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The Use of Noble Gas Isotopes in Detecting Methane Contamination of Groundwater in Shale Gas Development Areas: An Overview of Technology and Methods

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Abstract

Groundwater contamination by stray gas (mainly methane) in areas of shale-gas development has captured publics, political and scientific attention. However, the sources and potential mechanisms of groundwater contamination are still debated. Noble gases can provide useful information on fluid migration for discerning the scale, conditions, and physical mechanisms. In this study, details about analytical technology and theoretical approach of noble gases in tracing groundwater contaminations are presented. In addition, applications of noble-gases isotopes for determining contamination sources and potential pathways are explored and reviewed. Recent developments are discussed and highlighted with focusing on new utilities of noble-gas isotope parameters in evaluating groundwater contamination. Some usages of indicators (4He/20Ne, CH4/36Ar, 4He/CH4, etc.) are discussed through specific research articles. And it is a new trend to make comprehensive use of multiple geochemical parameters to determine the occurrence, source, and process of methane pollution in groundwater.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China

    Chunhui Cao, Liwu Li, Li Du, Yuhui Wang & Jian He

  2. Key Lab of Petroleum Resources, Gansu Province/Key Lab of Petroleum Resources Research, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, CAS, Lanzhou, 730000, China

    Chunhui Cao, Liwu Li, Li Du, Yuhui Wang & Jian He

  3. College of Earth Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Yuhui Wang

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  1. Chunhui Cao
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Correspondence to Chunhui Cao.

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Chunhui Caoreceived his Ph.D. degree in 2017. He is an engineer at Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources (NIEER), Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is in charge in a noble gas isotope laboratory in NIEER. He is engaged in analytical techniques of noble gas and stable isotope compositions, and has long been engaged in stable and rare gas isotope geochemistry and oil and gas geochemistry research.

Liwu Lireceived a Ph.D. He is a researcher at Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is good at instrument analysis, and is proficient in large-scale analytical instruments such as rare gas isotope mass spectrometers, stable isotope mass spectrometers, and gas chromatographs.

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Cao, C., Li, L., Du, L. et al. The Use of Noble Gas Isotopes in Detecting Methane Contamination of Groundwater in Shale Gas Development Areas: An Overview of Technology and Methods. ANAL. SCI. 36, 521–525 (2020). https://doi.org/10.2116/analsci.19SBR01

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