Assessment of naturally occurring arsenic contamination in the groundwater of Sarkisla Plain (Sivas/Turkey)     

Celalettin Simsek 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2013,68(3):691-702

High arsenic levels in groundwater of the aquifers, belonging to the Pliocene terrestrial layers and Quaternary alluvial sediments, have become a significant problem for the inhabitants living in Sarkisla (Turkey). The main objective of this study was to determine the origin and arsenic contamination mechanisms of the Sarkisla drinking water aquifer systems. The highest arsenic concentrations were found in Pliocene layers and alluvial sediments with concentrations ranging from 2.1 to 155 mg/kg. These rocks are the main aquifers in the study area, and most of the drinking groundwater demand is met by these aquifers. Groundwater from the Pliocene aquifer is mainly Ca-HCO₃ and Ca-SO₄ water type with high EC values reaching up to 3,270 μS/cm, which is due to the sulfate dissolution in some parts of the alluvial aquifer. Stable isotope values showed that the groundwater was of meteoric origin. Tritium values for the groundwater were between 8.31 and 14.06 TU, representing a fast circulation in the aquifer. Arsenic concentrations in the aquifers were between 0.5 and 345 μg/L. The highest arsenic concentrations detected in the Pliocene aquifer system reached up to 345 μg/L with an average value of 60.38 μg/L. The arsenic concentrations of the wells were high, while the springs had lower arsenic concentrations. These springs are located in the upper parts of the study area where the rocks are less weathered. The hydrogeochemical properties demonstrated that the water–rock interaction processes in sulfide-bearing rocks were responsible for the remarkably high groundwater arsenic contamination in the study area. In the study area, the arsenic levels determined in groundwater exceeded the levels recommended by the WHO. Therefore, it is suggested that this water should not be used for drinking purposes and new water sources should be investigated.  相似文献   

Assessment of natural radioactivity in aquifer medium bearing uranium ores in Koprubasi,Turkey     

Celalettin Simsek 《Environmental Geology》2008,55(8):1637-1646

Koprubasi, located within Manisa Province near the Izmir, is the biggest uranium mine where uranium ores originate from Neogene aged altered sandstone and conglomerate layers. The main objective of this study is to determine the radiation hazard associated with radioactivity levels of uranium ores, and the rocks and sediments around Koprubasi. In this regard, measured activity levels of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K were compared with world averages. The average activity levels of ²²⁶ Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K were measured to be 5369.75, 124.78 and 10.0 Bq/kg in uranium ores, 24.32, 52.94 and 623.38 Bq/kg in gneiss, 46.24, 45.13 and 762.26 Bq/kg in sandstone and conglomerate, 73.11, 43.15 and 810.65 Bq/kg in sediments, respectively. All samples have high ²²⁶Ra and ⁴⁰K levels according to world average level. As these sediments are used as construction materials and in agricultural activities within the study area, the radiation hazard are calculated by using dose rate (D), annual effective dose rate (He), radium equivalent activity (Ra_eq) and radiation hazard index (I_yr). All the samples have Ra_eq levels that are lower than the world average limit of 370 Bq/kg. On the other hand, D, He and I_yr values are higher than world average values. These results indicate that the uranium ores in the Koprubasi is the most important contributor to the natural radiation level. The radioactivity levels of sediments and rocks make them unsuitable for use as agricultural soil and as construction materials. Moreover, it is determined that shallow groundwater in sediments and deep groundwater in conglomerate rocks and also surface water sources in the Koprubasi have high ²²⁶Ra content. According to environmental radioactive baseline, some environmental protection study must be taken in Koprubasi uranium site and the environment.  相似文献   

Hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical characterization of a karstic mountain region   总被引：2，自引：0，他引：2  

Celalettin Simsek  Alper Elci  Orhan Gunduz  Burhan Erdogan 《Environmental Geology》2008,54(2):291-308

Karstic limestone formations in the Mediterranean basin are potential water resources that can meet a significant portion of groundwater demand. Therefore, it is necessary to thoroughly study the hydrogeology and hydrogeochemistry of karstic mountain regions. This paper presents a detailed hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical characterization of the Nif Mountain karstic aquifer system in western Turkey, an important recharge source for the densely populated surrounding area. Based on the geological and hydrogeological studies, four major aquifers were identified in the study area including the allochthonous limestone in Bornova flysch, conglomerate-sandstone and clayey-limestone in Neogene series, and the Quaternary alluvium. Physicochemical characteristics of groundwater were measured in situ, and samples were collected at 59 locations comprised of springs and wells. Samples were analyzed for major ions, isotopic composition, arsenic, boron and heavy metals among other trace elements. It was found that the hydrogeological structure is complex with many springs having a wide range of discharge rates. High-discharge springs originate from allochthonous limestone units, whereas low-discharge springs are formed at the contacts with claystone and limestone units. Using stable isotope analysis data, a δ¹⁸O-deuterium relationship was obtained that lies between the Mediterranean meteoric and mean global lines. Tritium analyses showed that low-discharge springs originating from contact zones had longer circulation times compared to the high-discharge karstic springs. Furthermore, hydrogeochemical data revealed that groundwater quality significantly deteriorated as water moved from the mountain to the plains. Heavy metal, arsenic and boron concentrations were generally within drinking-water quality standards with a few exceptions occurring in residential and industrial areas located at the foothills of the mountain. Elevated arsenic concentrations were related to local geologic formations, which are likely to contain oxidized sulfite minerals in claystones. It is concluded that Nif Mountain overall has a significant potential to provide high-quality water with a safe yield of at least 50 million m³/year, which corresponds to about 28% of the mean annual inflow to the Tahtali reservoir, a major water resource for the city of Izmir. An erratum to this article can be found at  相似文献