Mn Concentrations In Groundwater Research Articles

Elevated Fe and Mn Concentrations in Groundwater in the Songnen Plain, Northeast China, and the Factors and Mechanisms Involved

Groundwater is an essential source of drinking and irrigation water. However, elevated Fe and Mn concentrations in groundwater have been found in recent decades, which can adversely affect human health and decrease crop quality and yields. The roles of hydrogeochemical changes and groundwater pollution (exogenous reductive material inputs) in this have not been studied adequately. We determined the distribution of Fe and Mn concentrations in groundwater in the Songnen Plain, northeast China, which is known for elevated Fe and Mn concentrations, and investigated the factors and mechanisms involved in causing the elevated concentrations. Chemical and statistical analyses indicated that the Fe and Mn concentrations in groundwater significantly correlated with climate parameters (precipitation and temperature), surface features (altitude, distance from a river, soil type, soil texture, and land use type) and hydrogeochemical characteristics (chemical oxygen demand and NH4+, NO3−, and P concentrations). In particular, the Fe and Mn concentrations in groundwater are higher in areas containing paddy fields and water bodies than other land use type areas. Areas with groundwater containing ultra-high Fe and Mn concentrations have almost all of the favorable factors. The main reasons for the elevated Fe and Mn concentrations in groundwater in the study area are the Fe/Mn mineral-rich strata and soil with abundant organic matter acting as sources of Fe and Mn to the groundwater and the reductive environment in the lower terrain and areas containing water bodies favoring Fe and Mn dissolution in the groundwater. Inputs of pollutants from agricultural activities have caused the Fe and Mn concentrations in groundwater to increase. Future studies should be performed to study interactions between pollutants from agricultural activities and Fe and Mn in groundwater and develop environmental management strategies for preventing future increases in Fe and Mn concentrations and promoting sustainable development of agriculture.

Machine-Learning Predictions of High Arsenic and High Manganese at Drinking Water Depths of the Glacial Aquifer System, Northern Continental United States

Globally, over 200 million people are chronically exposed to arsenic (As) and/or manganese (Mn) from drinking water. We used machine-learning (ML) boosted regression tree (BRT) models to predict high As (>10 μg/L) and Mn (>300 μg/L) in groundwater from the glacial aquifer system (GLAC), which spans 25 states in the northern United States and provides drinking water to 30 million people. Our BRT models' predictor variables (PVs) included recently developed three-dimensional estimates of a suite of groundwater age metrics, redox condition, and pH. We also demonstrated a successful approach to significantly improve ML prediction sensitivity for imbalanced data sets (small percentage of high values). We present predictions of the probability of high As and high Mn concentrations in groundwater, and uncertainty, at two nonuniform depth surfaces that represent moving median depths of GLAC domestic and public supply wells within the three-dimensional model domain. Predicted high likelihood of anoxic condition (high iron or low dissolved oxygen), predicted pH, relative well depth, several modeled groundwater age metrics, and hydrologic position were all PVs retained in both models; however, PV importance and influence differed between the models. High-As and high-Mn groundwater was predicted with high likelihood over large portions of the central part of the GLAC.

Previously unrecognized potential threat to children from manganese in groundwater in rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

The forced displacement of over 700,000 Rohingyas from Myanmar to Bangladesh since the crackdown in August 2017 has resulted in a critical humanitarian and environmental crisis. Groundwater is the primary source of drinking water in the camps that were constructed to provide shelter for the refugee population. The current study explores occurrence of Mn in groundwater in the Rohingya camps and adjacent areas. A total of 52 groundwater samples were collected between August and October 2018 from different camps sites and the adjacent host area. It was found that 64% exceeded the Bangladesh standard (100 μg/L) suggesting the presence of elevated concentrations of Mn in some groundwater aquifers in the camp sites. Mn is a neurotoxicant and previous studies have reported intellectual impairment in children exposed to Mn levels similar to those detected in groundwater in the camp sites. Nearly 450,000 migrant and new-born children live in the camps in already stressed conditions. The occurrence of elevated Mn concentrations in groundwater in the camps and their adjacent areas is likely an additional stressor exposing these children to an increased risk of neurotoxicity. Based on the results of this small-scale study, we recommend undertaking an in-depth study on the occurrence of Mn in groundwater in the camps to come up with appropriate strategies to minimise exposure. In addition, we recommend conducting a systematic epidemiological study on potential impacts of manganese in drinking water on neurological development of the Rohingya children in the camps.

Variation in groundwater manganese in Finland

Increasing evidence has emerged that Mn derived from drinking water could be a health risk, especially for children. This study aimed to provide more information on the variation in Mn concentrations in well water and factors that affect manganese concentrations in groundwater in the natural environment. The geochemical data consisted of analyses of single water samples (n = 5311) that were taken only once and data from monitoring sites where water samples (n = 4607) were repeatedly taken and analyzed annually from the same wells. In addition, the well-specific results from six wells at monitoring sites were described in detail. We obtained the data on water samples from the groundwater database of Geological Survey of Finland. In single samples, Mn concentrations varied from < 0.02 µg/l to 5800 µg/l in bedrock well waters and up to 6560 µg/l in Quaternary deposit well waters. Results from single water samples from bedrock wells and Quaternary deposit wells indicated that the dissolved oxygen content has an inverse association with the Mn concentration. When the dissolved oxygen O2 levels were lower, the Mn concentrations were higher. No clear association was found between the Mn concentration and the pH or depth of the well for single samples. Part of Mn was particle bound, because total Mn was higher than soluble Mn in most measured samples. In the monitoring survey, large variation in Mn concentrations was found in bedrock well water in Kemijärvi, 114–352 µg/l, and in dug well water in Hämeenkoski, 8.77–2640 µg/l. Seasonal and spatial variability in Mn concentrations in water samples from two bedrock wells was large at monitoring sites in northern Finland. Variability in the Mn concentrations in groundwater can be large, even in the same area. These data suggest that single measurements of the Mn concentration from a water source may not reveal the Mn status, and measurement of both the total and soluble Mn concentrations may be recommended.

Arsenic and other water‐quality issues affecting groundwater, Indus alluvial plain, Pakistan

AbstractGroundwater beneath the alluvial plain of the Indus River, Pakistan, is reported to be widely polluted by arsenic (As) and to adversely affect human health. In 79 groundwaters reported here from the lower Indus River plain in southern Sindh Province, concentrations of As exceeded the WHO guideline value for drinking water of 10 μg/L in 38%, with 22% exceeding 50 μg/L, Pakistan's guideline value. The As pollution is caused by microbially‐mediated reductive dissolution of sedimentary iron oxyhydroxides in anoxic groundwaters; oxic groundwaters contain &lt;10 μg/L of As. In the upper Indus River plain, in Punjab Province, localized As pollution of groundwater occurs by alkali desorption as a consequence of ion exchange in groundwater, possibly supplemented by the use for irrigation of groundwater that has suffered ion exchange in the aquifer and so has values &gt;0 for residual sodium carbonate. In the field area in southern Sindh, concentrations of Mn in groundwater exceed 0.4 mg/L in 11% of groundwaters, with a maximum of 0.7 mg/L, as a result of reduction of sedimentary manganese oxides. Other trace elements pose little or no threat to human health. Salinities in groundwaters range from fresh to saline (electrical conductivity up to 6 mS/cm). High salinities result from local inputs of waste water from unsewered sanitation but mainly from evaporation/evapotranspiration of canal water and groundwater used for irrigation. The process does not concentrate As in the groundwater owing to sorption of As to soils. Ion exchange exerts a control on concentrations of Na, Ca, and B but not directly on As. High values of Cl/Br mass ratios (most ≫288, the marine value) reflect the pervasive influence on groundwater of sewage‐contaminated water from irrigation canals through seepage loss and deep percolation of irrigation water, with additional, well‐specific, contributions from unsewered sanitation.

Assessing the Geological Sources of Manganese in the Roanoke River Watershed, Virginia

The release of geogenic elements to water supplies is an issue of worldwide concern. Because these elements occur naturally and are often present in a variety of geologic materials, delineating sources and fates of these elements can be challenging. In this study, we examine connections between manganese (Mn) in modern groundwater, bedrock geology, and ores in the Roanoke River watershed of the Piedmont Province, Virginia. In the watershed, Mn concentrations in groundwater are often elevated above secondary drinking water standards. Evaluation of chemical characteristics of groundwater and geologic materials within the region suggests that carbonate-bearing lithologies are likely sources of Mn to groundwater. The inverse correlation of Mn with dissolved oxygen concentrations in groundwater suggests that once released from chemical weathering, Mn persists in groundwater under reducing conditions that develop along flowpaths. Analysis of Mn ores of the James River–Roanoke River Manganese District provides support that the ore deposits are supergene in origin, consistent with previous models. However, in contrast to previous models suggesting ore formation from downward flow of groundwater, our analysis of ore formation in the context of groundwater geochemistry supports an upwelling model of ore formation in which Mn oxides were precipitated near discharge zones. Overall, our results suggest that Mn cycling in the region has been active over geologic time, as Mn-rich groundwater discharges to riverine systems, both past and present. Thus, the processes that formed the Mn ores in the past are still occurring in the modern day.

Public health risk assessment of groundwater contamination in Batman, Turkey

In this study, a comprehensive analysis of groundwater was performed to assess contamination and phenol content in Batman, Turkey, particularly in residential areas near agriculture, livestock and oil industry facilities. From these areas, where potentially contaminated groundwater used for drinking and irrigation threatens public health, 30 groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for heavy metal concentrations (Al, As, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cl, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, NO3, P, Pb, phenol, S, Sb, Se, SO4, Sr, U, and Zn). Compared with the standards of the Environmental Protection Agency, Al, Fe, and Mn concentrations in groundwater exceeded secondary drinking water regulations, NO3 concentrations were high for maximum contaminant levels, and As, Pb, and U concentrations exceeded maximum contaminant level goals in all samples. Ni, Sb, and Se concentrations also exceeded limits set by the Turkish Standards Institution. Nearly all samples revealed concentrations of Se, Sb, Hg, and phenol due to nearby petroleum refineries, oil storage plants, and agricultural and livestock areas. The results obtained from this study indicate that the groundwater in Batman contains elements in concentrations that approach or exceed limits and thus threatens public health with increased blood cholesterol, decreased blood sugar, and circulatory problems.

Impact of wastewater irrigation on the dynamics of metal concentration in the vadose zone: simulation with NETPATH--part II.

Understanding and quantification of geochemical processes in vadose zone of sewage-effluent-irrigated soils are helpful in predicting the transference of metals and other ions to food chain and groundwater. Hence, an attempt has been made to simulate various geochemical processes occurring in the flow path of infiltrating sewage water down the vadose zone with the help of Net Geochemical Reaction Along the Flow Path (NETPATH). This study area was located in Western Delhi, India, where sewage effluents originating from Keshopur Sewage Treatment plant have been used for irrigation since 1979. Agricultural lands receiving irrigation through sewage and tube well water were selected for this study. The results indicated that groundwater of 20- and 10-year sewage-irrigated lands was slightly oversaturated in respect of calcite and dolomite, and undersaturated in respect of gypsum. The shallow groundwater of 5-year sewage-irrigated field was undersaturated in case of calcite, dolomite, and gypsum. Among the metals, major focus was given on Fe and Mn as these two metals are redox prone and relatively more mobile than other metals under saturated conditions. There was reduction in concentration of Fe and Mn in groundwater samples of 20-year sewage-irrigated field as compared to that in sewage effluent. Such reduction in concentration of Fe and Mn could be ascribed to the formation of goethite and manganite in vadose zone, respectively, as revealed by simulation with NETPATH. Similarly, in case of 10- and 5-year sewage-irrigated fields, increase in Fe and Mn concentrations in groundwater was due to dissolution of siderite and pyrulusite, respectively. NETPATH software could explain the variation in diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable Fe and Mn content in vadose zone to the extent of 94 and 65%, respectively.

Linking groundwater quality to residence times and regional geology in the St. Lawrence Lowlands, southern Quebec, Canada

The assessment of groundwater quality in shallow aquifers is of high societal relevance given that large populations depend directly on these water resources. The purpose of this study was to establish links between groundwater quality, groundwater residence times, and regional geology in the St. Lawrence Lowlands fractured bedrock aquifer. The study focuses on a 4500 km2 watershed located in the St. Lawrence Lowlands of the province of Quebec in eastern Canada. A total of 150 wells were sampled for major, minor, and trace ions. Tritium (3H) and its daughter element, 3He, as well as radiocarbon activity (A14C) were measured in a subset of wells to estimate groundwater residence times. Results show that groundwater evolves from a Ca–HCO3 water type in recharge zones (i.e., the Appalachian piedmont) to a Na–HCO3 water type downgradient, toward the St. Lawrence River. Locally, barium (Ba), fluoride (F), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn) concentrations reach 90, 2, 18, and 5.9 mg/L respectively, all exceeding their respective Canadian drinking water limits of 1, 1.5, 0.3, and 0.05 mg/L. Release of these elements into groundwater is mainly controlled by the groundwater redox state and pH conditions, as well as by the geology and the duration of rock–water interactions. This evolution is accompanied by increasing 3H/3He ages, from 4.78 ± 0.44 years upgradient to more than 60 years downgradient. Discrepancies between calculated 3H/3He and 14C water ages (the latter ranging from 280 ± 56 to 17,050 ± 3410 years) suggest mixing between modern water and paleo-groundwater infiltrated through subglacial recharge when the Laurentide Ice Sheet covered the study area, and during the following deglaciation period. A linear relationship between 3H activity and corrected 14C versus Mg/Ca and Ba support a direct link between water residence time and the chemical evolution of these waters. The Ba, F, Fe, and Mn concentrations in groundwater originate from Paleozoic rocks from both the St. Lawrence Platform and the Appalachian Mountains. These elements have been brought to the surface by rising hydrothermal fluids along regional faults, and trapped in sediment during their deposition and diagenesis due to reactions with highly sulfurous and organic matter-rich water. Large-scale flow of meltwater during subglacial recharge and during the subsequent retreat of the Laurentide Ice Sheet might have contributed to the leaching of these deposits and their enrichment in the present aquifers. This study brings a new and original understanding of the St. Lawrence Lowlands groundwater system within the context of its geological evolution.

Effects of Long‐Term Application of Biosolids for Mine Land Reclamation on Groundwater Chemistry: Trace Metals

Data collected for 35 yr from a 1790-ha strip mine reclamation site in Fulton County, Illinois, where biosolids were applied from 1972 to 2004, were used to evaluate the impacts of long-term biosolids application on metal concentrations in groundwater. Groundwater samples were collected between 1972 and 2006 from wells installed in seven strip-mined fields treated with biosolids at cumulative loading rates of 801 to 1815 dry Mg ha and from another seven fields (also strip mined) treated with mineral fertilizer. Samples were collected monthly between 1972 and 1986 and quarterly between 1987 and 2004 and were analyzed for total metals. The concentrations of metals in groundwater were generally below regulatory limits. Lead, Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, and Hg concentrations in groundwater were similar for the biosolids-amended and fertilizer-treated sites across all sampling intervals. Zinc concentration was increased by biosolids application only for samples collected before the 1993 promulgation of the USEPA 40 CFR Part 503 rule. Iron and Mn were the only metals that were consistently increased after biosolids application; however, Mn concentrations did not exceed the 10 mg L regulatory limits. Zinc, Cu, Cd, Pb, Fe, Al, and Mn concentrations in groundwater decreased with time, coupled with the change from pre-part 503 to post-Part 503 biosolids. The concentrations of other metals, including Ni, Cr, and Hg, did not increase in groundwater with the prolonged biosolids application. The study suggests that the long-term application of biosolids at high loading rates does not result in trace metal pollution of groundwater.

Arsenic in groundwater and sediment in the Mekong River delta, Vietnam

A study of groundwater and sediment during 2007–2008 in the Mekong River delta in Vietnam (MDVN) revealed that 26%, 74%, and 50% of groundwater samples were above the US EPA drinking water guidelines for As (10 μg/L), Mn (0.05 mg/L), and Fe (0.3 mg/L). The range of As, Fe, and Mn concentrations in the MDVN were <0.1–1351 μg/L, <0.01–38 mg/L, and <0.01−14 mg/L, respectively. Elevated levels of As were found in groundwater at sampling sites close to the Mekong River and in wells less than 60−70 m deep. An inverse relationship was found between As and Mn concentrations in groundwater. Sediment samples from An Giang and Dong Thap had the highest As concentrations (18 mg/kg and 38 mg/kg, respectively). Arsenic sediment occurred mainly in the poorly crystalline Fe oxide phases. Reductive dissolution of the Fe oxide phase is not necessarily the dominant mechanism of As release to groundwater.

Manganese concentrations in Scottish groundwater

Groundwater is increasingly being used for public and private water supplies in Scotland, but there is growing evidence that manganese (Mn) concentrations in many groundwater supplies exceed the national drinking water limit of 0.05 mg l − 1 . This study examines the extent and magnitude of high Mn concentrations in groundwater in Scotland and investigates the factors controlling Mn concentrations. A dataset containing 475 high quality groundwater samples was compiled using new data from Baseline Scotland supplemented with additional high quality data where available. Concentrations ranged up to 1.9 mg l − 1 ; median Mn concentration was 0.013 mg l − 1 with 25th and 75th percentiles 0.0014 and 0.072 mg l − 1 respectively. The Scottish drinking water limit (0.05 mg l − 1 ) was exceeded for 30% of samples and the WHO health guideline (0.4 mg l − 1 ) by 9%; concentrations were highest in the Carboniferous sedimentary aquifer in central Scotland, the Devonian sedimentary aquifer of Morayshire, and superficial aquifers. Further analysis using 137 samples from the Devonian aquifers indicated strong redox and pH controls (pH, Eh and dissolved oxygen accounted for 58% of variance in Mn concentrations). In addition, an independent relationship between Fe and Mn was observed, suggesting that Fe behaviour in groundwater may affect Mn solubility. Given the redox status and pH of Scottish groundwaters the most likely explanation is sorption of Mn to Fe oxides, which are released into solution when Fe is reduced. Since the occurrence of elevated Mn concentrations is widespread in groundwaters from all aquifer types, consideration should be given to monitoring Mn more widely in both public and private groundwater supplies in Scotland and by implication elsewhere.

Reductive dissolution of Mn oxides in river-recharged aquifers: a laboratory column study

River-recharged aquifers are developed for drinking water supplies in many parts of the world. Often, however, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) present in the infiltrating river water causes biogeochemical reactions to occur in the adjacent aquifer that create elevated Mn and Fe. Mn concentrations in groundwater from some of the production wells installed in the aquifer at Fredericton, New Brunswick exceed the Canadian Drinking Water Guideline of 9.1×10 −4 mmol/l by up to 5.5×10 −2 mmol/l. It has previously been hypothesized that the influx of DOC from the Saint John River is causing bacterially mediated reductive dissolution of Mn oxides in the aquifer system, leading to elevated aqueous Mn concentrations. Previous work was limited to the collection of water samples from production wells and several observation wells installed in the glacial outwash aquifer. The objective of this study was to investigate the biogeochemical controls on Mn concentrations using sand-filled columns. One column was inoculated with bacteria while a second column was treated with ethanol in order to decrease the microbial population initially present in the system. Both columns received the same influent solution that contained acetate as a source of DOC. The results of the experiments suggested that the two main controls on Mn concentrations in the columns were microbially mediated reductive dissolution of Mn oxides and cation exchange. The conceptual model that was developed based on the experimental data was supported by the results obtained using a one-dimensional reactive-transport model. The reductive dissolution of Mn oxides in the aquifer sands could be adequately simulated using dual-Monod kinetics. Similar trends are observed in the experimental data and field data collected from Production Well 5, located in the Fredericton Aquifer. From the experiments, it is evident that cation-exchange reactions may be an important geochemical control on Mn concentrations during the initial stages of pumping; however, the reductive dissolution of Mn oxides may represent a long-term source of Mn in the drinking water supply.