A geologically-based approach to map arsenic risk in crystalline aquifers: Analysis of the Tampere region, Finland
The study illustrates the critical role of accurate geological structural mapping to delineate crystalline aquifer zones more prone to high health risk due to elevated dissolved As in drinking wells. The analysis revisits the results from more than 1200 groundwater samples collected over ten years f...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2019-09-01
|
| Series: | Geoscience Frontiers |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987119300222 |
| _version_ | 1797708178034524160 |
|---|---|
| author | Daniele Pedretti Samrit Luoma Timo Ruskeeniemi Birgitta Backman |
| author_facet | Daniele Pedretti Samrit Luoma Timo Ruskeeniemi Birgitta Backman |
| author_sort | Daniele Pedretti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The study illustrates the critical role of accurate geological structural mapping to delineate crystalline aquifer zones more prone to high health risk due to elevated dissolved As in drinking wells. The analysis revisits the results from more than 1200 groundwater samples collected over ten years from domestic wells across the Tampere region (Finland). It is demonstrated that the highest dissolved As concentrations in the region (up to 2230 μg/L) are exclusively found near major faults and deformation zones (FDZs) detected via geophysical and geological surveys, and that a clear correlation exists between dissolved concentrations and the distance from the FDZs (r). Almost all values exceeding the drinking water limit (10 μg/L) occur at r < 8 km, while concentrations above 100 μg/L occur at r < 4 km. Solid-phase As concentrations in bedrock show less dependency on FDZ than aqueous concentrations. This behavior is explained considering different mechanisms, which include enhanced sulfide oxidation and fracture connectivity, promoting preferential transport of dissolved As to FDZs and mixing of waters from different redox zones, mobilizing preferentially As(III) or As(V). Fe hydro-oxides may also precipitate/dissolve preferentially because of FDZs, while residence time may influence the contact time between water and As-bearing minerals. It is concluded that the accurate mapping of FDZs, and in general of structural geology, provides an important preliminary information to identify where localized, site-specific characterization of hydrogeology and geochemistry is more urgent to reduce As-related health risk from groundwater intake. Keywords: Arsenic risk, Crystalline bedrock, Fractured aquifers, Heterogeneity, Finland |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T06:18:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-437bcf6a5e61475da1da4e5ef8b09631 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1674-9871 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T06:18:36Z |
| publishDate | 2019-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geoscience Frontiers |
| spelling | doaj.art-437bcf6a5e61475da1da4e5ef8b096312023-09-03T02:23:33ZengElsevierGeoscience Frontiers1674-98712019-09-0110517311741A geologically-based approach to map arsenic risk in crystalline aquifers: Analysis of the Tampere region, FinlandDaniele Pedretti0Samrit Luoma1Timo Ruskeeniemi2Birgitta Backman3Geological Survey of Finland (GTK), Espoo, Finland; Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra “A. Desio”, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy; Corresponding author. Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.Geological Survey of Finland (GTK), Espoo, FinlandGeological Survey of Finland (GTK), Espoo, FinlandGeological Survey of Finland (GTK), Espoo, FinlandThe study illustrates the critical role of accurate geological structural mapping to delineate crystalline aquifer zones more prone to high health risk due to elevated dissolved As in drinking wells. The analysis revisits the results from more than 1200 groundwater samples collected over ten years from domestic wells across the Tampere region (Finland). It is demonstrated that the highest dissolved As concentrations in the region (up to 2230 μg/L) are exclusively found near major faults and deformation zones (FDZs) detected via geophysical and geological surveys, and that a clear correlation exists between dissolved concentrations and the distance from the FDZs (r). Almost all values exceeding the drinking water limit (10 μg/L) occur at r < 8 km, while concentrations above 100 μg/L occur at r < 4 km. Solid-phase As concentrations in bedrock show less dependency on FDZ than aqueous concentrations. This behavior is explained considering different mechanisms, which include enhanced sulfide oxidation and fracture connectivity, promoting preferential transport of dissolved As to FDZs and mixing of waters from different redox zones, mobilizing preferentially As(III) or As(V). Fe hydro-oxides may also precipitate/dissolve preferentially because of FDZs, while residence time may influence the contact time between water and As-bearing minerals. It is concluded that the accurate mapping of FDZs, and in general of structural geology, provides an important preliminary information to identify where localized, site-specific characterization of hydrogeology and geochemistry is more urgent to reduce As-related health risk from groundwater intake. Keywords: Arsenic risk, Crystalline bedrock, Fractured aquifers, Heterogeneity, Finlandhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987119300222 |
| spellingShingle | Daniele Pedretti Samrit Luoma Timo Ruskeeniemi Birgitta Backman A geologically-based approach to map arsenic risk in crystalline aquifers: Analysis of the Tampere region, Finland Geoscience Frontiers |
| title | A geologically-based approach to map arsenic risk in crystalline aquifers: Analysis of the Tampere region, Finland |
| title_full | A geologically-based approach to map arsenic risk in crystalline aquifers: Analysis of the Tampere region, Finland |
| title_fullStr | A geologically-based approach to map arsenic risk in crystalline aquifers: Analysis of the Tampere region, Finland |
| title_full_unstemmed | A geologically-based approach to map arsenic risk in crystalline aquifers: Analysis of the Tampere region, Finland |
| title_short | A geologically-based approach to map arsenic risk in crystalline aquifers: Analysis of the Tampere region, Finland |
| title_sort | geologically based approach to map arsenic risk in crystalline aquifers analysis of the tampere region finland |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987119300222 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT danielepedretti ageologicallybasedapproachtomaparsenicriskincrystallineaquifersanalysisofthetampereregionfinland AT samritluoma ageologicallybasedapproachtomaparsenicriskincrystallineaquifersanalysisofthetampereregionfinland AT timoruskeeniemi ageologicallybasedapproachtomaparsenicriskincrystallineaquifersanalysisofthetampereregionfinland AT birgittabackman ageologicallybasedapproachtomaparsenicriskincrystallineaquifersanalysisofthetampereregionfinland AT danielepedretti geologicallybasedapproachtomaparsenicriskincrystallineaquifersanalysisofthetampereregionfinland AT samritluoma geologicallybasedapproachtomaparsenicriskincrystallineaquifersanalysisofthetampereregionfinland AT timoruskeeniemi geologicallybasedapproachtomaparsenicriskincrystallineaquifersanalysisofthetampereregionfinland AT birgittabackman geologicallybasedapproachtomaparsenicriskincrystallineaquifersanalysisofthetampereregionfinland |