Migration and transformation of soil mercury in a karst region of southwest China : implications for groundwater contamination

Xia, Jicheng; Wang, Jianxu; Zhang, Leiming; Wang, Xun; Yuan, Wei; Peng, Tao; Zheng, Lirong; Tian, Weijun; Feng, Xinbin

doi:https://open-science.canada.ca/handle/123456789/2486

Migration and transformation of soil mercury in a karst region of southwest China : implications for groundwater contamination

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dc.contributor.author: Xia, Jicheng; Wang, Jianxu; Zhang, Leiming; Wang, Xun; Yuan, Wei; Peng, Tao; Zheng, Lirong; Tian, Weijun; Feng, Xinbin
dc.date.accepted: 2022-10-17
dc.date.accessioned: 2024-05-10T18:12:50Z
dc.date.available: 2024-05-10T18:12:50Z
dc.date.issued: 2022-10-22
dc.date.submitted: 2022-07-30
dc.description.abstract - en: Guizhou Province is located in the heart of a karst zone in southwest China, which is one of the largest karst areas in the world. Given the fragile surface ecosystem and highly developed underground karst structure, the migration and transformation of soil Hg may impact groundwater quality in karst environments with high Hg background concentrations. This study examines the vertical migration and transformation of soil mercury (Hg) in two karst catchments, Huilong and Chenqi, with the former containing high Hg contents associated with mineralization and the latter representing regional background Hg. The results show that the soil Hg pool in the Huilong catchment was as high as 44.4±4.2 g m−2, whereas in the Chenqi catchment was only 0.17±0.02 g m−2. Compared with farmland soil, forest soil showed a significant loss of Hg. The results of L3 X-ray absorption near edge structure of Hg indicated that α-HgS, the primary mineral of Hg ore, gradually changed to other mineral types during soil formation. In Huilong catchment, the proportion of organic bound Hg(SR)2 out of total Hg decreased from 44.0% to 20.3% when soil depth increased from 10 cm to 160 cm in farmland soil profile and from 39.3% to 34.5% in forest soil profile, while the proportion of ionic Hg increased with soil depth, from 4.2% to 10.7% in the farmland soil profile and from 6.7% to 11.6% in the forestland soil profile. Results from the triple-mixing isotope model show that soil Hg accounts for more than 80% Hg in groundwater in the two catchments. Results from this study indicate potential risks of soil Hg entering into groundwater in this karst area.
dc.identifier.issn: 1879-2448; 0043-1354
dc.identifier.uri: https://open-science.canada.ca/handle/123456789/2486
dc.language.iso: en
dc.publisher: Elsevier
dc.relation.isreplacedby: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2022.119271
dc.rights - en: Open Government Licence - Canada
dc.rights - fr: Licence du gouvernement ouvert - Canada
dc.rights.openaccesslevel - en: Green
dc.rights.openaccesslevel - fr: Vert
dc.rights.uri - en: https://open.canada.ca/en/open-government-licence-canada
dc.rights.uri - fr: https://ouvert.canada.ca/fr/licence-du-gouvernement-ouvert-canada
dc.subject - en: Nature and environment; Water; Science and technology
dc.subject - fr: Nature et environnement; Eau; Sciences et technologie
dc.subject.en - en: Nature and environment; Water; Science and technology
dc.subject.fr - fr: Nature et environnement; Eau; Sciences et technologie
dc.title - en: Migration and transformation of soil mercury in a karst region of southwest China : implications for groundwater contamination
dc.type - en: Submitted manuscript
dc.type - fr: Manuscrit soumis
local.article.journaltitle: Water Research
local.article.journalvolume: 226
local.pagination: 26 pages
local.peerreview - en: No
local.peerreview - fr: Non

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