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Interpreting CO2–SIc relationship to estimate CO2 baseline in limestone aquifers

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Abstract

Saturation index with respect to calcite (SIc) and equilibrium CO2 partial pressure are important parameters to study groundwater in limestone aquifers. Aside from their use in time series, CO2 and SIc are used to estimate the baseline of CO2 in the vadose zone. The objective of this paper is to present conceptual examples on the use of the CO2–SIc relationship to have new information from usual parameters. Case study was considered as an example of use from Cussac site, a limestone aquifer in southwest of France. The result showed that CO2 baseline in unsaturated zone is found close to 25,000 ± 1,000 ppm.

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Abbreviations

[A]:

Ionic activity of A species

Ca2+ :

Calcium

K 0 :

Constant of Henry for gas dissolution

K 1 :

First ionisation constant

K 2 :

Second ionisation constant

K c :

Calcite dissolution constant

γ A :

Ionic activity coefficient of A species

HCO3 − :

Bicarbonate

Pco2 :

Partial pressure of CO2

Pco2eq:

Equilibrium Pco2

Pco2sat:

Saturation Pco2, a specific value of Pco2eq, defining the air Pco2 baseline

SIc:

Saturation index with respect to calcite

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the DREAL Aquitaine and the DRAC Aquitaine for their funding and support. Financial support was also given by the European project FEDER.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CNRS Orléans, ISTO, Orléans, France

    N. Peyraube

  2. University of Bordeaux, I2M-GCE, Talence, France

    N. Peyraube, R. Lastennet, A. Denis, P. Malaurent & J. D. Villanueva

  3. University of the Philippines at Los Baños, SESAM, College, Los Baños, Philippines

    J. D. Villanueva

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  1. N. Peyraube
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  2. R. Lastennet
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  3. A. Denis
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  4. P. Malaurent
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  5. J. D. Villanueva
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Correspondence to N. Peyraube.

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Peyraube, N., Lastennet, R., Denis, A. et al. Interpreting CO2–SIc relationship to estimate CO2 baseline in limestone aquifers. Environ Earth Sci 72, 4207–4215 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-014-3316-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-014-3316-4

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