Abstract
Groundwater with anomalous fluoride content and water mixture patterns were studied in the fractured Serra Geral Aquifer System, a basaltic to rhyolitic geological unit, using a principal component analysis interpretation of groundwater chemical data from 309 deep wells distributed in the Rio Grande do Sul State, Southern Brazil. A four-component model that explains 81% of the total variance in the Principal Component Analysis is suggested. Six hydrochemical groups were identified. δ18O and δ2H were analyzed in 28 Serra Geral Aquifer System samples in order to identify stable isotopes patterns and make comparisons with data from the Guarani Aquifer System and meteoric waters. The results demonstrated a complex water mixture between the Serra Geral Aquifer System and the Guarani Aquifer System, with meteoric recharge and ascending water infiltration through an intensive tectonic fracturing.
Highlights
In the last several decades, the global water consumption has dramatically increased, especially for agriculture, water supply, and industrial uses
This paper examines the fluoride content in water from the southernmost region of the fractured subcontinental Serra Geral Aquifer System (SGAS), an important aquifer that supplies a large amount of water for an economic developed region in Southern Brazil
In the Rio Grande do Sul State, extensive groundwater mixing processes operate between the SGAS and Guarani Aquifer System (GAS) through defined and intense tectonic fractures
Summary
In the last several decades, the global water consumption has dramatically increased, especially for agriculture, water supply, and industrial uses. This paper examines the fluoride content in water from the southernmost region of the fractured subcontinental Serra Geral Aquifer System (SGAS), an important aquifer that supplies a large amount of water for an economic developed region in Southern Brazil. Fluoride content in water is beneficial to human health and in a moderate concentration (0.7–1.2 mg/L) prevents dental cavities. The drinking water limit recommended by the World Health Organization for fluoride is 1.5 mg/L [6]. The SGAS fluoride average concentrations are around 0.24 mg/L, with a minimum value of 0.02 m/L and the highest at 3.03 mg/L
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