Evidence for enhanced mineral dissolution in organic acid-rich shallow ground water

Journal Article · Wed Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1995 · Ground Water

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6584.1995.tb00275.x· OSTI ID:31790

McMahon, P B ^[1]; Vroblesky, D A; Bradley, P M; Chapelle, F H ^[2]; Gullett, C D ^[3]

---

1. Geological Survey, Denver, CO (United States)
2. Geological Survey, Columbia, SC (United States)
3. Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (United States)

Total concentrations of formate, acetate, and isobutyrate varied from less than 5 to greater than 9,000 {mu}mol/l over distances of < 3 m in ground water from a shallow hydrocarbon contaminated aquifer. Laboratory incubations of aquifer material indicate that organic acid concentrations were dependent on the amount of hydrocarbon loading in the sediment and the relative rates of microbial organic acid production and consumption. In heavily contaminated sediments, production greatly exceeded consumption and organic acid concentrations increased. In lightly contaminated sediments rates were essentially equal and organic acid concentrations remained low. Concentrations of dissolved Ca, Mg, and Fe generally were 1--2 orders of magnitude higher in organic acid-rich ground water than in ground water having low organic acid concentrations. Carbonate and Fe(III)-oxyhydroxide minerals were the likely sources of these elements. Similarly, concentrations of dissolved silica, derived from quartz and K-feldspar, were higher in organic acid-rich ground water than in other waters. The positive relation between concentrations of silica and organic acids suggests that the microbially mediated buildup of organic acids in ground water enhanced quartz/K-feldspar dissolution in the aquifer, although it was not the only factor influencing their dissolution. A model indicated that competition between silica and cations for complexation sites on organic acids also influenced quartz/K-feldspar dissolution. Physical evidence for enhanced mineral dissolution in organic acid-rich waters included SEM images of highly corroded quartz and K-feldspar grains from portions of the aquifer containing organic acid-rich ground water. Microporosity generated in hydrocarbon contaminated sediments may adversely affect remediation efforts that depend on the efficient injection of electron acceptors into an aquifer or on the recovery of solutes from an aquifer.

• OSTI ID: 31790
• Journal Information: Ground Water, Journal Name: Ground Water Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 33; ISSN GRWAAP; ISSN 0017-467X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
CONTAMINATION
DISSOLUTION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
GROUND WATER
HYDROCARBONS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MINERALS
OIL FIELDS
REMEDIAL ACTION
WATER POLLUTION