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Indicative mean transit time estimation from δ18O values as groundwater vulnerability indicator in karst-fissure aquifers

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Abstract

Ideally, groundwater vulnerability assessment should take into account potential contaminant breakthrough curve, characterized by transit time, relative change of contamination concentration (input/output) and duration of overstepped concentration. Still, a majority of groundwater vulnerability assessment methods that tend to be more physically based count only with the value of mean transit time (MTT), the elapsed time when groundwater can exit the aquifer after its recharge. In this paper, indicative values of MTT derived from single δ18O sampling values were used to estimate intrinsic vulnerability of individual springs occurring on the Muránska planina Plateau (Slovakia). For 295 springs sampled within 10 days, δ18O was found in the range between −10.90 and −7.32 ‰, without signs of altitudinal effect. According to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation (GNIP) stations, significant contrast in precipitation δ18O values was found several weeks before sampling. Indicative MTT value, e maxMTT (estimated longest possible mean transit time), was calculated from sine wave course of monitored precipitation isotopic composition, δ18O value in the spring groundwater sample and altitudes of sampled point and precipitation station. Estimated e maxMTT values suggest that heavier oxygen isotopes in samples probably reflect quick circulation and a more vulnerable environment as influenced by enriched summer precipitation. Depleted δ18O suggests lower vulnerability represented by higher e maxMTT values.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic for the EU structural funds (ASFEU) through the project “Výskum dopadu klimatickej zmeny na dostupné množstvá podzemných vôd v SR a vytvorenie expertného GIS [Research on the climate change impact on the available groundwater amounts in Slovak Republic and the creation of expert GIS]” (ITMS code: 26220220002, Operational Programme Research and Development).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hydrogeology and Geothermal Energy, Štátny geologický ústav Dionýza Štúra – Geological Survey of Slovak Republic, Mlynská dolina 1, 817 04, Bratislava 11, Slovakia

    P. Malík, J. Švasta & M. Gregor

  2. Laboratory of Isotope Geology, Department of Special Laboratories, Štátny geologický ústav Dionýza Štúra – Geological Survey of Slovak Republic, Mlynská dolina 1, 817 04, Bratislava 11, Slovakia

    J. Michalko

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  1. P. Malík
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Correspondence to P. Malík.

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This article is a part of a Topical Collection in Environmental Earth Sciences on “Groundwater Vulnerability”, edited by Dr. Andrzej Witkowski.

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Malík, P., Švasta, J., Michalko, J. et al. Indicative mean transit time estimation from δ18O values as groundwater vulnerability indicator in karst-fissure aquifers. Environ Earth Sci 75, 988 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-016-5791-2

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