium-related organisms, and As reduction was correlated with Fe reduction for the sediments from the redox transition zone. The arrA gene sequencing from microcosms at day 54 of incubation showed the presence of 14 unique phylotypes, none of which were related to any previously described arrA gene sequence, suggesting a unique community of dissimilatory arsenate-respiring bacteria in the Cache Valley Basin.A rsenic (As) is one of the most frequently detected contaminants in private domestic wells used for household drinking water (1) and public water supplies (2). In the United States, As concentrations in excess of the drinking water maximum contaminant level (MCL; 10 g/liter) in public supply wells are distributed across the country, but 3/4 of these wells are in the western United States (2). In basin-fill aquifers in California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona (1), and Utah (3), 10% of the domestic wells tested had As in excess of the MCL. Modeling efforts by the USGS predicted that 43% of the area in the basin-fill aquifers of the Southwest might have groundwater that equals or exceeds the MCL for As (4). While public water suppliers are required to treat water to meet drinking water standards, there are no such requirements for private wells.Common aspects of the basin-fill aquifers in the western United States are geothermal activity and volcanic rock. The source of As in the Cache Valley Basin, UT, is presumed to be the hydrothermal sulfide and arsenide deposits in the surrounding mountains. Due to low rainfall and high evapotranspiration, groundwater recharge does not result from precipitation in the basin but from precipitation in the surrounding mountains. The Cache Valley Basin is located 128 km northeast of Salt Lake City and is on the eastern edge of the Basin and Range Province. A sur...

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Arsenic(V) Reduction in Relation to Iron(III) Transformation and Molecular Characterization of the Structural and Functional Microbial Community in Sediments of a Basin-Fill Aquifer in Northern Utah

Mirza

Muruganandam

Meng

et al. 2014

Appl Environ Microbiol

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“…Mobilization of naturally occurring uranium can lead to groundwater concentrations in excess of the drinking water standard of 1.3×10 -7 M or 30 ppb [1,2]. More commonly, mining and processing of uranium ore, as well as nuclear weapons development, has resulted in the development of persistent groundwater plumes with elevated uranium concentrations at a number of sites around the world [3-5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating ion exchange resin efficiency and oxidative capacity for the separation of uranium(IV) and uranium(VI)

et al. 2013

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BackgroundPreviously described methods to separate dissolved U(IV) from dissolved U(VI) under acidic anoxic conditions prior to laboratory analysis were ineffective with materials currently available commercially. Three strong anion exchange resins were examined for their efficiency in separating, recovering, and preserving both redox states during separation.ResultsUnder oxic conditions, recovery of U(VI) from three exchange resins (Bio-Rad AG® 1x8 Poly-Prep® prefilled columns, Bio-Rad AG® 1x8 powder, and Dowex® 1x8 powder) ranged from 72% to 100% depending on the dosed mass, eluent volume, and resin selected. Dowex® 1x8 resin was the only resin found to provide 100% recovery of U(VI) with fewer than 5 bed volumes of eluent. Under anoxic conditions, all three resins oxidized U(IV) in aqueous solutions with relatively low U(IV) concentrations (<3x10-6 M). Resin-induced oxidation was observed visually using a leuco dye, safranin-o. Oxidants associated with the resin were irreversibly reduced by the addition of Ti(III). After anoxic resin pre-treatment, a series of U(IV)/U(VI) mixtures at micro-molar levels were prepared and separated using the Dowex® 1x8 resin with 100% recovery of both U(IV) and U(VI) with no resin-induced changes in oxidation state.ConclusionsCurrently available anion exchange resins with apparently identical physical properties were found to have significantly different recoveries for hexavalent uranium at micro-molar concentrations. A novel qualitative technique was developed to visually assess oxidative capacities of anion exchange resins under acidic anoxic conditions. A protocol was developed for pre-treatment and use of currently available anion exchange resins to achieve quantitative separation of U(IV) and U(VI) in aqueous solutions with low U(IV) concentrations. This method can be applied to future work to quantitatively assess dissolved U(IV) and U(VI) concentrations in both laboratory and field samples.

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“…In Southwest basinfill aquifers-the Basin and Range basin-fill aquifers, California Coastal Basin, Central Valley aquifer system, and Rio Grande aquifer system-salts in the subsurface are concentrated by evapotranspiration in the semiarid to arid regions. (81) As in the Denver Basin, dissolved-solids concentrations are high in shallower parts of Southwest basin-fill aquifers, and the SMCL for dissolved solids was exceeded more commonly in shallow groundwater beneath agricultural and urban areas than in deeper parts used for domestic and public supply. (81) Chapter 6…”

Section: Dissolved Solids In the Denver Basin High Plains And Southmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(81) As in the Denver Basin, dissolved-solids concentrations are high in shallower parts of Southwest basin-fill aquifers, and the SMCL for dissolved solids was exceeded more commonly in shallow groundwater beneath agricultural and urban areas than in deeper parts used for domestic and public supply. (81) Chapter 6…”

Section: Dissolved Solids In the Denver Basin High Plains And Southmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The quality of our Nation's waters: Water quality in the Denver Basin aquifer system, Colorado, 2003-05

Bauch¹,

Musgrove²,

Mahler³

et al. 2014

Circular

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For more information on the USGS-the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment-visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1-888-ASK-USGS.For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http: //www.usgs.gov/pubprod To order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner.Suggested citation: Bauch, N.J., Musgrove, MaryLynn, Mahler, B.J., and Paschke, S.S., 2014, The quality of our Nation's watersWater quality in the Denver Basin aquifer system, Colorado, 2003-05: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1357. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataBauch, Nancy J.The quality of our nation's waters---water quality in the Denver Basin aquifer system, Colorado, 2003-- Results of NAWQA studies are an invaluable resource for public health officials, water and land use planners, and the community that relies on Denver Basin groundwater as a vital source of drinking water."Hope Dalton Water Specialist Tri-County Health Department Greenwood VillageCopyright photograph by Habich Enterprises, from istockphoto.com iv ForewordThe United States has made major investments in assessing, managing, regulating, and conserving natural resources, such as water and a variety of ecosystems. Sustaining the quality of the Nation's water resources and the health of our diverse ecosystems depends on the availability of sound water-resources data and information to develop effective, science-based policies. Effective management of water resources also brings more certainty and efficiency to important economic sectors. Taken together, these actions lead to immediate and long-term economic, social, and environmental benefits that make a difference to the lives of millions of people (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/applications/).Two decades ago, Congress established the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program to meet this need. Since then NAWQA has served as a primary source of nationally consistent information on the quality of the Nation's streams and groundwater, on ways in which water quality changes over time, and on the natural features and human activities affecting the quality of streams and groundwater. Objective and reliable data, systematic scientific studies, and models are used to characterize where, when, and why the Nation's water quality is degraded-and what can be done to improve and protect the water for human and ecosystem needs. This information is critical to our future because the Nation faces an increasingly complex and growing need for clean water to support people, economic growth, and healthy ecosystems....

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Conceptual understanding and groundwater quality of selected basin-fill aquifers in the Southwestern United States

Cited by 39 publications

References 0 publications

Arsenic(V) Reduction in Relation to Iron(III) Transformation and Molecular Characterization of the Structural and Functional Microbial Community in Sediments of a Basin-Fill Aquifer in Northern Utah

Arsenic(V) Reduction in Relation to Iron(III) Transformation and Molecular Characterization of the Structural and Functional Microbial Community in Sediments of a Basin-Fill Aquifer in Northern Utah

Evaluating ion exchange resin efficiency and oxidative capacity for the separation of uranium(IV) and uranium(VI)

The quality of our Nation's waters: Water quality in the Denver Basin aquifer system, Colorado, 2003-05

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