Predicted nitrate and arsenic concentrations in basin-fill aquifers of the Southwestern United States

Anning, David W.; Paul, Angela P.; McKinney, Tim S.; Huntington, Jena M.; Bexfield, Laura M.; Thiros, Susan A.

doi:10.3133/sir20125065

Cited by 46 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 20 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Elevated concentration of As in the geologic material is associated with volcanic activity. Similar basin‐fill aquifers are found throughout the western and southwestern United States (Anning et al ). One characteristic of these aquifer solids is the abundance of carbonate minerals.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 66%

Arsenic Release and Attenuation Processes in a Groundwater Aquifer During Anaerobic Remediation of TCE with Biostimulation

Smith¹,

Dupont²,

McLean³

2019

Groundwater Monitoring Rem

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Arsenic in groundwater in excess of the drinking water limit is usually from natural sources. The release of As, however, can be amplified by anthropogenic inputs of carbon, including those associated with the remediation of chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethylene (TCE). Large laboratory columns (15.2 cm diameter, 183 cm long) packed with aquifer solids from a TCE contaminated site near Hill Air Force Base (Utah) were fed with groundwater containing TCE and were biostimulated, bioaugmented, and monitored for TCE dechlorination over 7.5 years. This is a basin‐fill aquifer with As bearing geologic features. The objective of this study was to evaluate the biogeochemical changes that affect As solubilization that occurred after 7.5 years of feeding the columns with either whey or two formulations of Newman Zone® emulsified oil, and a no carbon addition control. The columns were analyzed in 10.16 cm sections for pore water and sediment quality parameters, parameters descriptive of redox conditions, and As geochemistry. The whey treatment resulted in 52.9% (±1.36%) (average ± standard deviation) of the total As in the solids leaching from the columns. The oil treatments promoted loss of 20.9% (±6.40%) of the total As. Arsenic solubility was associated with strongly reducing conditions developed with whey addition, leading to dissolution of crystalline Fe oxides and release of As. Arsenic was attenuated within the oil treated columns with As associated with carbonates in the lower layers. A consequence of adding whey, resulting in the desired full dechlorination of TCE in this aquifer, is the mobilization of As in groundwater.

show abstract

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 66%

Arsenic Release and Attenuation Processes in a Groundwater Aquifer During Anaerobic Remediation of TCE with Biostimulation

Smith¹,

Dupont²,

McLean³

2019

Groundwater Monitoring Rem

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…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.…”

mentioning

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

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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...

show abstract

“…The USGS points to the geologic substrate across Arizona as the explanation for an elevated background concentration of arsenic in water resources, which explains the statewide contamination (Ryker 2001). Areas that have experienced previous mining or significant ground disturbances, including deep water exploration, demonstrate clusters of elevated arsenic concentrations exceeding drinking water regulatory limits, such as those seen in Yavapai and Pinal Counties (Anning et al 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Arsenic Concentrations in Ground and Surface Waters across Arizona Including Native Lands

Jones

Credo

Ingram

et al. 2020

Contemporary Water Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Parts of the Southwestern United States report arsenic levels in water resources that are above the United States Environmental Protection Agency's current drinking water limits. Prolonged exposure to arsenic through food and drinking water can contribute to significant health problems including cancer, developmental effects, cardiovascular disease, neurotoxicity, and diabetes. In order to understand exposure risks, water sampling and testing have been conducted throughout Arizona. This information is available to the public through often non‐overlapping databases that are difficult to access and in impracticable formats. The current study utilized a systemic compilation of online databases to compile a spreadsheet containing over 33,000 water samples. The reported arsenic concentrations from these databases were collected from 1990–2017. Using ArcGIS software, these data were converted into a map shapefile and overlaid onto a map of Arizona. This visual representation shows that arsenic levels in surface and ground water exceed the United States Environmental Protection Agency's drinking water limits for many sites in several counties in Arizona, and there is an underrepresentation of sampling in several tribal jurisdictions. This information is useful for water managers and private well owners throughout the State for determining safe drinking water sources and limiting exposure to arsenic.

show abstract

Predicted nitrate and arsenic concentrations in basin-fill aquifers of the Southwestern United States

Cited by 46 publications

References 20 publications

Arsenic Release and Attenuation Processes in a Groundwater Aquifer During Anaerobic Remediation of TCE with Biostimulation

Arsenic Release and Attenuation Processes in a Groundwater Aquifer During Anaerobic Remediation of TCE with Biostimulation

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 Concentrations in Ground and Surface Waters across Arizona Including Native Lands

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About