Isotopic composition of sulfate as a tracer of natural and anthropogenic influences on groundwater geochemistry in an urban sandstone aquifer, Birmingham, UK

Bottrell, Simon H.; Tellam, John H.; Bartlett, Rebecca; Hughes, Anwen

doi:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2008.03.012

Cited by 99 publications

(36 citation statements)

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“…Sulfur in animal slurries applied as fertilizers have the same range of υ 34 S values (Table VI), but the υ 18 O of sulfate that forms during their mineralization in the soil is unknown. Groundwater sulfate produced by pyrite oxidation in similar UK Quaternary drift sediments tends to have negative υ 34 S and υ 18 O values (Barker et al, 1998;Bottrell et al, 2008). The isotopic compositions of these sulfate sources are plotted in Figure 4.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Lithological controls on biological activity and groundwater chemistry in Quaternary sediments

Bartlett

Bottrell

Sinclair³

et al. 2009

Hydrological Processes

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Abstract:Depth profiles of solute chemistry and sulfate isotopic compositions are presented for groundwater and pore water in a sequence of Quaternary glacial outwash sediments. Sand units show evidence for hydraulic connection to the surface and thus modern sources of solutes. Finer-grained sediments show a general pattern of increasing solute concentrations with depth, with sulfate derived from ancient rainwater and pyrite oxidation in the soil/drift. In these sediments sulfate has undergone bacterial sulfate reduction (BSR) to produce biogenic sulfide. In clay sediments, with d 10 Ä 1Ð6 µm, high concentrations of sulfate and acetate now co-exist, implying that BSR is inhibited. The correlation with smaller sediment grain size indicates that this is due to pore size exclusion of the sulfate reducing bacteria. Mechanical restriction of microbial function thus provides a fundamental limitation on microbial respiration in buried clay-rich sediments, which acts as a control on the chemical evolution of their pore waters.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Sulfur was extracted from agricultural slurry samples for isotopic analysis using a Br/HNO 3 extraction as described for sewage samples by Bottrell et al (2008).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lithological controls on biological activity and groundwater chemistry in Quaternary sediments

Bartlett

Bottrell

Sinclair³

et al. 2009

Hydrological Processes

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“…Sulfate from dissolution of marine evaporite, such as gypsum/anhydrite, has δ 34 S values (δ 34 S = 34 S/ 32 S sample / 34 S/ 32 S std ) ranging from +10‰ to +30‰ (Claypool et al, 1980), while sulfides from igneous rocks typically have δ 34 S values from -10‰ to 10‰ with an average of ~0‰ (Thode, 1991). Sulfate derived from oxidation of sedimentary sulfides shows usually negative δ 34 S values (Thode, 1991;Bottrell et al, 2008). Anthropogenically-contaminated rainwater has δ 34 S values ranging from +4‰ to +6‰ (Caron et al, 1986;McArdle and Liss, 1995;Wadleigh et al, 1996;Bottrell et al, 2008), while agricultural fertilizers show δ 34 S from +0.4‰ to +11.9‰ (Longinelli and Cortecci, 1970;Hoefs, 1997;Moncaster et al, 2000;Cortecci et al, 2002;Bol et al, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For a few waters with high salinity, their chemical composition might derive from the mixing of waters circulating in volcanic rocks with waters from Triassic evaporite deposits. Waters with sulfate-bicarbonate alkaline composition could dustrial origin such as fertilizers and industrial effluents (Yang et al, 1996;Robinson and Bottrell, 1997;Bottrell et al, 2000Bottrell et al, , 2008.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Groundwaters of Mt. Vulture volcano, southern Italy: Chemistry and sulfur isotope composition of dissolved sulfate

et al. 2010

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We report the chemical composition of groundwaters-including the first data on the sulfur isotopic composition of dissolved sulfate-from the volcanic aquifers of Mt. Vulture, one of the most important hydrological basins of southern Italy. A total of 27 water samples taken at different altitudes among drilled wells and springs were collected. The majority of groundwaters have a bicarbonate alkaline and bicarbonate alkaline-earth composition. High-salinity waters are sulfatebicarbonate alkaline in composition. The water-rock interaction process is mainly affected from uprising of CO 2 -rich gases which cause an increase of the water acidity promoting basalt weathering with an enrichment in certain chemical species (i.e., Na + , Ca 2+ , SO 4 2-) and a high total carbon content. The δ 34 S values of dissolved sulfate ranging from +4‰ to +8.6‰ can be explained by leaching of volcanites. Higher δ 34 S values (from 9.6‰ to 10.4‰) detected in a few water springs can be ascribed either to the interaction with the pyroclastic layer rich in feldspathoids, such as haüyna, that have sulfur isotopic compositions up to +10.6‰ or animal manure contamination inducing localized bacterial sulfate reduction with an increase in the δ 34 S of sulfate. Taking into account that Upper Triassic evaporite deposits have higher δ 34 S values (from +13.5‰ to +17.4‰,) than those measured in all water samples the dissolution of these deposits could be excluded.

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“…This sandstone-dominated succession represents the UK's second most important aquifer, covering 25% of the total licensed volume of groundwater abstractions in the country (Abesser and Lewis 2015;Binley et al 2002;Bricker et al 2012). Contamination has been detected in the aquifer at relatively shallow (<~150 m BGL) depths due to agricultural activity, and the release of industrial waste and sewage in urban areas (Barrett et al 1999;Bottrell et al 2008;Bloomfield et al 2001;Cassidy et al 2014;Lawrence et al 2006;Rivett et al 2012); furthermore, the Sherwood Sandstone Group hosts important hydrocarbon resources onshore in Dorset (~1,500 m BGL), as well as in the Irish Sea and in the North Sea (McKie and Williams 2009;McKie and Shannon 2011).…”

Section: Hydrogeological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization of a fluvial aquifer at a range of depths and scales: the Triassic St Bees Sandstone Formation, Cumbria, UK

2017

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Fluvial sedimentary successions represent porous media that host groundwater and geothermal resources. Additionally, they overlie crystalline rocks hosting nuclear waste repositories in rift settings. The permeability characteristics of an arenaceous fluvial succession, the Triassic St Bees Sandstone Formation in England (UK), are described, from core-plug to well-test scale up to~1 km depth. Within such lithified successions, dissolution associated with the circulation of meteoric water results in increased permeability (K~10 −1 -10 0 m/day) to depths of at least 150 m below ground level (BGL) in aquifer systems that are subject to rapid groundwater circulation. Thus, contaminant transport is likely to occur at relatively high rates. In a deeper investigation (> 150 m depth), where the aquifer has not been subjected to rapid groundwater circulation, well-test-scale hydraulic conductivity is lower, decreasing from K~10 −2 m/day at 150-400 m BGL to 10 −3 m/day down-dip at~1 km BGL, where the pore fluid is hypersaline. Here, pore-scale permeability becomes progressively dominant with increasing lithostatic load. Notably, this work investigates a sandstone aquifer of fluvial origin at investigation depths consistent with highly enthalpy geothermal reservoirs (~0.7-1.1 km). At such depths, intergranular flow dominates in unfaulted areas with only minor contribution by bedding plane fractures. However, extensional faults represent preferential flow pathways, due to presence of high connective open fractures. Therefore, such faults may (1) drive nuclear waste contaminants towards the highly permeable shallow (< 150 m BGL) zone of the aquifer, and (2) influence fluid recovery in geothermal fields.

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Isotopic composition of sulfate as a tracer of natural and anthropogenic influences on groundwater geochemistry in an urban sandstone aquifer, Birmingham, UK

Cited by 99 publications

References 50 publications

Lithological controls on biological activity and groundwater chemistry in Quaternary sediments

Lithological controls on biological activity and groundwater chemistry in Quaternary sediments

Groundwaters of Mt. Vulture volcano, southern Italy: Chemistry and sulfur isotope composition of dissolved sulfate

Characterization of a fluvial aquifer at a range of depths and scales: the Triassic St Bees Sandstone Formation, Cumbria, UK

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