Skip to main content

The Pozzo del Sale Groundwaters (Irpinia, Southern Apennines, Italy): Origin and Mechanisms of Salinization

Aquatic Geochemistry volume 19, pages 303–322 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

Chemical and water isotope ratios data for groundwaters from the Pozzo del Sale area in the Irpinia sector of the Southern Apennines are presented. The water chemistry of the aquifer system may initially be regarded as the result of easy and common, low temperature interaction between meteoric water and Late Messinian evaporites, which produce Ca-bicarbonate and Na-chloride passing through Ca-sulfate waters. However, a closer inspection reveals a more complicated geochemical setting consisting of: (1) two further Na-sulfate and Ca(Mg)-sulfate waters; (2) the existence of different meteoric recharge areas; (3) the mixing between the different groundwaters and allochthonous fluids from terrestrial mud volcanoes. The salinization mechanism and the local mineralogy were inferred by classical and novel ternary and binary diagrams. The presence of MgSO4- and Na2SO4-bearing minerals of non-marine or mixed origin other than gypsum and halite within the local evaporites suggests a mineralogical heterogeneity within the local Messinian evaporites. The paleoenvironment of this sector of the Gessoso–Solfifera Formation might have been composed of relatively small playa-lakes fed by seawater but also large amounts of continental waters of meteoric origin.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

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

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

References

  • Bethke CM (2008) Geochemical and Biogeochemical Reaction Modeling. Cambridge University Press, New York

  • Bethke CM, Yeakel S (2008) The Geochemist’s Workbench Release 7.0—Essentials Guide. Hydrogeology Program, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois

  • Boschetti T (2011) Application of Brine differentiation and Langelier–Ludwig plots to fresh-to-brine waters from sedimentary basins: diagnostic potentials and limits. J Geochem Explor 108:126–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boschetti T, Toscani L, Shouakar-Stash O, Iacumin P, Venturelli G, Mucchino C, Frape SK (2011) Salt waters of the Northern Apennine Foredeep Basin (Italy): origin and evolution. Aquat Geochem 17:71–108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boschetti T, Manzi V, Toscani L (2013) Messinian Ca–Cl brines from Mediterranean basins: tracing diagenetic effects by Ca/Mg versus Ca/Sr diagram. Aquat Geochem 19:195–208

    Google Scholar 

  • Cameron JF (1967) Survey of systems for concentration and low background counting of tritium in water. In: Radioactive dating and methods of low-level counting: Proceedings of a symposium organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency in co-operation with the joint commission on Applied Radioactivity (ICSU) and held in Monaco, IAEA, Vienna, pp 543–573, 2–10 March 1967

  • Celico F, Capuano P, De Felice V, Naclerio G (2008) Hypersaline groundwater genesis assessment through a multidisciplinary approach: the case of Pozzo del Sale Spring (southern Italy). Hydrogeol J 16:1441–1451

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cortecci G, Dinelli E, Boschetti T, Arbizzani P, Pompilio L (2008) The Serchio River catchment, northern Tuscany: geochemistry of stream waters and sediments, and isotopic composition of dissolved sulfate. Appl Geochem 23:1513–1543

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crostella A, Vezzani L (1964) La geologia dell’Appennino foggiano. Boll Soc Geol It 83:121–141

    Google Scholar 

  • Dazzaro L, Iannone A, Moresi M, Rapisardi L (1989) Mineralogia e chimismo di alcuni depositi messiniani dell’Irpina e della Puglia: aspetti paleoambientali. Mineralogica et Petrografica Acta 32:267–281

    Google Scholar 

  • De Ioanna V (1912) Ipersalina—acqua minerale di Avellino comunemente detta del Pozzo del Sale: notizie storiche, cliniche ed analitiche. In: Xl Congresso Nazionale di Idrologia, Climatologia e Terapia Fisica. Tipografia Gennaro Ferrara, Avellino, Napoli

  • Di Nocera S, Ortolani F, Torre M, Russo B (1981) Evoluzione sedimentaria e cenni di paleogeografia del Tortoniano–Messiniano dell’Irpinia occidentale. Bollettino della Società dei Naturalisti in Napoli 90:131–166

    Google Scholar 

  • Drever JI (1997) The geochemistry of natural waters: surface and groundwater environments. 3rd ed. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey

  • Duchi V, Minissale A, Vaselli O, Ancillotti M (1995) Hydrogeochemistry of the Campania region in southern Italy. J Volcanol Geoth Res 67:313–328

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eaton AD, Clesceri LS, Greenberg AE (1995) Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater, 19th edn. American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association, Water Environment Federation (APHA-AWWA-WEF), USA

  • Epstein S, Mayeda T (1953) Variations of 18O/16O ratio in natural waters. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 4:213–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eugster HP, Jones BF (1979) Behavior of major solutes during closed-basin brine evolution. Am J Sci 279:609–631

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grenthe I, Plyasunov A, Spahiu K (1997) Estimations of Medium Effects on Thermodynamic Data. In: Grenthe I and Puigdomènech I (ed) Modelling in aquatic chemistry, Nuclear Energy Agency, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Paris, pp 325–426

  • Hanshaw BB, Back W (1979) Major geochemical processes in the evolution of carbonate-aquifer systems. J Hydrol 43:287–312

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hardie LA (1968) The origin of the recent non-marine evaporite deposit of Saline Valley, Inyo Country, California. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 32:1279–1301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hardie LA (1984) Evaporites: marine or non-marine? Am J Sci 284:193–240

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herrmann GA (1972) Bromine distribution coefficients for halite precipitated from modern sea water under natural conditions. Contrib Mineral Petrol 37:249–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horita J, Cole DR, Wesolowski DJ (1993a) The activity-composition relationship of oxygen and hydrogen isotopes in aqueous salt solutions: II. Vapor-liquid water equilibration of mixed salt solutions from 50 to 100 °C and geochemical implications. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 57:4703–4711

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horita J, Wesolowski DJ, Cole DR (1993b) The activity-composition relationship of oxygen and hydrogen isotopes in aqueous salt solutions: I. Vapor-liquid water equilibration of single salt solutions from 50 to 100°C. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 57:2797–2817

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones BF, Deocampo DM (2003) Geochemistry of saline lakes. In: Drever JI (ed) Treatise on geochemistry, vol 5. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 393–424

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Langmuir D (1997) Aqueous Environmental Geochemistry. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey

  • Lopez PL, Mandado M (2007) Experimental evaporation of superficial brines from continental playa–lake systems located in Central Ebro Basin (northeast Spain). In: Schreiber BC, Lugli S, Bąbel M (eds) Evaporites through space and time, vol 285. The Geological Society of London, London, pp 143–154

    Google Scholar 

  • Marzi A, Ghisalberti G (1988) La serie salina del sondaggio Cattolica Eraclea EMS 4 (Messiniano della Sicilia sud-occidentale). Serie salina intermedia e fades gessose sommitali. Istituto Lombardo Accademia di Scienze e Lettere Rendiconti Scienze Chimiche e Fisiche, Geologiche, Biologiche e Mediche B 122:249–292

    Google Scholar 

  • Matano F (2007) The ‘Evaporiti di Monte Castello’ deposits of the Messinian Southern Apennines foreland basin (Irpinia–Daunia Mountains, Southern Italy): stratigraphic evolution and geological context. In: Schreiber BC, Lugli S, Babel M (eds) Evaporites through space and time, vol 285. The Geological Society, London, pp 191–218

    Google Scholar 

  • Matano F, Barbieri M, Di Nocera S, Torre M (2005) Stratigraphy and strontium geochemistry of Messinian evaporite-bearing successions of the southern Apennines foredeep, Italy: implications for the Mediterranean “salinity crisis” and regional palaeogeography. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 217:87–114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCaffrey MA, Lazar B, Holland HD (1987) The evaporation path of seawater and the coprecipitation of Br− and K+ with halite. J Sediment Petrol 57:928–937

    Google Scholar 

  • Nardelli P, Marzi A (1986) La serie salina del sondaggio Cattolica Eraclea EMS 4 (Messiniano della Sicilia sud-occidentale). Primi risultati sulla successione basale. Istituto Lombardo Accademia di Scienze e Lettere Rendiconti Scienze Chimiche e Fisiche, Geologiche, Biologiche e Mediche B 120:83–115

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicodemi L (1949) Fonte Angelica (Pozzo del Sale). Economia Irpina 46–53

  • Orti F, Gündogan I, Helvaci C (2002) Sodium sulphate deposits of Neogene age: the Kirmir Formation, Beypazari Basin, Turkey. Sed Geol 146:305–333

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ortolani F, De Gennaro M, Ferreri M, Ghiara MR, Stanzione D, Zenone F (1981) Prospettive geotermiche dell’Irpinia centrale (Appennino meridionale): studio geologico-strutturale e geochimico. Bollettino della Società Geologica Italiana 100:139–159

    Google Scholar 

  • Parkhurst DL, Appelo CAJ (1999) User’s guide to PHREEQC (version 2)—a computer program for speciation, batch-reaction, one-dimensional transport, and inverse geochemical calculations. Water-Resources Investigation Report, US Geological Survey 99–4259

  • Pingue L, Marrone M (1971) Su alcune acque mineralizzate della provincia di Avellino—parte prima. Economia Irpina 9–12:7–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Pingue L, Marrone M (1972) Su alcune acque mineralizzate della provincia di Avellino—continuazione e fine. Economia Irpina 1–6:5–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Rahimpour-Bonab H, Shariatinia Z, Siemann MG (2007) Role of rifting in evaporite deposition in the Great Kavir Basin, central Iran. In: Schreiber BC, Lugli S, Babel M (eds) Evaporites through space and time, vol 285. The Geological Society of London, London, pp 69–85

    Google Scholar 

  • Sgrosso I (1971) Note illustrative della Carta Geologica d’Italia alla scala 1:100000, Fogli 185 (Salerno) e 197 (Amalfi). Servizio Geologico d’Italia, Roma, Italy, p 38

  • Siemann MG, Schramm M (2000) Thermodynamic modelling of the Br partition between aqueous solutions and halite. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 64:1681–1693

    Google Scholar 

  • Spencer RJ (2000) Sulfate Minerals in Evaporite Deposits. In: Charles NA, Jambor JL, and Nordstrom DK (eds) Sulfate Minerals: Crystallography, Geochemistry, and Environmental Significance, Mineralogical Society of America, Geochemical Society, pp 173–192

  • Spirakis CS, Heyl AV (1988) Possible effects of thermal degradation of organic matter on carbonate paragenesis and fluorite precipitation in Mississippi Valley-type deposits. Geology 16:1117–1120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Toscani L, Boschetti T, Maffini M, Barbieri M, Mucchino M (2007) The groundwaters of Fontevivo (Parma Province—Italy): redox processes and mixing with brine waters. Geochem-Explor Env Anal 7:23–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warren JK (2006) Evaporites: sediments, resources and hydrocarbons. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg

  • Wolery TW, Jarek RL (2003) EQ3/6, version 8.0—software user’s manual. Civilian radioactive waste management system, Management & Operating Contractor, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the two anonymous reviewers for careful review of the manuscript, providing useful comments and suggestions that improved its quality.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Earth Sciences “Macedonio Melloni”, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 157/A, 43124, Parma, Italy

    Tiziano Boschetti & Fulvio Celico

  2. Department of Biosciences and Territory, University of Molise, Contrada Fonte Lappone, 86090, Pesche, Italy

    Vincenzo De Felice

Authors
  1. Tiziano Boschetti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Vincenzo De Felice
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Fulvio Celico
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tiziano Boschetti.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (XLS 59 kb)

Supplementary material 2 (XLS 25 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Boschetti, T., De Felice, V. & Celico, F. The Pozzo del Sale Groundwaters (Irpinia, Southern Apennines, Italy): Origin and Mechanisms of Salinization. Aquat Geochem 19, 303–322 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10498-013-9196-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10498-013-9196-5

Keywords

  • Brine chemistry
  • Water isotope ratios
  • Late Messinian
  • Water-evaporite interaction
  • Non-marine evaporites