The origin of salinity and sulphate contamination of groundwater in the Colima State, Mexico, constrained by stable isotopes

作者：Horst Axel; Mahlknecht Juergen^*; Angel Lopez Zavala Miguel; Mayer Bernhard

来源：Environmental Earth Sciences, 2011, 64(7): 1931-1941.

DOI：10.1007/s12665-011-1008-x

• Groundwater contamination
• Sulphate
• Isotope geochemistry
• Colima
• Mexico

Chemical compositions and stable isotope ratios of water and sulphate were used to characterise sources and processes responsible for elevated concentrations of sulphate and other constituents in groundwater from aquifers at Colima State along Mexico's Pacific Coast. The delta(18)O and delta(2)H values of the groundwater were similar to those of precipitation indicating a meteoric origin, and recharge processes are relatively uniform in large parts of the study area with only slight local evaporation effects. delta(34)S(sulphate) and delta(18)O(sulphate) analyses indicated that high sulphate concentrations of up to 1,480 mg/l are mainly due to dissolution of evaporites and volcanic exhalations. Chloride is largely related to sources other than seawater. The Marabasco sub basin is affected by anthropogenic contamination through manganese and iron ore mining activities. The obtained knowledge regarding sources and areas of contamination will be essential for the development and design of a water quality monitoring program in the study area.

• 出版日期2011-12