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Assessing Contamination Sources by Using Sulfur and Oxygen Isotopes of Sulfate Ions in Xijiang River Basin, Southwest China
Author(s) -
Han Guilin,
Tang Yang,
Wu Qixin,
Liu Man,
Wang Zhengrong
Publication year - 2019
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/jeq2019.03.0150
Subject(s) - sulfate , weathering , carbonate , sulfide , environmental chemistry , drainage basin , environmental science , silicate , contamination , hydrology (agriculture) , sulfur , cycling , geology , geochemistry , chemistry , ecology , cartography , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry , history , archaeology , geography , biology
The chemical and stable isotopic compositions (δ 34 S SO4 and δ 18 O SO4 ) of Xijiang River water in southwest China, were measured to determine the extent of rock weathering and associated CO 2 consumption rates, and to assess the contamination sources of river water. The SO 4 2− concentration in the river water was in the range of 0.05 to 0.96 mmol L −1 (mean value = 0.32 mmol L −1 ) and was characterized by δ 34 S SO4 values ranging from −9.1 to 5.1‰ (mean value = −2.1‰) and δ 18 O SO4 values ranging from −0.4 to 10.8‰ (mean value = 5.0‰). The δ 34 S SO4 and δ 18 O SO4 values ranged from high to low from the upper reaches to the lower reaches in all the river water samples. The results indicate that the oxidation of sulfide and anthropogenic inputs are the dominant processes affecting SO 4 2− sources and S cycling of the Xijiang River during high‐discharge conditions, which are controlled by regional hydrological processes that are affected by natural processes and anthropogenic inputs Core Ideas The dual isotopes (δ 34 S SO4 and δ 18 O SO4 ) of sulfate indicated S sources. The weathering rates of carbonate and silicate were calculated. The relative contributions of various sources are identified.