Sources and migration characteristics of fluorine in the river water of a small karst watershed influenced by coal mining

In high-fluorine geological background areas, the supergene geochemical process of fluorine has an impact on regional environmental health and safety, which has long been the focus of attention. However, in karst areas characterized by a high incidence of endemic fluorosis, the migration and transfo...

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Main Authors: Shuangxue Du, Li An, Jiangxun Huang, Qingguang Li, Pan Wu, Xingqiang Guo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Environmental Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.979286/full
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author Shuangxue Du
Li An
Jiangxun Huang
Qingguang Li
Pan Wu
Xingqiang Guo
author_facet Shuangxue Du
Li An
Jiangxun Huang
Qingguang Li
Pan Wu
Xingqiang Guo
author_sort Shuangxue Du
collection DOAJ
description In high-fluorine geological background areas, the supergene geochemical process of fluorine has an impact on regional environmental health and safety, which has long been the focus of attention. However, in karst areas characterized by a high incidence of endemic fluorosis, the migration and transformation of fluorine in surface water have not received sufficient attention. This study investigated the joint influence of the weathering and erosion of carbonate rocks and coal-bearing strata on a typical small watershed. Accordingly, 239 samples representing 13 periods of hydrochemical samples were systematically collected to clarify the source, migration, and transformation characteristics of fluorine in surface water. The results revealed that the pH of the Huatan River was low in the rainy season and high in the dry season. The annual variation range of fluorine concentration was 0.11–0.40 mg/L. Although mining development produced acid mine drainage with high fluorine concentration, its impact at the watershed scale appeared to be limited. In terms of spatial scale, the concentration of fluorine in the Huatan River increased gradually from upstream to downstream. The dissolution of fluorite and other fluorine-bearing minerals had not reached the saturation state. The fluorine in the watershed primarily came from the dissolution of fluorine-bearing minerals, followed by the contribution of atmospheric precipitation. The release of fluorine adsorbed on the surface of clay minerals was not the main source of this element. The leaching of the watershed was shown to represent a critical transport process concerning fluorine in the Huatan River, and evaporation had a notable impact on the enrichment of fluorine in water.
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spelling doaj.art-13615cba89c64eb183945b4aed5a66e32022-12-22T04:00:40ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Environmental Science2296-665X2022-08-011010.3389/fenvs.2022.979286979286Sources and migration characteristics of fluorine in the river water of a small karst watershed influenced by coal miningShuangxue DuLi AnJiangxun HuangQingguang LiPan WuXingqiang GuoIn high-fluorine geological background areas, the supergene geochemical process of fluorine has an impact on regional environmental health and safety, which has long been the focus of attention. However, in karst areas characterized by a high incidence of endemic fluorosis, the migration and transformation of fluorine in surface water have not received sufficient attention. This study investigated the joint influence of the weathering and erosion of carbonate rocks and coal-bearing strata on a typical small watershed. Accordingly, 239 samples representing 13 periods of hydrochemical samples were systematically collected to clarify the source, migration, and transformation characteristics of fluorine in surface water. The results revealed that the pH of the Huatan River was low in the rainy season and high in the dry season. The annual variation range of fluorine concentration was 0.11–0.40 mg/L. Although mining development produced acid mine drainage with high fluorine concentration, its impact at the watershed scale appeared to be limited. In terms of spatial scale, the concentration of fluorine in the Huatan River increased gradually from upstream to downstream. The dissolution of fluorite and other fluorine-bearing minerals had not reached the saturation state. The fluorine in the watershed primarily came from the dissolution of fluorine-bearing minerals, followed by the contribution of atmospheric precipitation. The release of fluorine adsorbed on the surface of clay minerals was not the main source of this element. The leaching of the watershed was shown to represent a critical transport process concerning fluorine in the Huatan River, and evaporation had a notable impact on the enrichment of fluorine in water.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.979286/fullfluorine-bearing mineralsleachingevaporationD-excessacid mine drainage
spellingShingle Shuangxue Du
Li An
Jiangxun Huang
Qingguang Li
Pan Wu
Xingqiang Guo
Sources and migration characteristics of fluorine in the river water of a small karst watershed influenced by coal mining
Frontiers in Environmental Science
fluorine-bearing minerals
leaching
evaporation
D-excess
acid mine drainage
title Sources and migration characteristics of fluorine in the river water of a small karst watershed influenced by coal mining
title_full Sources and migration characteristics of fluorine in the river water of a small karst watershed influenced by coal mining
title_fullStr Sources and migration characteristics of fluorine in the river water of a small karst watershed influenced by coal mining
title_full_unstemmed Sources and migration characteristics of fluorine in the river water of a small karst watershed influenced by coal mining
title_short Sources and migration characteristics of fluorine in the river water of a small karst watershed influenced by coal mining
title_sort sources and migration characteristics of fluorine in the river water of a small karst watershed influenced by coal mining
topic fluorine-bearing minerals
leaching
evaporation
D-excess
acid mine drainage
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.979286/full
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