Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Hydrogeochemical studies of groundwater from reclaimed land adjacent to Rozelle Bay, Sydney, Australia

  • Published:
Geosciences Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The current study is undertaken to evaluate the anthropogenic influences of groundwater during tidal cycles in Bicentennial Park adjacent to Rozelle Bay, Sydney, Australia and to explain the geochemical processes controlling trace metal distributions. Results reveal that major ion and trace element compositions of groundwater are predominantly influenced by different types of waste materials (construction materials or dredged marine sediments) disposed in the study area. Major ions in the groundwater exhibit a concentration order of Na≫Mg>Ca>K (equivalents) for areas containing construction waste materials, whereas for areas comprising dredged marine infill sediments it is Na>Ca>Mg>K (equivalents). Similarly, an anionic order of Cl>SO4>HCO3 was observed for areas containing construction materials and HCO3>Cl>SO4 for areas comprising dredged marine infill sediments. The trace metal concentrations indicate that the total dissolved concentrations of As, Cr and Cu relative to chloride collected from the reclaimed land along coastline increase as chloride increases, while the concentrations of Fe and Mn relative to chloride in groundwaters relatively decrease as chloride increases. No trends are apparent for trace, metals such as, Pb, Zn, Ni and Co. There are a number of factors controlling the trace metal concentrations, and hence migration, in the groundwaters associated with landfill materials, which include the redox behaviour of the groundwater, water table fluctuation, fill compositions buried at the site, dilution of seawater by the ingress of freshwater from upgradient of the filled area. Results of this study reveal that the natural hydraulic gradient of the groundwater will lead to elevated concentrations of trace metals (As, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn) entering the estuary from waste materials used for infill at the site.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • APHA, 1989, Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. 17th Ed. Washington DC, American Public Health Association: America Water Works Association and Water Pollution Control Federation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aquatech, 1993. Contamination Assessment of Bicentennial Park Stage 2, Annandale, Sydney, 275 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Balistrieri, L.S., Murray, J.W. and Paul, B., 1994, The geochemical cycling of trace elements in a biogenic meromictic lake. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 58, 3993–4008.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bava, K.A. and Seralathan, P., 1999, Interstitial water and hydrochemistry of a mangrove forest and adjoining water system, south west coast of India Environmental Geology, 38, 47–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bemer, E.K. and Bemer, R.A., 1987, The global water cycle. Geochemistry and Environment. Prentice-Hall, New Jersey.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birch, G.F. and Taylor, S.E., 1999, Source of heavy metals in sediments of the Port Jackson estuary, Australia. Science of the Total Environment, 227, 123–138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Birch, G.F. and Taylor, S.E., 2000, The use of size-normalized procedures in the analysis of organic contaminants in estuarine sediments. Hydrobiology, 431, 129–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, P.L., Haworth, A., Sharland, S.M. and Tweed, C.J., 1991, HARPHRQ: A geochemical speciation program based on PHREEQE. Nirex Safety Studies Report NSS/R188.

  • Cantillo, A.Y., Lauenstein, G.G. and O'Connor, T.P., 1997, Mollusc and sediment contaminant levels and trends in South Florida coastal water. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 34, 511–521.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Catts, J.G. and Langmuir, D., 1986, Adsorption of Cu, Pb and Zn by MnO2: Applicability of the site binding surface complexation model. Applied Geochemistry. 1, 255–264.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, J.A. and Leckie, J.O., 1978, Surface ionization and complexation at the oxide/water interface 2. Surface properties of amorphous iron oxyhydroxide and adsorption of metal ions, Journal of Colloid Interface Science, 67, 90–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davison, W., 1993. Iron and manganese in lakes. Earth-Science Review, 34, 119–163.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delaune, R.D. and Smith, C.J., 1985, Release of nutrients and metals following oxidation of freshwater and saline sediment. Environmental Quality, 14, 164–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Department of Mineral Resources, 1983, 1∶100,000 Geological Series Sheet 9130, Sydney.

  • Fox, M.F., Kester, D.R. and Hunt, C.D., 1986, Vertical transport of an acid-iron waste in a MERL stratified, mesocosm. Environmental Science and Technology, 20, 62–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Furukawa, K., 2000, The role of a man-made headland in generating patches in coastal waters of Ise Bay, Japan. Estuarine, Coastal Shelf Science, 50 33–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herbert, C., 1979, The geology and resource potential of the Wianamatta Group. Bulletin No 25, Sydney, Geological Survey of New South Wales 57 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, C.E., Binning, P. and Willgoose, G.R., 1998, Characterization of the hydrology of an estuarine wetland. Journal of Hydrology, 211, 34–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, C.A., Sigg, L. and Lindauer, U., 1992, The chromium cycle in a seasonally anoxic lake. Limnology and Oceanography, 37, 315–321.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, M., 1981, Hydrochemistry of the Botany Bay Region. Ph.D. Thesis (unpubl.), University of New South Wales, Australia, 197 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joplin, G.A., 1965, Chemical analysis of Australian rocks. Part II. Sedimentary rocks. Bulletin No. 78. Canberra: Australian Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology and Geophysics, 102 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Khalid, R.A., Gambrell, R.P., Verloo, M.G. and Patrick, W.H., 1977, “Transformations of heavy metals and plant nutrients in dredged sediments as affected by oxidation reduction potential and pH. Vol. 1, Literature review”, Contract Report D-77-4 for Office, Chief of Engineers,” United States.

  • Long, D.T. and Angino, E.E., 1977, Chemical speciation of Zn, Cu, Cd and Pb, in river, estuarine and marine environments. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 41, 1183–1191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lynch, L.M., Spence, E. and Pearson, K., 1976, Parameters for Parramatta River Study, National Trust of Australia, 146 p.

  • Lyons, W.B., Spencer, M.J., Hines, M.E. and Gaudette, H.E., 1988, The trace metal geochemistry of porewater brines from two hypersaline lakes. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 52, 265–274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mann, A.W. and Deutscher, R.L., 1980, Solution geochemistry for lead and zinc in water containing carbonate, sulphate and chloride ions. Chemical Geology, 29, 293–311.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Markich, S.J. and Brown, P.L., 1998, Relative importance of natural and anthropogenic influences on the fresh surface water chemistry of the Hawkesbury-Nepean River, south-eastern Australia. Science of the Total Environment, 217, 201–230.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morse, J.W., Presley, B.J., Taylor, R.J., Benoit G. and Santschi, P., 1993, Trace metal chemistry of Galveston Bay: water, sediment and biota, Marine Environmental Research, 36, 1–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nancy, J.W. and Smith, S.J., 1987, Geologic and land-use effects on groundwater quality in shallow wells of the Anadarko Basin. Oklahoma Geology Notes, 43, 100–109.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parkhurst, D.L., Thorstenson, D.C. and Plummer, L.N., 1980. PHREEQE- A computer program for geochemical calculations. U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Investigations Report 80-96.

  • Pierce, M.L. and Moore, C.B., 1982, Adsorption of arsenite and arsenate on amorphous iron hydroxide. Water Research, 6, 1247–1253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Radhakrishna, I., 2001, Saline fresh water interface structure in Mahanadi delta region, Orissa, India. Environmental Geology, 40, 369–380.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reish, D.J., Oshida, P.S., Mearns, A.J., Ginn, T.C. and Buchman, P., 1998, Effects of pollution on saltwater organisms. Water Environment Research, 70, 931–949.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Santschi, P.H., 1988, Factors controlling the biogeochemical cycles of trace elements in fresh and coastal marine waters as revealed by artificial radioisotopes. Limnology and Oceanography, 33, 848–866.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh, S.P., Tack, F.M.G., Gabriels, D. and Verloo, M.G., 2000, Heavy metal transport from dredged sediment derived surface soils in a laboratory rainfall simulation experiment. Water. Air and Soil Pollution. 118, 73–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skogerboe, J.G. Lee, C.R. and Price, R.A., 1986, Field verification of a laboratory rainfall simulator-lysimeter system for prediction of heavy metals in surface runoff from contaminated upland dredged material disposal sites, in Proc. 2nd International. Conference Environmental Contamination, Amsterdam, p. 235–237.

  • SPCC., 1990, Acceptable threshold levels for domestic dwelling sites. Sydney: New South Wales State Pollution Control Commission Draft Guidelines, 297 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suh, J.Y., 2003, The hydrogeochemical characteristics of soils and aquifers in reclaimed lands of Port Jackson. Australia. Ph.D. thesis (unpubl.), University of Sydney, Sydney, 288 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suh, J.Y., Birch, G.F., Hughes, K. and Matthai, C., 2004, Spatial distribution and source of heavy metals in reclaimed lands of Homebush Bay: the venue of the 2000 Olympic Games, Sydney, Australia. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 51, 53–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suh, J.Y., Brown, P.L. and Birch G.F., 2003a, Hydrogeochemical characteristics and importance of natural and anthropogenic influences on soil and groundwater in reclaimed land adjacent to Port Jackson, Sydney, Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research, 54, 767–779.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suh, J.Y., Brown, P.L. and Birch, G.F., 2003b, Geochemical factors affecting leachate composition derived from soils in reclaimed land using laboratory fresh and saline water column experiments. Marine and Freshwater Research, 54, 885–893.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Summers, J.K., Wade, T.L., Engel, V.D. and Malaeb, Z.A., 1996, Normalisation of metal concentrations in estuarine sediments from the Gulf of Mexico, Estuaries, 19, 581–594.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tiller, K.G., 1992, Urban soil contamination in Australia. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 30, 937–957.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wehrli, B. and Stumm, W., 1989. Vanadyl in natural waters: Adsorption and hydrolysis promote oxygenation. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 53, 69–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolanski, E.M., Jones, M. and Bunt, J.S., 1980, Hydrochemistry of a tidal creek-mangrove swamp system. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 31, 431–450.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zachara, J.M., Girvin, D.C., Schmidt, R.L. and Resch, C.T., 1987, Chromate adsorption on amorphous iron oxyhydroxide in the presence of major groundwater ions. Environmental Science and Technology, 21, 589–594.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Geosciences, Division of Geology and Geophysics, University of Sydney, 2006, NSW, Australia

    Jeong-Yul Suh

Authors
  1. Jeong-Yul Suh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jeong-Yul Suh.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Suh, JY. Hydrogeochemical studies of groundwater from reclaimed land adjacent to Rozelle Bay, Sydney, Australia. Geosci J 8, 301–312 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02910249

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02910249

Key words

Search

Navigation