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Mobilization of Heavy Metals in a Saline Confined Aquifer as a Consequence of Rainwater Injection: A Case Study in Southern Vietnam

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Abstract

An artificial recharge test was performed in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to see the geochemical response of a saline coastal plain aquifer to the injected rainwater. The results show that the rainwater injection can cause mobilization of heavy metals due to pyrite oxidation and this phenomenon can persist even after the full recovery of the injected water. In this study, a 30-m-deep well was installed in a confined aquifer. Pyrite framboids were observed in the sediment samples collected during the well drilling. A total of 400 L rainwater was injected into the well for 70 min. After waiting 63 h, the well was extracted at a pump speed of 2.7 L/min and the chemistry of the pumped groundwater was monitored for 10 h. The groundwater showed geochemical features close to rainwater at the early stage of pumping and gradually changed to those of the background waters, especially, in electrical conductivity and Cl− concentration, as the pumping proceeded. However, the groundwater pumped in the later stage showed much increased concentrations in SO42−, total iron (FeT), AsT, Ni, Mn and Zn relative to the calculated mixing concentrations due to pyrite oxidation even though NO3−, the pyrite oxidant, already had disappeared. It was revealed from the geochemical modeling that the persistent pyrite oxidation was the result of the reaction with ferrihydrite, which precipitated in pores of the sediment by the injection of aerated water. We believe our study is a good example showing the importance of careful design of the artificial recharge systems to avoid or minimize the geochemical disturbance of aquifer.

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Acknowledgements

We appreciate the supports of Division of Water Resources Planning and Investigation of the South of Vietnam while performing our field works.

Funding

This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (Grant #2016r1d1a1b03931992). This research is also funded by Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM) under Grant Number C2023-02-06.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268, Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Quang-Khai Ha

  2. Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Quang-Khai Ha

  3. Department of Environmental Engineering, Kunsan National University, Gunsan, Jeonbuk, 54150, Korea

    Quang-Khai Ha, Kangjoo Kim, Nam Long Phan & Thanh-Huy Phung

  4. Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Daejeon, 34132, Korea

    Kyungseok Ko

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Ha, QK., Kim, K., Ko, K. et al. Mobilization of Heavy Metals in a Saline Confined Aquifer as a Consequence of Rainwater Injection: A Case Study in Southern Vietnam. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 85, 277–289 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-023-01016-y

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