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Hydrochemical environment of a fractured karst aquifer influenced by petroleum hydrocarbons

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Abstract

A fractured karst aquifer polluted by petroleum hydrocarbons (PH) for several decades was selected to study the influences of PH on the hydrochemical environment. The research was implemented using the hydrochemical indicators (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na++K+, HCO3−, NO3−, Cl−, F−, and SO42−) and PH with the help of GIS and origin platforms, statistical analyses, and graphical methods. Results showed that PH had significant influences on the hydrochemical environment over the last several decades. The main principle elements influencing the evolution processes of hydrochemical environment were carbonates dissolution, leaking wastewater, and biodegradation processes from 1977 to 2019, and hydrochemistry types changed from HCO3–Ca–Mg and HCO3–Ca to HCO3–Cl–Ca–Mg and HCO3-Cl-Ca. The contribution rate of PH biodegradation to the representative ion increased at first, then decreased over time, which has a close relationship with the variation characteristics of PH. The dynamic evolution processes of hydrochemical environment have significances for indentifying the influencing mechanisms of hydrogeochemical reactions, which could provide valuable scientific suggestions for the local administrators to take effective efforts to optimize and protect the karst groundwater environment.

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Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the editors and reviewers who read the draft of this paper for their constructive comments.

Funding

Financial support was provided by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2020YFE0204700, 2021YFE0107100), Global Karst Resource Ecology United laboratory-Comparative study of classical karst areas between China and Slovenia (KY201802009), National Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi Province (2021GXNSFBA075013), Project (201501001) supported by Research Center of Groundwater Resources and Environment Engineering in Shandong province, Hydrological and Environmental Survey for Karst Groundwater Resources System of Fengshui Spring Basin in Shandong Province (12120113103900), and National Natural Science Foundation of China (41702277, 42022018) and UNESCO/IUGS (IGCP 661).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Shandong Provincial Geo-mineral Engineering Exploration Institute, Shandong, 250014, Jinan, China

    Yuming Peng, Huanliang Chen, Chao Ma, Chuanlei Li &  Wen Liu

  2. Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences / Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, MNR&GZAR, Guilin, 541004, Guangxi, China

    Yongli Guo & Qing Wu

  3. International Research Center on Karst under the Auspices of UNESCO, Guilin, 541004, China

    Yongli Guo & Qing Wu

Authors
  1. Yuming Peng
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  2. Yongli Guo
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  3. Qing Wu
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  4. Huanliang Chen
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  7. Wen Liu
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Contributions

Yuming Peng and Yongli Guo: conceptualization, methodology, investigation, and writing. Qing Wu, Huanliang Chen, Chao Ma, and Chuanlei Li: investigation, methodology, and editing. Wen Liu: conceptualization, methodology, and supervision.

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Correspondence to Yongli Guo.

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Responsible editor: Xianliang Yi

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Yuming Peng and Yongli Guo are the first author of this work.

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Peng, ., Guo, Y., Wu, Q. et al. Hydrochemical environment of a fractured karst aquifer influenced by petroleum hydrocarbons. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 2244–2257 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-15661-0

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