Sources of mercury in groundwater and soils of west Gijón (Asturias, NW Spain)

B. González-Fernández; E. Menéndez-Casares; Mónica Meléndez-Asensio; Susana Fernández-Menéndez; F. Ramos-Muñiz; P. Cruz-Hernández; A. González-Quirós

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.02.034

Sources of mercury in groundwater and soils of west Gijón (Asturias, NW Spain)

B. González-Fernández (Corresponding Author), E. Menéndez-Casares, Mónica Meléndez-Asensio, Susana Fernández-Menéndez, F. Ramos-Muñiz, P. Cruz-Hernández, A. González-Quirós

Geography & Environment

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This work aimed to determine the cause of the presence of high concentrations of mercury in several springs that exhibit a low concentration of metals in the bedrocks of their recharge areas in Gijón, NW Spain and the extent of this contamination. On the basis of geological mapping, different lithological substrata were analysed at the regional scale with the objective of establishing the base level of mercury in natural soils. The mercury content was simultaneously analysed in several water samples, and the following parameters were also determined: major anions and cations, As, Pb, δ34S, and δ18OSO4. The soils of the recharge area of the springs exhibited Hg concentrations that were higher than the base level established for sandstone at the regional level, and four of the total number of springs analysed exhibited Hg concentrations higher than 1μg/l. In addition, the sulphate concentration exceeded the values that this type of aquifer shows in other parts of the region. A comparison between the regionally geochemical background of soils and mercury concentration in springs and soils of the study area did not exhibit a direct relationship, suggesting an anthropogenic and timely origin (most likely from industrial emissions) for this metal. The δ34S and δ18OSO4 values of dissolved sulphate from the springs with a higher Hg concentration also indicate an anthropogenic origin.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	217-231
Number of pages	15
Journal	Science of the Total Environment
Volume	481
Early online date	3 Mar 2014
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.02.034
Publication status	Published - 15 May 2014

Bibliographical note

This work has been funded by the research project CN-08-030 of the Spanish Geological Survey.

We are very grateful to the two reviewers, G. Devic and the anonymous reviewer, for their useful comments and suggestions. We also thank F.J. González-Fernández (Department of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry from the Oviedo University) for his help.

Keywords

Geochemical backgrounds in soils
Isotopes
Mercury
Soil mercury leachate
Springs
Sulphate

Access to Document

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.02.034Licence: Unspecified

http://www.mendeley.com/research/sources-mercury-groundwater-soils-west-gij%C3%B3n-asturias-nw-spain

Cite this

@article{e256a961c9f844a8ae9dcae5cf196c29,

title = "Sources of mercury in groundwater and soils of west Gij{\'o}n (Asturias, NW Spain)",

abstract = "This work aimed to determine the cause of the presence of high concentrations of mercury in several springs that exhibit a low concentration of metals in the bedrocks of their recharge areas in Gij{\'o}n, NW Spain and the extent of this contamination. On the basis of geological mapping, different lithological substrata were analysed at the regional scale with the objective of establishing the base level of mercury in natural soils. The mercury content was simultaneously analysed in several water samples, and the following parameters were also determined: major anions and cations, As, Pb, δ34S, and δ18OSO4. The soils of the recharge area of the springs exhibited Hg concentrations that were higher than the base level established for sandstone at the regional level, and four of the total number of springs analysed exhibited Hg concentrations higher than 1μg/l. In addition, the sulphate concentration exceeded the values that this type of aquifer shows in other parts of the region. A comparison between the regionally geochemical background of soils and mercury concentration in springs and soils of the study area did not exhibit a direct relationship, suggesting an anthropogenic and timely origin (most likely from industrial emissions) for this metal. The δ34S and δ18OSO4 values of dissolved sulphate from the springs with a higher Hg concentration also indicate an anthropogenic origin.",

keywords = "Geochemical backgrounds in soils, Isotopes, Mercury, Soil mercury leachate, Springs, Sulphate",

author = "B. Gonz{\'a}lez-Fern{\'a}ndez and E. Men{\'e}ndez-Casares and M{\'o}nica Mel{\'e}ndez-Asensio and Susana Fern{\'a}ndez-Men{\'e}ndez and F. Ramos-Mu{\~n}iz and P. Cruz-Hern{\'a}ndez and A. Gonz{\'a}lez-Quir{\'o}s",

note = "This work has been funded by the research project CN-08-030 of the Spanish Geological Survey. We are very grateful to the two reviewers, G. Devic and the anonymous reviewer, for their useful comments and suggestions. We also thank F.J. Gonz{\'a}lez-Fern{\'a}ndez (Department of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry from the Oviedo University) for his help.",

year = "2014",

month = may,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.02.034",

language = "English",

volume = "481",

pages = "217--231",

journal = "Science of the Total Environment",

issn = "0048-9697",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Sources of mercury in groundwater and soils of west Gijón (Asturias, NW Spain)

AU - González-Fernández, B.

AU - Menéndez-Casares, E.

AU - Meléndez-Asensio, Mónica

AU - Fernández-Menéndez, Susana

AU - Ramos-Muñiz, F.

AU - Cruz-Hernández, P.

AU - González-Quirós, A.

N1 - This work has been funded by the research project CN-08-030 of the Spanish Geological Survey. We are very grateful to the two reviewers, G. Devic and the anonymous reviewer, for their useful comments and suggestions. We also thank F.J. González-Fernández (Department of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry from the Oviedo University) for his help.

PY - 2014/5/15

Y1 - 2014/5/15

N2 - This work aimed to determine the cause of the presence of high concentrations of mercury in several springs that exhibit a low concentration of metals in the bedrocks of their recharge areas in Gijón, NW Spain and the extent of this contamination. On the basis of geological mapping, different lithological substrata were analysed at the regional scale with the objective of establishing the base level of mercury in natural soils. The mercury content was simultaneously analysed in several water samples, and the following parameters were also determined: major anions and cations, As, Pb, δ34S, and δ18OSO4. The soils of the recharge area of the springs exhibited Hg concentrations that were higher than the base level established for sandstone at the regional level, and four of the total number of springs analysed exhibited Hg concentrations higher than 1μg/l. In addition, the sulphate concentration exceeded the values that this type of aquifer shows in other parts of the region. A comparison between the regionally geochemical background of soils and mercury concentration in springs and soils of the study area did not exhibit a direct relationship, suggesting an anthropogenic and timely origin (most likely from industrial emissions) for this metal. The δ34S and δ18OSO4 values of dissolved sulphate from the springs with a higher Hg concentration also indicate an anthropogenic origin.

AB - This work aimed to determine the cause of the presence of high concentrations of mercury in several springs that exhibit a low concentration of metals in the bedrocks of their recharge areas in Gijón, NW Spain and the extent of this contamination. On the basis of geological mapping, different lithological substrata were analysed at the regional scale with the objective of establishing the base level of mercury in natural soils. The mercury content was simultaneously analysed in several water samples, and the following parameters were also determined: major anions and cations, As, Pb, δ34S, and δ18OSO4. The soils of the recharge area of the springs exhibited Hg concentrations that were higher than the base level established for sandstone at the regional level, and four of the total number of springs analysed exhibited Hg concentrations higher than 1μg/l. In addition, the sulphate concentration exceeded the values that this type of aquifer shows in other parts of the region. A comparison between the regionally geochemical background of soils and mercury concentration in springs and soils of the study area did not exhibit a direct relationship, suggesting an anthropogenic and timely origin (most likely from industrial emissions) for this metal. The δ34S and δ18OSO4 values of dissolved sulphate from the springs with a higher Hg concentration also indicate an anthropogenic origin.

KW - Geochemical backgrounds in soils

KW - Isotopes

KW - Mercury

KW - Soil mercury leachate

KW - Springs

KW - Sulphate

U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.02.034

DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.02.034

M3 - Article

C2 - 24602906

SN - 0048-9697

VL - 481

SP - 217

EP - 231

JO - Science of the Total Environment

JF - Science of the Total Environment

ER -

Sources of mercury in groundwater and soils of west Gijón (Asturias, NW Spain)

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this