Simulation of anoxic lenses as exporters of reactivity in alluvial aquifer sediments

Babey, Tristan; Boye, Kristin; Tolar, Bradley; Engel, Maya; Noël, Vincent; Perzan, Zach; Kumar, Naresh; Francis, Christopher A.; Bargar, John R.; Maher, Kate

doi:10.1016/j.gca.2022.07.018

Title: Simulation of anoxic lenses as exporters of reactivity in alluvial aquifer sediments

Journal Article · 21 July 2022 · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2022.07.018 · OSTI ID:1898427

Babey, Tristan ^[1]; Boye, Kristin ^[2]; Tolar, Bradley ^[3]; Engel, Maya ^[2]; Noël, Vincent ^[2]; Perzan, Zach ^[3]; Kumar, Naresh ^[4]; Francis, Christopher A. ^[3]; Bargar, John R. ^[2]; Maher, Kate ^[3]

Stanford Univ., CA (United States); SLAC / Stanford University
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States)
Stanford Univ., CA (United States)
Stanford Univ., CA (United States); Wageningen Univ. (Netherlands)

Sedimentary interfaces between contrasting hydrogeological facies in alluvial aquifers drive the development of biogeochemical interfaces that influence subsurface and surface water quality. Here, we calibrate a reactive transport model on a series of dual-domain column experiments, where centimeter-scale, low-permeability, organic-rich anoxic lenses are embedded in coarser-grained aquifer material. Simulations explicitly account for C, Fe, and S cycling at the interface between the lenses and the aquifer in water-saturated conditions. Our results highlight the role of fine-grained, organic-rich inclusions not only as sources or sinks for redox-sensitive species, but also as exporters of nutrients that stimulate downgradient biogeochemical cycling. By releasing large amounts of organic carbon into the surrounding aquifer, such lenses drive the development of proximal secondary reduction zones ("halos"), characterized by high microbial activity (e.g., sulfate reduction) and accumulation of reduced reaction products (e.g., iron sulfide). If similar secondary reduction zones develop within the hydraulically conductive domain of an aquifer, they would be highly susceptible to changes in hydrologic conditions, for instance oxygen pulses associated with seasonal snowmelt. Furthermore, our results also emphasize the limitations of relying solely on aqueous species measurements to inform reactivity in systems where fast redox cycling and/or sizeable particulate transport may limit the signature of reactivity in the dissolved phase.

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Research Organization:: SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States); Stanford Univ., CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER). Earth & Environmental Systems Science (EESS)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-76SF00515

OSTI ID:: 1898427

Journal Information:: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Journal Name: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta Vol. 334; ISSN 0016-7037

Publisher:: Elsevier; The Geochemical Society; The Meteoritical SocietyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
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Title: Simulation of anoxic lenses as exporters of reactivity in alluvial aquifer sediments

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