Ground‐Water Tracers — A Short Review

Davis, Stanley N.; Thompson, Geoffrey; Bentley, Harold W.; Stiles, Gary

doi:10.1111/j.1745-6584.1980.tb03366.x

Cited by 234 publications

(165 citation statements)

References 17 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

155

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…In both Exp 1 and 2, uranine was used as the tracer, which is a fluorescent, non-toxic, organic compound that belongs to the category of xanthene dyes (Davis et al, 1980;Flury and Wai, 2003). To reduce background fluorescence from organic substances like humic and fulvic acids, and to avoid adsorption onto the organic matter coating of sediment particles, clean construction sand was used.…”

Section: Experimental Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying biologically and physically induced flow and tracer dynamics in permeable sediments

et al. 2007

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. Insight in the biogeochemistry and ecology of sandy sediments crucially depends on a quantitative description of pore water flow and the associated transport of various solutes and particles. We show that widely different problems can be modelled by the same flow and tracer equations. The principal difference between model applications concerns the geometry of the sediment-water interface and the pressure conditions that are specified along this boundary. We illustrate this commonality with four different case studies. These include biologically and physically induced pore water flows, as well as simplified laboratory setups versus more complex field-like conditions: [1] lugworm bio-irrigation in laboratory set-up, [2] interaction of bioirrigation and groundwater seepage on a tidal flat, [3] pore water flow induced by rotational stirring in benthic chambers, and [4] pore water flow induced by unidirectional flow over a ripple sequence. The same two example simulations are performed in all four cases: (a) the time-dependent spreading of an inert tracer in the pore water, and (b) the computation of the steady-state distribution of oxygen in the sediment. Overall, our model comparison indicates that model development for sandy sediments is promising, but within an early stage. Clear challenges remain in terms of model development, model validation, and model implementation.

show abstract

Section: Experimental Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying biologically and physically induced flow and tracer dynamics in permeable sediments

et al. 2007

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Br-is commonly used as a groundwater tracer because it has relatively low toxicity, usually exists at low concentrations in the environment, and is simple to measure, inexpensive, and assumed to be conservative [Davis et al, 1980]. The last is believed because soils and sediments are thought to have a negative surface charge that repels the negatively charged Brions, thus limiting interaction with the solid phase of porous media.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An adsorption isotherm for bromide

Korom¹

2000

Water Resources Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. Bromide is often used as a conservative tracer in soils and sediments; however, it may be adsorbed onto variably charged sediments such as exist at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina. Using a methodology simulating concentration gradients observed during field-scale injection of anionic tracers, a series of column experiments were used to determine the nature of bromide adsorption onto and desorption from a sediment sample from SRS. Bromide concentrations ranged from <0.1 to 700 mg/L. Adsorption and desorption were reversible and repeatable; however, desorption showed tailing. Adsorption followed an apparent Freundlich isotherm (95% confidence interval) having an exponent of 0.906 (_+0.033). A second-order polynomial fit provided a more accurate but less conventional model of the adsorption.

show abstract

“…However, the use of multiple tracers should alleviate many of the complexities associated with assessing groundwater in the system. Many studies have utilized natural geochemical tracers to quantify groundwater in coastal systems [Cable et al, 1996a;Moore, 1998;Corbett et al, 2000;Top et al, 2001;Charette and Buesseler, 2004], which are found in elevated concentrations relative to surface waters [Davis et al, 1980]. This study incorporates 222 Rn and 4 He/ 3 He/ 3 H as natural tracers of groundwater.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

An evaluation of submarine groundwater discharge along the continental shelf of Louisiana using a multiple tracer approach

et al. 2007

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

[1] Natural geochemical tracers ( 222 Rn, 3 H, 3 He, and 4 He) were used to assess submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) along the continental shelf west of the Mississippi River. In order to assess SGD, groundwater, surface water, and sediment samples were collected on land and during six 4-day cruises aboard the R/V Pelican between March 2003 and May 2004. A box model approach was used to quantify sources and sinks of 222 Rn in the study area and to calculate SGD rates. SGD estimates were we based on two end member values for the potential advecting fluids: (1) that supported by 226 Ra in the sediments; and (2) groundwater activities measured in monitoring wells. Calculated 222 Rn SGD rates based on sediment supported activities ranged from 0.04 to 0.14 cm d À1 , and estimates based on monitoring well activities ranged from 0.01 to 0.07 cm d À1 and corresponds to 1.41 km 3 yr À1 of discharged water over our study area, equivalent to <1% of the Mississippi River during the same time frame. 3He and 4 He, longer-lived tracers, exhibited significantly greater anomalies in the eastern portion of the study area which corresponds with greater oil and gas extraction and the release of formation water into the water column in this region. While the total SGD was relatively minor, potential sources of SGD are many and we suggest formation water associated with oil and gas extraction, geothermal convection, and seawater recirculation are the primary sources with a minimal contribution from terrestrially derived topography driven flow.

show abstract

Ground‐Water Tracers — A Short Review

Cited by 234 publications

References 17 publications

Quantifying biologically and physically induced flow and tracer dynamics in permeable sediments

Quantifying biologically and physically induced flow and tracer dynamics in permeable sediments

An adsorption isotherm for bromide

An evaluation of submarine groundwater discharge along the continental shelf of Louisiana using a multiple tracer approach

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About