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Geochemical characteristics of the mud volcano fluids in southwestern Taiwan and their possible linkage to elevated arsenic concentration in Chianan plain groundwater

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Abstract

Fluid and mud samples were collected from Wushanting (WST), Hsiaokunshui (HKS), Yenshuikeng (YSK), Kuantzeling (KZL), and Kunshuiping (KSP) mud volcanoes of southwestern Taiwan. Concentrations of major ions and trace elements in mud volcanic fluids were analyzed to find the possible linkage to elevated arsenic (As) concentrations in the Chianan plain groundwater. The elevated Na+, K+, and Cl− concentrations indicated possible marine origin of the fluids. The trace element concentrations in the mud volcanic fluids were generally low, but the As concentrations were up to 0.12 mg/L. High contents of As, Fe, and Mn were observed in the mud samples. Saturation index calculations indicated that both carbonate and oxide minerals acted as potential sinks for As in the mud volcanic fluids. Arsenic in the dewatering fluids and muds may be transported by the subsurface flow and surface streams as suspended solids and eventually deposited in the Chianan plain aquifers. Under reducing conditions, As may be released from the host minerals (such as Fe- and Mn-oxides/hydroxides), thereby causing widespread groundwater As pollution.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank National Science Council of Taiwan for partial financial support (NSC98-2627-M-006-004). Mr. Jiann-Hong Liu’s help in field work is gratefully acknowledged. We also thank anonymous reviewer for constructive comments to improve this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan, 70101, Taiwan

    Chia-Chuan Liu, Jyoti Prakash Maity, Jiin-Shuh Jean & A. H. M. Selim Reza

  2. Department of Geosciences, University of Wisconsin–Parkside, Kenosha, WI, 53144, USA

    Zhaohui Li

  3. School of Geosciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia

    Bibhash Nath

  4. Department of Geology and Geography, Auburn University, 210 Petrie Hall, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA

    Ming-Kuo Lee

  5. Sustainable Environmental Research Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 70101, Taiwan

    Kao-Hung Lin

  6. KTH-International Groundwater Arsenic Research Group, Department of Land and Water Resource Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

    Prosun Bhattacharya

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  1. Chia-Chuan Liu
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  2. Jyoti Prakash Maity
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  7. Ming-Kuo Lee
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Correspondence to Jiin-Shuh Jean.

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Liu, CC., Maity, J.P., Jean, JS. et al. Geochemical characteristics of the mud volcano fluids in southwestern Taiwan and their possible linkage to elevated arsenic concentration in Chianan plain groundwater. Environ Earth Sci 66, 1513–1523 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-011-1391-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-011-1391-3

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