Major ions in typical subterranean rivers and their anthropogenic impacts in southwest karst areas, China

Abstract

Subterranean rivers contain much of the groundwater in karst and supply many local people in southwest China. The quality of groundwater in subterranean rivers is of concern because of its sensitivity to anthropogenic activity. Groundwater samples in a rural catchment were collected at the discharge point, and the concentrations of major ions including potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, sulfate, nitrate and bicarbonate were analyzed in this study. Rainfall and discharge were also observed at the same time. It could be concluded from the data that the concentrations of sulfate and nitrate had a peak in the rainy season when the concentrations of sodium, calcium, magnesium and bicarbonate were low. The concentrations of potassium and chloride changed randomly throughout the year. The concentration of major ions in flood process was not completely controlled by discharge. Only the concentrations of nitrate and sulfate had obviously increased during the past two decades. It was believed that dilution, eluviation, karst erosion and anthropogenic activity can explain the ion variations and hence this study helps to understand environmental problem in karst.