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Isotope applications in environmental investigations part II: Groundwater age dating and recharge processes, and provenance of sulfur and methane
Author(s) -
Sueker Julie K.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
remediation journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.762
H-Index - 27
eISSN - 1520-6831
pISSN - 1051-5658
DOI - 10.1002/rem.10065
Subject(s) - groundwater recharge , groundwater , methane , environmental chemistry , environmental science , stable isotope ratio , sulfur , aquifer , greenhouse gas , isotopes of carbon , chemistry , hydrology (agriculture) , geology , total organic carbon , physics , oceanography , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
Measurement of the isotopic composition of solids, solutes, gases, and water complement standardhydrogeologicalinvestigation techniques by providing information that may not otherwise be obtainable. Groundwater ageestimatesdetermined from the decay of radio‐isotopes or from groundwater concentrations of anthropogenic gasessuchas chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) are used to verifyflowregimes and constrain or calibrate hydrologic flow models. Groundwater recharge rates are estimated by measuringthe concentrations or activities of a variety of isotopes including 2 H, 3 H, 18 O,and 36 Cl. Excess sulfur causes salinization of water supplies and acidification of precipitation,surface water, and groundwater. The wide range of sulfur isotopic compositions exhibited by different sulfurspecies and sources allows the application of sulfur isotopes to trace sources and fate of sulfur in theenvironment. Methane is a ubiquitous gas that has economic value when located in extractable reservoirs. Methaneisalso a greenhouse gas and is a potential explosion and health hazard when it accumulates in buildings and waterdistribution systems. The carbon and hydrogen isotopic composition of methane can be used to determine theprovenance of methane, distinguishing between thermogenic and biogenic sources. The addition of isotopicanalysesto environmental investigations can be a cost‐effective means of resolving intractable issues. ©2003Wiley Periodicals, Inc.