Understand the Environmental Processes That Control Groundwater Quality
The integration of environmental isotopes with geochemical studies is now recognized as a routine approach to solving problems of natural and contaminated groundwater quality. Advanced sampling and analytical methods are readily accessible and affordable, providing abundant geochemical and isotope data for high spatial resolution and high frequency time series. Groundwater Geochemistry and Isotopes provides the theoretical understanding and interpretive methods and contains a useful chapter presenting the basics of sampling and analysis.
This text teaches the thermodynamic basis and principal reactions involving the major ions, gases and isotopes during groundwater recharge, weathering and redox evolution. Subsequent chapters apply these principles in hands-on training for dating young groundwaters with tritium and helium and ancient systems with radiocarbon, radiohalides and noble gases, and for tracing reactions of the major contaminants of concern in groundwaters.
- Covers the basics of solutes, gases and isotopes in water, and concentration-activity relationships and reactions
- Describes tracing the water cycle, weathering, and the geochemical evolution of water quality
- Explores dating groundwater as young as a few years to over hundreds of millions of years
- Uses case studies to demonstrate the application of geochemistry and isotopes for contaminated groundwaters
Accessible to consultants and practitioners as well as undergraduates, Groundwater Geochemistry and Isotopes presents the basics of environmental isotopes and geochemistry, and provides you with a full understanding of their use in natural and contaminated groundwater.
Groundwater Geochemistry and Isotopes
Introduction
Water, Rocks, and Solutes
The Nature of Water
Solutes in Water
From Elements to Aquifers
Problems
Thermodynamics of Aqueous Systems
Introduction
Mass Action
Ion Activity and Equilibrium Constants
Electron Activity and Redox
Speciation and Mineral Solubility Codes
Mass Transfer Models
Problems
Geochemical Reactions
Introduction
Dissociation Reactions
Redox Reactions
Gases in Groundwater
CO2 and Dissolved Inorganic Carbon
Problems
Isotope Reactions
Introduction
Stable Isotope Fractionation and Distillation
Radioisotopes
Problems
Tracing the Water Cycle
Introduction
Temperature–δ18O Correlation in Precipitation
Meteoric Water Line for δ18O and δD
Temperature Effects in Precipitation
Groundwater Recharge
Isotope Effects of Evaporation
Multicomponent Groundwater Mixing
Rock–Water–Gas Interaction
Problems
CO2 and Weathering
Introduction
CO2 and the Carbon Cycle
Soil CO2 and Weathering
Carbonate Weathering
Weathering in Silicate Terrains
Weathering and 13C of Dissolved Inorganic Carbon
Weathering and Alkalinity
Advanced Chemical Weathering: Saprolites and Laterites
Problems
Geochemical Evolution
Introduction
Ion Exchange Surfaces in Aquifers
Cation Exchange
Sorption
Redox Evolution in Groundwaters
Salinity in Groundwater
Graphical Presentation of Geochemical Evolution
Problems
Groundwater Dating
Introduction
Groundwater Age and Mean Residence Time
Anthropogenic Tracers of Modern Groundwater
Tritium–3He Dating
Dating Submodern Groundwaters
Radiocarbon Dating Old Groundwater
Stable Isotopes and Noble Gases in Paleogroundwaters
Dating Very Old Groundwater
Problems
Contaminant Geochemistry and Isotopes
Introduction
Nitrogen Species and Groundwater Contamination
Organic Carbon Compounds
Degradation of Fuel Oxygenates: MTBE and Ethanol
Biodegradation of Organohalogens
Abiotic Degradation of Organochlorine Compounds in Permeable Reactive Barriers
Fugitive Gases
Landfill Leachate
Acid Mine Drainage
Remediation
Base Metals in Groundwater
Salinity in Groundwater
Arsenic
Nuclear Waste
Sampling and Analysis
Introduction
Field Measurements
Temperature
Electrical Conductivity
pH
Redox Potential
Field Filtering
Alkalinity Titrations
Major Ion Geochemistry
Major Anions (Cl–, F–, SO4–, NO3–, Br –)
Major Cations, Minor and Trace Metals
Nutrients
Sulfate and Hydrogen Sulfid
Isotopes in Water
δ 18O and δD in Water
Tritium
Dissolved Carbon
DOC and DOC Concentration and 13C
Radiocarbon
Nitrogen Species Isotopes
NO3–– 15N and 18O
NH4+– 15N
Sulfur Species Isotopes
SO4 2– – 34S and 18O
H2S – 34S
Isotopes of the Halides
37
Cl36
Cl81
Br129
IIsotopes of Minor Elements
Gases
Effervescing Gases
Dissolved Gases
Analysis
Noble Gases
Water Samples
Passive Gas Diffusion Samplers
Analysis
References
Index
Biography
Ian Clark is a professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Ottawa. He completed a bachelor of science in earth sciences and a master of science in hydrogeology at the University of Waterloo followed by his doctoral degree at the Université de Paris-Sud (Orsay) in isotope hydrogeology and paleoclimatology. Since his earliest work on geothermal systems in western Canada, Dr. Clark’s research has focused on the integration of geochemistry and isotopes to address questions on the origin, age, and geochemical history of groundwater and solutes in natural and contaminated settings. He and his colleagues recently established the Advanced Research Complex for geosciences at the University of Ottawa hosting labs for accelerator mass spectrometry, stable isotopes, noble gases and geochemistry.
"The book is very clearly written, and each chapter provides students and long-time practitioners with practical examples and essential information needed for understanding and applying isotopic and geochemical principles to their research. Groundwater Geochemistry and Isotopes will be an essential resource for all students of isotopes and aqueous geochemistry."
–Dr. Leonard Wassenaar, International Atomic Energy Agency"The author combines geochemistry and environmental isotopes quite nicely. He uses short and rather simple explanations (not an easy task) with many practical examples. …I am sure this new book will become a standard reference on groundwater geochemistry and isotopes as a basis for solving problems of groundwater quality, and will meet expectations for use by graduate students and scientists on groundwater conditions."
—Alfonso Rivera, Geological Survey of Canada"Throughout the text Clark provides many problems and examples. I especially found the real-world examples interesting and illuminating. If you have any interest in geochemical applications of isotopes, this is the book for you."
— Groundwater, December 2015"Language use is relatively simple and accessible. Included in each chapter, in addition to theoretical knowledge, are examples of calculations and interpretation of research results, as well as sets of tasks and questions. This approach facilitates its use as a manual and makes it especially useful for students. The book is a compendium of current knowledge of isotopes and geochemistry, and I can recommend it to all students and researchers who are interested in isotopes and aqueous geochemistry."
—Geologos Vol. 23, No. 1, 2017