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Kinetics of dissolution processes in loess-like sediments and carbonate concretions in the southeast of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina

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Abstract

The Pampeano aquifer formed by loess-like sediments provides water to cities and for agricultural uses in the Pampean plain, which is the most productive area in Argentina. Studies on the mechanisms through which this groundwater acquires its chemical composition are scarce and generally make assumption about equilibrium conditions. Few works on total sediments kinetics of mineral dissolution have been made. The main objective is to characterize ions incorporation to the groundwater of the Pampeano aquifer and to estimate the rate of the dissolution of the solid phase of the Pampeano sediments. This work also aims to provide evidence on the effect of particles size on water chemistry, and the changes in mineral structure during dissolution. The methodology included batch experiments on loess and calcrete during 10 h. The kinetics of ions incorporation into water presented variations depending on the types of sediments dissolving and the sizes of particles. Steady values were reached in the first minutes of reaction. Although the principal components of the Pampeano aquifer like calcite, quartz and aluminosilicates are known to have low dissolution coefficient, ions were incorporated fastly into water and saturation of solution appeared in the first minutes of the experiments. Saturation index (SI) calculated by PHREEQC also showed sensitivity to particles size. Observations with loupe and microscope showed modifications on the sediments appearance after batch reactions. For instance, porosity in calcrete increased. Increments in BET (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller) surface area and micropore surface area were measured. Significant changes in sediment chemistry measured by SEM/EDS were observed as well during dissolution processes.

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Acknowledgments

The National Agency for Science and Technology Promotion (ANPCyT, BID-PICT N°0768) supported this study financially. The authors are also thankful to Mr. G. Bernava for chemical analysis, Dr. Mariana Camino for PSD determination, and Dr. Margarita Osterrieth for binocular loupe and petrographic microscopy observations. The authors thank anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments and criticisms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Geología de Costas y Cuaternario (UNMP - CIC) - Instituto de Investigacion Marina y Costera (CONICET - UNMDP), 7600, Mar Del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    M. Vital, D. E. Martínez & N. Borrelli

  2. Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    S. Quiroga

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  1. M. Vital
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  2. D. E. Martínez
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  4. S. Quiroga
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Correspondence to M. Vital.

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This article is part of a Topical Collection in Environmental Earth Sciences on ‘‘3RAGSU’’, guest edited by Daniel Emilio Martinez.

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Vital, M., Martínez, D.E., Borrelli, N. et al. Kinetics of dissolution processes in loess-like sediments and carbonate concretions in the southeast of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Environ Earth Sci 75, 1231 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-016-6011-9

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