Effects of depositional environment and organic matter degradation on the enrichment and mobilization of iodine in the groundwater of the North China Plain

Abstract

Groundwater iodine has direct importance for human dietary iodine intake in areas where drinking water is of groundwater origin. However, little is known about enrichment and mobilization mechanisms of groundwater iodine in the North China Plain (NCP). Geochemistry, inorganic/organic carbon isotope and biomarker of groundwater and sediment samples were studied to reveal the effects of depositional environment and organic matter (OM) degradation on the generation of high iodine groundwater (>100 μg/L) in NCP. Results showed that groundwater iodine had a range of 7.2–800 μg/L and was increasing with increase in HCO3 concentration and decrease in groundwater δ13CDIC value, indicating the potential effects of microbial activity on the elevation of groundwater iodine. Sediments iodine ranged from 0.03 to 2.54 μg/g and higher contents occurred under the oxidizing depositional environment (higher Pr/Ph ratios). Biomarker analysis indicated that the marine iodine-rich OM is considered as the main source of groundwater iodine, which is prone to be released into groundwater by the microbial degradation under the reducing conditions. The hypothesis was evidenced by the 13Corg, 13CDIC and 3-D excitation emission matrices of groundwater. These results suggest that carbon-related biogeochemical cycling and redox condition are important in the enrichment and mobilization of iodine in groundwater system.