Isotope Geochemistry of Groundwater Contamination
Summary
Isotope geochemistry provides a suite of tools for tracing the sources, transformation pathways and mixing of contaminants in groundwater systems. Analysis of stable isotopes such as hydrogen (δ2H) and oxygen (δ18O) in water molecules can distinguish between meteoric, connate and evaporated waters, while sulphur (δ34S) and oxygen (δ18O) isotopes in dissolved sulphate reveal inputs from mineral dissolution, pyrite oxidation and anthropogenic activities. Coupling these isotope signatures with hydrochemical measurements allows the identification of redox processes, bacterial sulphate reduction and water‐rock interactions. This approach has global significance in assessing industrial effluents, agricultural leachates and mining‐related acid drainage, informing remediation strategies and water‐resource management by quantifying the relative contributions of natural and human‐derived contaminants.
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Isotope Geochemistry of Groundwater Contamination publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in isotope geochemistry of groundwater contamination across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
δ34S: The per mil deviation of the 34S/32S ratio in sulphate relative to a standard, used to identify sulphur sources and redox processes.
δ18O (sulphate): The per mil deviation of the 18O/16O ratio in dissolved sulphate, which complements δ34S in distinguishing mineral and atmospheric sulphate inputs.
Pyrite oxidation: The chemical reaction whereby FeS2 reacts with oxygen and water to produce sulphate, acidity and dissolved iron, a common source of contamination in mining areas.
Evaporite dissolution: The process by which soluble minerals such as gypsum or halite dissolve in groundwater, releasing characteristic ion and isotope signatures.
Dissimilatory sulphate reduction: A microbial pathway in which bacteria use sulphate as an electron acceptor, producing hydrogen sulphide and altering δ34S and δ18O values of residual sulphate.
References
- Contamination Characteristics and Source Identification of Groundwater in Xishan Coal Mining Area of Taiyuan Based on Hydrochemistry and Sulfur–Oxygen Isotopes. Water (2023).
- Tracing Sulfate Source and Transformation in the Groundwater of the Linhuan Coal Mining Area, Huaibei Coalfield, China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2022).
- Using Isotopic and Hydrochemical Indicators to Identify Sources of Sulfate in Karst Groundwater of the Niangziguan Spring Field, China. Water (2021).
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