Premium
Isotopic Evidence for Naturally Occurring Sulfate Pollution of Ponds in the Kankakee River Basin, Illinois‐Indiana
Author(s) -
Sidle W. C.,
Roose D. L.,
Shanklin D. R.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq2000.00472425002900050029x
Subject(s) - sulfate , riparian zone , pollution , structural basin , aquifer , environmental science , drainage basin , hydrology (agriculture) , groundwater , ecosystem , environmental chemistry , geology , ecology , chemistry , geomorphology , geography , habitat , geotechnical engineering , cartography , organic chemistry , biology
Ecosystem restoration surveys across the Kankakee River Basin indicate that ponds in riparian zones contain elevated sulfate concentrations. The sources of high sulfate in many ponds were investigated by sampling ground waters, precipitation, and applied fertilizers in the Kankakee and Iroquois subwatersheds of the basin. The 34 S SO4 and 18 S SO4 analyses discriminated among possible regional anthropogenic and natural sources. Some sulfate‐bearing fertilizers may have contributed to elevated SO 2− 4 in ponds but there is isotopic evidence suggesting that pyritic glaciofluvial sediments in the surficial aquifer may be the source of larger SO 2− 4 concentrations in ponds. An isotopic analysis of one SO 2− 4 −H 2 O system in a riparian zone revealed that FeS 2 oxidation reactions are possible processes leading to local sulfate pollution in riverine ponds.