Uranium isotopic disequilibrium for groundwater classification: first results on complexe terminal and continental intercalaire aquifers in Southern Tunisia

Investigation of uranium geochemistry along groundwater flow path in the Continental Intercalaire aquifer (Southern Tunisia)

Environmental tracers ((2)H, (18)O, isotopes of Uranium) and geochemical processes occurring within groundwaters from the Continental Intercalaire (CI) in Southern Tunisia were used to understand the hydrodynamics and the recharge conditions of this aquifer. This study investigates the chemical and isotopic compositions of the CI groundwater. The water types are dominated by Na(+), SO4(2-), Cl(-) throughout most of the basin with a general increase in total dissolved solids from the Saharan Platform margins towards the Chotts region. Large scale groundwater flow paths are toward the Chotts region. The stable isotopes composition of the analyzed groundwater ranges from -8.8 to -6‰ vs V-SMOW for δ(18)O and from -67 to -40‰ vs V-SMOW for δ(2)H. The relatively enriched stable isotopes contents suggest the contribution of the Dahar sandstones outcrops in the current recharge of the CI aquifer in an arid context. However, the most depleted values in heavy isotopes indicate a paleorecharge of the aquifer under wetter conditions revealing a long residence time of groundwaters. The results from water samples using alpha spectrometry method indicate a range in (238)U concentrations and (234)U/(238)U activity ratios (AR) of 0.044-1.285 μg kg(-1) and 1.2 to 8.84 respectively. The geochemistry of uranium isotopes in groundwater is controlled by many factors, essentially, the influence of water rock interactions, the preferential dissolution of (234)U relative to (238)U due to alpha recoil and the mixing processes between different waters with distinct AR as well as (238)U concentrations.

Uranium isotopes in groundwater from the "Jeffara coastal aquifer" (southeastern Tunisia)

The distributions of (238)U and (234)U in groundwater from the "Jeffara aquifer" were studied by using alpha spectrometric methods. The concentration ranges of (238)U and (234)U/(238)U activity ratios were 1.34 +/- 0.17 to 3.43 +/- 0.38 ppb, and 1.43 +/- 0.23 to 1.82 +/- 0.27 respectively. Variations in concentrations can be related not only to lithostratigraphic formations but also to different origins of groundwater. U content of Jeffara are found very similar to those of Continental Intercalaire aquifer in both El Hamma and Chenchou regions, indicating that the Continental Intercalaire is the dominant source of the groundwater.

Uranium isotopes in groundwater from the continental intercalaire aquifer in Algerian Tunisian Sahara (Northern Africa)

The disequilibrium between (234)U and (238)U is commonly used as a tracer of groundwater flow. This paper aims to identify uranium contents and uranium isotopic disequilibria variation in groundwater sampled from deep Continental Intercalaire aquifer (southern Algeria and Tunisia). Large variations in both U contents (0.006-3.39ppb) and (234)U/(238)U activity ratios (0.4-15.38) are observed. We conduct a first assessment in order to verify whether the results of our investigation support and complete previous hydrogeological and isotopic studies. The dissolved U content and (234)U/(238)U activity ratio data were plotted on a two-dimensional diagram that was successfully utilized on sharing the CI aquifer into different compartments submitted to different oxidising/reducing conditions and leads also to distinguished two preferential flow paths in the Nefzaoua/Chott Fejej discharge area. Uranium isotopes disequilibrium indicate that ranium chemistry is mainly controlled by water-rock interaction enhanced by long residence time recognised for this aquifer.