Hydrogeochemistry and Isotopic Composition of Waters in the Renella Cave (Central Italy): New Insights into Groundwater Dynamics

Chimenti, Marco; Natali, Stefano; Giannecchini, Roberto; Zanchetta, Giovanni; Baneschi, Ilaria; Doveri, Marco; Isola, Ilaria; Piccini, Leonardo

doi:10.3390/w15091764

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…As expected, the stable isotopic composition of karst waters has a much narrower range of δ 18 O and δ 2 H variability, compared to precipitation, as also observed by others [23]. However, notable differences exist between the river waters at the inflows and the outflows, the amplitude of  18 O and  2 H at the ponors being double than that of the springs.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Stable Isotope Hydrology of Karst Groundwaters in Romania

Feher,

Bădăluță,

Brad

et al. 2024

Water

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In this article we present the first investigation of the stable isotope composition of groundwater in Romania, East-Central Europe, with a focus on the karst areas. Our aim is twofold: (1) to provide a countrywide map with the distribution of stable oxygen and hydrogen isotope ratios in groundwater, and (2) to assess the recharge patterns of karst water. We collected more than 600 water samples from springs and wells across Romania for stable isotope analyses and monitored in detail the stable isotope composition of the waters as they pass through five cave systems. Our data show a spatial distribution of the stable isotope composition of the groundwater with low values in the mountainous area and high values in the surrounding lowlands and the central Transylvanian Depression. However, waters in karst areas induce departures from this distribution, resulting from the fast (hours to days) transfer of waters from high (ponor) to low (spring) altitudes. Water emerging from the karst springs has generally lower δ values than before sinking through the ponors, thus indicating a substantial contribution of winter recharge through diffuse infiltration and seepage. This contribution results in overall dilution of the water entering through ponors, likely resulting in changes in the chemical composition of the water and diluting potential pollutants. Our data call for careful separation between karst and non-karst spring/well waters, as indiscriminate common treatment might lead to erroneous interpretations.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Stable Isotope Hydrology of Karst Groundwaters in Romania

Feher,

Bădăluță,

Brad

et al. 2024

Water

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“…Isotopic disintegration counting has been reported by numerous specialists in the field of radioactivity [20,21]. The radioactive activity concentrations in the samples were determined using Equation (1).…”

Section: Geochemical Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Radioactivity, Ecotoxicology (238U, 232Th and 40K) and Potentially Toxic Elements in Water and Sediments from North Africa Dams

Hamed,

Ayadi,

Hadji

et al. 2024

Sustainability

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The natural radioactivity of 238U, 232Th and 40K was measured in water and sediment samples collected from Sidi Salem dam (Tunisia) and Aïn Dalia dam (Algeria) in the Tuniso-Algerian transboundary basin. The samples were measured using a TERRA detector of gamma, beta, and alpha rays, and atomic absorption and gamma-ray spectrometry were used to analyze the levels of radionuclides and toxic elements, respectively. Potentially toxic elements (Fe, Pb, Zn, Ni, Cr, Cu and Cd) and associated health risks in surface water and sediment of dams were investigated in this present study. The concentrations of Fe, Pb, Zn, Ni, Cr, Cu and Cd in surface water ranged from 5.430 to 9.700 mg·L−1, 0.022 to 0.168, 0.018 to 0.142, 0.065 to 0.366, BDL to 0.0351, BDL to 0.071 and BDL to 0.048 mg·L−1, respectively. In the sediments, the concentrations of Fe, Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd and Cr were of the order of 136.7, 3.41, 3.22, 0.213, 0.182, 0.15 mg·L−1 and BDL, respectively. The mean radioactivity rates in the water samples were 1.72, 0.068 and 94.6 Bq·L−1 for 238U, 232Th and 40K, respectively (Tunisia dam), and were 1.9, 0.09 and 131.43 Bq·L−1 for 238U, 232Th and 40K, respectively (Algeria dam). The mean 238U, 232Th and 40K radioactivity concentrations measured in the sediment samples were 2.67, 0.18 and 197.87 Bq·kg−1, respectively (Tunisian dam), and were 4.34, 0.27 and 287.61 Bq·kg−1, respectively (Algeria dam). The activity concentration of 40K was higher than that of 238U and 232Th for the water and sediment samples. The activity concentrations follow the order 40K > 238U > 232Th. The cumulative impact of these radio-geochemical elements can cause immediate serious problems in the ecosystem due to their high potential toxicity to the environment and human health in this study area and can be transposable to any other similar region. A good knowledge of monitoring quality and quantity for transboundary water resources and international collaborations are essential to safeguard human health (women’s breast cancer, thyroid cancer, neurological impact) and avoid conflicts, especially during climatic upheavals of drought.

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Environmental Radioactivity, Ecotoxicology (Uranium-238, Thorium-232 and Potassium-40) and Toxic Heavy Metals Contents in Water and Sediments from North Africa Dams. Tuniso-Algerian Transboundary Southern Mediterranean Basin

Hamed,

Ayadi,

Hadji

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Natural radioactivity of 238U, 232Th and 40K for liquid and solid samples collected from Sidi Salem dam (Tunisia) and Aïn Dalia dam (Algeria) were measured using TERRA detector of rays (gam-ma, beta, and alpha), Atomic adsorption and Gamma-ray spectrometry were used to analyze the levels of radionuclides and toxic heavy metals, respectively. Toxic heavy metals (Fe, Bb, Zn, Ni, Cu, Cr and Cd) and associated health risks in surface water and sediment of dams have been in-vestigated in this present study. The radioactivity mean rates in the water samples were 1.72±0.01, 0.068±0.01 and 94.6±1.04 Bql-1 for 238U, 232Th and 40K respectively (Tunisia dam) and were 1.9± 0.24, 0.09±0.01 and 131.43±1.03 Bql-1 for 238U, 232Th and 40K respectively (Algeria dam). The 238U, 232Th and 40K radioactivity mean concentration measured in the sediment samples were 2.67±0.01, 0.18±0.012 and 197.87±2.01 Bqkg-1 respectively (Tunisian dam) and were 4.34±0.05, 0.27±0.05 and 287.61±3.34 Bqkg-1 respectively (Algeria dam). The activity concentration of 40K was higher than that of 238U and 232Th for the water and sediment samples. The mean activity concen-trations follow the order 40K > 238U > 232Th. The cumulative impact can be a serious immediate radiological health burden on the ecosystem, environment and people's health in this study area and can be transposable to any other similar region. The good knowledge of monitoring quality and quantity for the transboundary water resources and the international collaborations are es-sential to safeguard human health (women’s breasts cancer, thyroid cancer, neurological im-pact…), and avoid the conflicts, especially during these climatic upheavals of drought.

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Hydrogeochemistry and Isotopic Composition of Waters in the Renella Cave (Central Italy): New Insights into Groundwater Dynamics

Cited by 4 publications

References 50 publications

Stable Isotope Hydrology of Karst Groundwaters in Romania

Stable Isotope Hydrology of Karst Groundwaters in Romania

Environmental Radioactivity, Ecotoxicology (238U, 232Th and 40K) and Potentially Toxic Elements in Water and Sediments from North Africa Dams

Environmental Radioactivity, Ecotoxicology (Uranium-238, Thorium-232 and Potassium-40) and Toxic Heavy Metals Contents in Water and Sediments from North Africa Dams. Tuniso-Algerian Transboundary Southern Mediterranean Basin

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