HR: 0830h
AN: H11D-0893    [PDF]
TI: Natural attenuation of copper in the water table aquifer below an industrial site
AU: Kedziorek, M A
EM: monika.kedziorek@univ-pau.fr
AF: Laboratory of Hydro-Geochemistry and Environment, Dept. Earth Sciences, Univ. of Pau, BP 1155, Pau Cedex, 64013 France
AB: The contamination of soils and aquifers by inorganic pollutants is so extensive in industrial sites that it hardly seems economically feasible to decontaminate the large areas or soil volumes involved. It is therefore worthwhile to investigate whether the local environment is capable of attenuating contamination. Natural attenuation by degradation seems realistic for many organic pollutants. We show that it can also occur for inorganic pollutants. The phreatic-fill aquifer underlying an industrial plant located on the banks of the Garonne River (Southwestern France) is contaminated by acidic water (pH down to 1) and high concentrations of sulfate (up to 50 g/L) and copper (up to 30 g/L). As acidic water, rich in Cu and sulfate, moves away from the contamination source, pH increases due to buffering of aquifer solids, dissolved Cu concentrations decrease by 6 orders of magnitude, while sulfate concentrations decrease little. The Cu disappearing from the water phase is found as solid in cores in the area of the site where pH increases to 5-6.
DE: 1803 Anthropogenic effects
DE: 1806 Chemistry of fresh water
DE: 1831 Groundwater quality
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting