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The sources of alkalinity in Lake Miklavatn, north Iceland
Author(s) -
Einarsson Stefan,
Stefánsson Unnsteinn
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 197
eISSN - 1939-5590
pISSN - 0024-3590
DOI - 10.4319/lo.1983.28.1.0050
Subject(s) - alkalinity , anoxic waters , sulfate , sulfide , environmental chemistry , ammonia , chemistry , titration , hydrology (agriculture) , oceanography , geology , inorganic chemistry , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry
Lake Miklavatn, north Iceland, is highly stratified with an 8–9‐m layer of freshwater overlying saline and anoxic deeper water. Sulfide and ammonia concentrations are high in the stagnant and saline layer, and titration alkalinity exceeds conservative alkalinity in the deepest part of the lake by a factor of 3–4. Reduction of sulfate was estimated by direct measurement of the sulfate concentration. With one exception the decrease in sulfate was found to exceed the measured sulfide concentration. This is explained by partial oxidation of sulfide due to mixing with oxygenated water from the upper layer. The excess alkalinity is 92–93% accounted for by sulfate reduction and formation of ammonia, whereas excess metal carbonates do not seem to be a source.