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Blanc T, Peel M, Brennwald MS, Kipfer R, Brunner P. Efficient injection of gas tracers into rivers: A tool to study Surface water-Groundwater interactions. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 254:121375. [PMID: 38442605 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Surface water (SW) - groundwater (GW) interactions exhibit complex spatial and temporal patterns often studied using tracers. However, most natural and artificial tracers have limitations in studying SW-GW interactions, particularly if no significant contrasts in concentrations between SW and GW exist or can be maintained for long durations. In such context, (noble) gases have emerged as promising alternatives to add to the available tracer methods, especially with the recent development of portable mass spectrometers, which enable continuous monitoring of dissolved gas concentrations directly in the field. However, long-duration gas injection into river water presents logistical challenges. To overcome this limitation, we present an efficient and robust diffusion-injection apparatus for labeling large amounts of river water. Our setup allows fine, real-time control of the gas injection rate, and is suitable for extended injection durations and different gas species. To illustrate the effectiveness of our approach, we present a case study where helium (He) is used as an artificial tracer to study river water infiltration into an alluvial aquifer. Our injection of He as a tracer increased the dissolved He concentration of the river water by one order of magnitude compared to air-saturated water concentration for 35 days. This experiment yields valuable information on travel times from the river to a pumping well and on the mixing ratios between freshly infiltrated river water and regional groundwater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Théo Blanc
- Centre for Hydrogeology and Geothermics of University of Neuchâtel (CHYN), Hydrochemistry and Contaminants and Hydrogeological processes, Rue Emile-Argand 11, Neuchâtel, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland; Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Water Resources and Drinking Water, Ueberlandstrasse 133, Dübendorf, 8600, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Morgan Peel
- Centre for Hydrogeology and Geothermics of University of Neuchâtel (CHYN), Hydrochemistry and Contaminants and Hydrogeological processes, Rue Emile-Argand 11, Neuchâtel, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Matthias S Brennwald
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Water Resources and Drinking Water, Ueberlandstrasse 133, Dübendorf, 8600, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Rolf Kipfer
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Water Resources and Drinking Water, Ueberlandstrasse 133, Dübendorf, 8600, Zürich, Switzerland; Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics and Institute of Geochemistry and Petrology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Universitätstrasse 16, Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Philip Brunner
- Centre for Hydrogeology and Geothermics of University of Neuchâtel (CHYN), Hydrochemistry and Contaminants and Hydrogeological processes, Rue Emile-Argand 11, Neuchâtel, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
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2
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Lightfoot AK, Brennwald MS, Prommer H, Stopelli E, Berg M, Glodowska M, Schneider M, Kipfer R. Noble gas constraints on the fate of arsenic in groundwater. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 214:118199. [PMID: 35220067 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Groundwater contamination of geogenic arsenic (As) remains a global health threat, particularly in south-east Asia. The prominent correlation often observed between high As concentrations and methane (CH4) stimulated the analysis of the gas dynamics in an As contaminated aquifer, whereby noble and reactive gases were analysed. Results show a progressive depletion of atmospheric gases (Ar, Kr and N2) alongside highly increasing CH4, implying that a free gas phase comprised mainly of CH4 is formed within the aquifer. In contrast, Helium (He) concentrations are high within the CH4 (gas) producing zone, suggesting longer (groundwater) residence times. We hypothesized that the observed free (CH4) gas phase severely detracts local groundwater (flow) and significantly reduces water renewal within the gas producing zone. Results are in-line with this hypothesis, however, a second hypothesis has been developed, which focuses on the potential transport of He from an adjacent aquitard into the (CH4) gas producing zone. This second hypothesis was formulated as it resolves the particularly high He concentrations observed, and since external solute input from the overlying heterogeneous aquitard cannot be excluded. The proposed feedback between the gas phase and hydraulics provides a plausible explanation of the anti-intuitive correlation between high As and CH4, and the spatially highly patchy distribution of dissolved As concentrations in contaminated aquifers. Furthermore, the increased groundwater residence time would allow for the dissolution of more crystalline As-hosting iron(Fe)-oxide phases in conjunction with the formation of more stable secondary Fe minerals in the hydraulically-slowed (i.e., gas producing) zone; a subject which calls for further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra K Lightfoot
- Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Eawag, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland.
| | - Matthias S Brennwald
- Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Eawag, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland.
| | - Henning Prommer
- CSIRO Land and Water, Floreat, WA 6014, Australia; Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
| | - Emiliano Stopelli
- Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Eawag, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland; International Services and Projects, Nagra, Wettingen 5430, Switzerland.
| | - Michael Berg
- Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Eawag, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland.
| | - Martyna Glodowska
- Department of Microbiology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, XZ Nijmegen 6525, The Netherlands.
| | - Magnus Schneider
- Institute of Applied Geosciences, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe 76131, Germany
| | - Rolf Kipfer
- Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Eawag, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland; Department of Environmental System Sciences, Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland; Department of Earth Sciences, Institute of Geochemistry and Petrology, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland.
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3
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Moeck C, Popp AL, Brennwald MS, Kipfer R, Schirmer M. Combined method of 3H/ 3He apparent age and on-site helium analysis to identify groundwater flow processes and transport of perchloroethylene (PCE) in an urban area. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2021; 238:103773. [PMID: 33540239 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2021.103773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Urban groundwater management requires a thorough and robust scientific understanding of flow and transport processes. 3H/3He apparent ages have been shown to efficiently help provide important groundwater-related information. However, this type of analysis is expensive as well as labor- and time-intensive, and hence limits the number of potential sampling locations. To overcome this limitation, we established an inter-relationship between 3H/3He apparent groundwater ages and 4He concentrations analyzed in the field with a newly developed portable gas equilibrium membrane inlet mass spectrometer (GE-MIMS) system, and demonstrated that the results of the simpler GE-MIMS system are an accurate and reliable alternative to sophisticated laboratory based analyses. The combined use of 3H/3He lab-based ages and predicted ages from the 3H/3He-4He age relationship opens new opportunities for site characterization, and reveals insights into the conceptual understanding of groundwater systems. For our study site, we combined groundwater ages with hydrochemical data, water isotopes (18O and 2H), and perchloroethylene (PCE) concentrations (1) to identify spatial inter-aquifer mixing between artificially infiltrated groundwater and water originating from regional flow paths and (2) to explain the spatial differences in PCE contamination within the observed groundwater system. Overall, low PCE concentrations and young ages occur when the fraction of artificially infiltrated water is high. The results obtained from the age distribution analysis are strongly supported by the information gained from the isotopic and hydrochemical data. Moreover, for some wells, fault-induced aquifer connectivity is identified as a preferential flow path for the transport of older groundwater, leading to elevated PCE concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Moeck
- Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
| | - Andrea L Popp
- Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland; Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Matthias S Brennwald
- Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Rolf Kipfer
- Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland; Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mario Schirmer
- Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland; Centre of Hydrogeology and Geothermics (CHYN), University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
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4
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Munksgaard NC, Nelson PN. Coupled Polymer-Membrane Equilibration and Cavity Ring-down Spectrometry for the Highly Sensitive Determination of Dissolved Methane in Environmental Waters. ANAL LETT 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/00032719.2020.1767122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Niels C. Munksgaard
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Paul N. Nelson
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
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Cheng Y, Liu M, Zhao B, Yang L, Guo C, Zhang L. A sandwich temperature control membrane inlet mass spectrometer for dissolved gases and volatile organic compounds in aqueous solution. Talanta 2021; 221:121464. [PMID: 33076084 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2020.121464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
A sandwich temperature control membrane inlet system based on a miniature mass spectrometer is presented that demonstrates improved analytical performance for the measurement of dissolved gases and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in aqueous solution. Aqueous solution is directly brought to the monolayer flat membrane interface at a constant flow rate. A heating resistor and a thermocouple are fixed on the side of the membrane and aqueous solution respectively. This new strategy allows for a temperature compensation method, affording an improvement of sensitivity and a reduction of response time compared with the conventional heating solution temperature control strategy. Furthermore, a static heating mode is applied to effectively remove the memory effect. Automatic sampling and measurement are achieved by using the membrane inlet system with silicone sheeting of 50 μm thickness. The vacuum is below 3 × 10-5 Torr, which can make the instrument work normally. A good linear response is observed for benzene in the range of 0.1 ppm-10 ppm and the detection limit is 50 ppb. The analytical capacity of this system is demonstrated by the on-line analysis of VOCs in aqueous solution, in which the dominant ions are detected rapidly. The results indicate that the sandwich temperature control membrane inlet mass spectrometer (STC-MIMS) has a potential application for on-line analyzing organic pollution in aquatic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongqiang Cheng
- Institute of Eco-Environmental Forensics, Qingdao Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, Shandong University, China.
| | - Maoke Liu
- Institute of Oceanographic Instrumentation, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Shandong Key Laboratory of Ocean Environmental Monitoring Technology, Qingdao City, Shandong Province, 266001, China
| | - Bin Zhao
- Institute of Oceanographic Instrumentation, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Shandong Key Laboratory of Ocean Environmental Monitoring Technology, Qingdao City, Shandong Province, 266001, China
| | - Li Yang
- Institute of Oceanographic Instrumentation, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Shandong Key Laboratory of Ocean Environmental Monitoring Technology, Qingdao City, Shandong Province, 266001, China
| | - Cuilian Guo
- Institute of Oceanographic Instrumentation, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Shandong Key Laboratory of Ocean Environmental Monitoring Technology, Qingdao City, Shandong Province, 266001, China.
| | - Linbo Zhang
- Institute of Eco-Environmental Forensics, Qingdao Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, Shandong University, China
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6
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Deconvolution and compensation of mass spectrometric overlap interferences with the miniRUEDI portable mass spectrometer. MethodsX 2020; 7:101038. [PMID: 32963969 PMCID: PMC7490835 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2020.101038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The miniRUEDI is a portable mass spectrometer system designed for on-site analysis of gases in the environment during field work and at remote locations. For many gas species (e.g., He, Ar, Kr, N2, O2, CO2) the ion-current peak-heights measured with the mass spectrometer can usually be calibrated in terms of the partial pressures by simple peak-height comparison relative to a gas standard with well known partial pressures. However, depending on the composition of the analysed gases, the ion currents measured at certain m/z ratios may result from overlapping signals of multiple species (for example CH4, O2 and N2 at m/z=15 and 16; or Ne, Ar and H2O at m/z=20). Here, we present a method extension to the existing miniRUEDI peak-height comparison in order to resolve such overlap interferences: • We developed and tested a data processing procedure for accurate deconvolution and compensation of such mass-spectrometric overlap interferences. • The method was incorporated into the miniRUEDI open-source software (ruediPy). • The method substantially improves the analytical accuracy in situations where mass-spectrometric interferences cannot be avoided.
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Knapp JLA, Osenbrück K, Brennwald MS, Cirpka OA. In-situ mass spectrometry improves the estimation of stream reaeration from gas-tracer tests. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 655:1062-1070. [PMID: 30577100 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The estimation of gas-exchange rates between streams and the atmosphere is of great importance for the fate of volatile compounds in rivers. For dissolved oxygen, this exchange process is called reaeration, and its accurate and precise estimation is essential for the quantification of metabolic rates. A common method for the determination of gas-exchange rates is through artificial gas-tracer tests with a proxy gas. We present the implementation of a portable gas-equilibrium membrane inlet mass spectrometer (GE-MIMS) to record concentrations of krypton and propane injected as tracer compound in the context of a gas-tracer test. The field-compatible GE-MIMS uses signals of atmospheric measurements for concentration standardization, and allows recording the dissolved-gas concentrations at a high temporal resolution, leading to overall low measurement uncertainty. Furthermore, the in-situ approach avoids loss of gas during the steps of sampling, transport, storage, and analysis required for ex-situ gas measurements. We compare obtained gas-exchange rate coefficients, reaeration and derived metabolic rates from the in-situ measurements to results obtained from head-space sampling of propane followed by laboratory analysis, and find much lower uncertainties with the in-situ method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia L A Knapp
- Center for Applied Geoscience, University of Tübingen, Germany; Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | | | - Matthias S Brennwald
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Olaf A Cirpka
- Center for Applied Geoscience, University of Tübingen, Germany
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8
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Weber UW, Cook PG, Brennwald MS, Kipfer R, Stieglitz TC. A Novel Approach To Quantify Air-Water Gas Exchange in Shallow Surface Waters Using High-Resolution Time Series of Dissolved Atmospheric Gases. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:1463-1470. [PMID: 30576112 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b05318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Gas exchange across the air-water interface is a key process determining the release of greenhouse gases from surface waters and a fundamental component of gas dynamics in aquatic systems. To experimentally quantify the gas transfer velocity in a wide range of aquatic settings, a novel method based on recently developed techniques for the in situ, near-continuous measurement of dissolved (noble) gases with a field portable mass spectrometer is presented. Variations in observed dissolved gas concentrations are damped and lagged with respect to equilibrium concentrations, being the result of (a) temperature (and thus solubility) variations, (b) water depth, and (c) the specific gas transfer velocity ( ki). The method fits a model to the measured gas concentrations to derive the gas transfer velocity from the amplitude and the phase lag between observed and equilibrium concentrations. With the current experimental setup, the method is sensitive to gas transfer velocities of 0.05-9 m/day (for N2), at a water depth of 1 m, and a given daily water temperature variation of 10 °C. Experiments were performed (a) in a controlled experiment to prove the concept and to confirm the capability to determine low transfer velocities and (b) in a field study in a shallow coastal lagoon covering a range of transfer velocities, demonstrating the field applicability of the method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich W Weber
- Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water , Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology , Dübendorf 8600 , Switzerland
| | - Peter G Cook
- National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT), College of Science and Engineering , Flinders University , Adelaide , SA 5001 , Australia
- Aix-Marseille Université, IMéRA , Marseille 13004 , France
| | - Matthias S Brennwald
- Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water , Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology , Dübendorf 8600 , Switzerland
| | - Rolf Kipfer
- Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water , Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology , Dübendorf 8600 , Switzerland
- Institute for Geochemistry and Petrology , ETH Zurich , Zurich 8092 , Switzerland
| | - Thomas C Stieglitz
- Centre Européen de Recherche et d'Enseignement des Géosciences de l'Environnement (CEREGE), CNRS, IRD, INRA , Coll France , Aix en Provence 13545 , France
- Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research , James Cook University , Townsville , QLD 4811 , Australia
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Wu C, Liu W, Jiang J, Wang Y, Hou K, Li H. An in-source helical membrane inlet single photon ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer for automatic monitoring of trace VOCs in water. Talanta 2019; 192:46-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2018.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2018] [Revised: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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10
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Moeck C, Radny D, Popp A, Brennwald M, Stoll S, Auckenthaler A, Berg M, Schirmer M. Characterization of a managed aquifer recharge system using multiple tracers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 609:701-714. [PMID: 28763667 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.07.211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2017] [Revised: 07/23/2017] [Accepted: 07/23/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge about the residence times of artificially infiltrated water into an aquifer and the resulting flow paths is essential to developing groundwater-management schemes. To obtain this knowledge, a variety of tracers can be used to study residence times and gain information about subsurface processes. Although a variety of tracers exists, their interpretation can differ considerably due to subsurface heterogeneity, underlying assumptions, and sampling and analysis limitations. The current study systematically assesses information gained from seven different tracers during a pumping experiment at a site where drinking water is extracted from an aquifer close to contaminated areas and where groundwater is artificially recharged by infiltrating surface water. We demonstrate that the groundwater residence times estimated using dye and heat tracers are comparable when the thermal retardation for the heat tracer is considered. Furthermore, major ions, acesulfame, and stable isotopes (δ2H and δ18O) show that mixing of infiltrated water and groundwater coming from the regional flow path occurred and a vertical stratification of the flow system exist. Based on the concentration patterns of dissolved gases (He, Ar, Kr, N2, and O2) and chlorinated solvents (e.g., tetrachloroethene), three temporal phases are observed in the ratio between infiltrated water and regional groundwater during the pumping experiment. Variability in this ratio is significantly related to changes in the pumping and infiltration rates. During constant pumping rates, more infiltrated water was extracted, which led to a higher dilution of the regional groundwater. An infiltration interruption caused however, the ratio to change and more regional groundwater is extracted, which led to an increase in all concentrations. The obtained results are discussed for each tracer considered and its strengths and limitations are illustrated. Overall, it is demonstrated that aquifer heterogeneity and various subsurface processes necessitate application of multiple tracers to quantify uncertainty when identifying flow processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Moeck
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
| | - Dirk Radny
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Popp
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland; Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Brennwald
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Stoll
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Adrian Auckenthaler
- Office of Environmental Protection and Energy, Canton Basel-Country, Switzerland
| | - Michael Berg
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Mario Schirmer
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland; Centre of Hydrogeology and Geothermics (CHYN), University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
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Chatton E, Labasque T, de La Bernardie J, Guihéneuf N, Bour O, Aquilina L. Field Continuous Measurement of Dissolved Gases with a CF-MIMS: Applications to the Physics and Biogeochemistry of Groundwater Flow. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:846-854. [PMID: 27936737 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b03706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
In the perspective of a temporal and spatial exploration of aquatic environments (surface and groundwater), we developed a technique for field continuous measurements of dissolved gases with a precision better than 1% for N2, O2, CO2, He, Ar, 2% for Kr, 8% for Xe, and 3% for CH4, N2O and Ne. With a large resolution (from 1 × 10-9 to 1 × 10-2 ccSTP/g) and a capability of high frequency analysis (1 measure every 2 s), the CF-MIMS (Continuous Flow Membrane Inlet Mass Spectrometer) is an innovative tool allowing the investigation of a large panel of hydrological and biogeochemical processes in aquatic systems. Based on the available MIMS technology, this study introduces the development of the CF-MIMS (conception for field experiments, membrane choices, ionization) and an original calibration procedure allowing the quantification of mass spectral overlaps and temperature effects on membrane permeability. This study also presents two field applications of the CF-MIMS involving the well-logging of dissolved gases and the implementation of groundwater tracer tests with dissolved 4He. The results demonstrate the analytical capabilities of the CF-MIMS in the field. Therefore, the CF-MIMS is a valuable tool for the field characterization of biogeochemical reactivity, aquifer transport properties, groundwater recharge, groundwater residence time and aquifer-river exchanges from few hours to several weeks experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliot Chatton
- OSUR-UMR6118 Géosciences Rennes, Université de Rennes 1 and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique , Rennes, France
| | - Thierry Labasque
- OSUR-UMR6118 Géosciences Rennes, Université de Rennes 1 and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique , Rennes, France
| | - Jérôme de La Bernardie
- OSUR-UMR6118 Géosciences Rennes, Université de Rennes 1 and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique , Rennes, France
| | - Nicolas Guihéneuf
- OSUR-UMR6118 Géosciences Rennes, Université de Rennes 1 and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique , Rennes, France
- University of Guelph , 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario Canada
| | - Olivier Bour
- OSUR-UMR6118 Géosciences Rennes, Université de Rennes 1 and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique , Rennes, France
| | - Luc Aquilina
- OSUR-UMR6118 Géosciences Rennes, Université de Rennes 1 and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique , Rennes, France
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Brennwald MS, Schmidt M, Oser J, Kipfer R. A Portable and Autonomous Mass Spectrometric System for On-Site Environmental Gas Analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2016; 50:13455-13463. [PMID: 27993051 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b03669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
We developed a portable mass spectrometric system ("miniRuedi") for quantificaton of the partial pressures of He, Ne (in dry gas), Ar, Kr, N2, O2, CO2, and CH4 in gaseous and aqueous matrices in environmental systems with an analytical uncertainty of 1-3%. The miniRuedi does not require any purification or other preparation of the sampled gases and therefore allows maintenance-free and autonomous operation. The apparatus is most suitable for on-site gas analysis during field work and at remote locations due to its small size (60 cm × 40 cm × 14 cm), low weight (13 kg), and low power consumption (50 W). The gases are continuously sampled and transferred through a capillary pressure reduction system into a vacuum chamber, where they are analyzed using a quadrupole mass spectrometer with a time resolution of ≲1 min. The low gas consumption rate (<0.1 mL/min) minimizes interference with the natural mass balance of gases in environmental systems, and allows the unbiased quantification of dissolved-gas concentrations in water by gas/water equilibration using membrane contractors (gas-equilibrium membrane-inlet mass spectrometry, GE-MIMS). The performance of the miniRuedi is demonstrated in laboratory and field tests, and its utility is illustrated in field applications related to soil-gas formation, lake/atmosphere gas exchange, and seafloor gas emanations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias S Brennwald
- Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology , Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Mark Schmidt
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel , Wischhofstrasse 1-3, 24148 Kiel, Germany
| | - Julian Oser
- Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology , Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Rolf Kipfer
- Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology , Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Institute for Geochemistry and Petrology, ETH Zurich , Zurich 8092, Switzerland
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13
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Papp L, Palcsu L, Veres M, Pintér T. A new dissolved gas sampling method from primary water of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant, Hungary. NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2016.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Manning CC, Stanley RHR, Lott DE. Continuous Measurements of Dissolved Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe Ratios with a Field-Deployable Gas Equilibration Mass Spectrometer. Anal Chem 2016; 88:3040-8. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5b03102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cara C. Manning
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program in Oceanography, Woods
Hole, Massachusetts 02543, United States
- Department
of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, United States
| | - Rachel H. R. Stanley
- Department
of Chemistry, Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts 02481, United States
| | - Dempsey E. Lott
- Department
of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, United States
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15
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Haberer CM, Rolle M, Cirpka OA, Grathwohl P. Impact of heterogeneity on oxygen transfer in a fluctuating capillary fringe. GROUND WATER 2015; 53:57-70. [PMID: 24341670 DOI: 10.1111/gwat.12149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 05/18/2013] [Accepted: 11/12/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
We performed quasi-two-dimensional flow through laboratory experiments to study the effect of a coarse-material inclusion, located in the proximity of the water table, on flow and oxygen transfer in the capillary fringe. The experiments investigate different phases of mass transfer from the unsaturated zone to anoxic groundwater under both steady-state and transient flow conditions, the latter obtained by fluctuating the water table. Monitoring of flow and transport in the different experimental phases was performed by visual inspection of the complex flow field using a dye tracer solution, measurement of oxygen profiles across the capillary fringe, and determination of oxygen fluxes in the effluent of the flow-through chamber. Our results show significant effects of the coarse-material inclusion on oxygen transfer during the different phases of the experiments. At steady state, the oxygen flux across the unsaturated/saturated interface was considerably enhanced due to flow focusing in the fully water-saturated coarse-material inclusion. During drainage, a zone of higher water saturation formed in the fine material overlying the coarse lens. The entrapped oxygen-rich aqueous phase contributed to the total amount of oxygen supplied to the system when the water table was raised back to its initial level. In case of imbibition, pronounced air entrapment occurred in the coarse lens, causing oxygen to partition between the aqueous and gaseous phases. The oxygen mass supplied to the anoxic groundwater following the imbibition event was found to be remarkably higher (approximately seven times) in the heterogeneous system compared with a similar experiment performed in a homogeneous porous medium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M Haberer
- Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Hölderlinstraße 12, 72074, Tübingen, Germany
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16
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Tomonaga Y, Brennwald MS, Livingstone DM, Tomonaga G, Kipfer R. Determination of natural in vivo noble-gas concentrations in human blood. PLoS One 2014; 9:e96972. [PMID: 24811123 PMCID: PMC4014594 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2013] [Accepted: 04/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the naturally occurring atmospheric noble gases He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe possess great potential as tracers for studying gas exchange in living beings, no direct analytical technique exists for simultaneously determining the absolute concentrations of these noble gases in body fluids in vivo. In this study, using human blood as an example, the absolute concentrations of all stable atmospheric noble gases were measured simultaneously by combining and adapting two analytical methods recently developed for geochemical research purposes. The partition coefficients determined between blood and air, and between blood plasma and red blood cells, agree with values from the literature. While the noble-gas concentrations in the plasma agree rather well with the expected solubility equilibrium concentrations for air-saturated water, the red blood cells are characterized by a distinct supersaturation pattern, in which the gas excess increases in proportion to the atomic mass of the noble-gas species, indicating adsorption on to the red blood cells. This study shows that the absolute concentrations of noble gases in body fluids can be easily measured using geochemical techniques that rely only on standard materials and equipment, and for which the underlying concepts are already well established in the field of noble-gas geochemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yama Tomonaga
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Duebendorf, Switzerland; Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Matthias S Brennwald
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Duebendorf, Switzerland
| | - David M Livingstone
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Duebendorf, Switzerland
| | | | - Rolf Kipfer
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Duebendorf, Switzerland; Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland; Institute of Geochemistry and Petrology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland
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17
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Visser A, Singleton MJ, Hillegonds DJ, Velsko CA, Moran JE, Esser BK. A membrane inlet mass spectrometry system for noble gases at natural abundances in gas and water samples. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2013; 27:2472-2482. [PMID: 24097404 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.6704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2013] [Revised: 08/05/2013] [Accepted: 08/07/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Noble gases dissolved in groundwater can reveal paleotemperatures, recharge conditions, and precise travel times. The collection and analysis of noble gas samples are cumbersome, involving noble gas purification, cryogenic separation and static mass spectrometry. A quicker and more efficient sample analysis method is required for introduced tracer studies and laboratory experiments. METHODS A Noble Gas Membrane Inlet Mass Spectrometry (NG-MIMS) system was developed to measure noble gases at natural abundances in gas and water samples. The NG-MIMS system consists of a membrane inlet, a dry-ice water trap, a carbon-dioxide trap, two getters, a gate valve, a turbomolecular pump and a quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with an electron multiplier. Noble gases isotopes (4)He, (22)Ne, (38)Ar, (84)Kr and (132)Xe are measured every 10 s. RESULTS The NG-MIMS system can reproduce measurements made on a traditional noble gas mass spectrometer system with precisions of 2%, 8%, 1%, 1% and 3% for He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe, respectively. Noble gas concentrations measured in an artificial recharge pond were used to monitor an introduced xenon tracer and to reconstruct temperature variations to within 2 °C. Additional experiments demonstrated the capability to measure noble gases in gas and in water samples, in real time. CONCLUSIONS The NG-MIMS system is capable of providing analyses sufficiently accurate and precise for introduced noble gas tracers at managed aquifer recharge facilities, groundwater fingerprinting based on excess air and noble gas recharge temperature, and field and laboratory studies investigating ebullition and diffusive exchange.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ate Visser
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, CA94550, USA
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18
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Brennwald MS, Hofer M, Kipfer R. Simultaneous analysis of noble gases, sulfur hexafluoride, and other dissolved gases in water. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2013; 47:8599-8608. [PMID: 23826704 DOI: 10.1021/es401698p] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
We developed an analytical method for the simultaneous measurement of dissolved He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, SF6, N2, and O2 concentrations in a single water sample. The gases are extracted from the water using a head space technique and are transferred into a vacuum system for purification and separation into different fractions using a series of cold traps. Helium is analyzed using a quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS). The remaining gas species are analyzed using a gas chromatograph equipped with a mass spectrometer (GC-MS) for analysis of Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, N2, and O2 and an electron capture detector (GC-ECD) for SF6 analysis. Standard errors of the gas concentrations are approximately 8% for He and 2-5% for the remaining gas species. The method can be extended to also measure concentrations of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Tests of the method in Lake Lucerne (Switzerland) showed that dissolved gas concentrations agree with measurements from other methods and concentrations of air saturated water. In a small artificial pond, we observed systematic gas supersaturations, which seem to be linked to adsorption of solar irradiation in the pond and to water circulation through a gravel bed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias S Brennwald
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology , Dübendorf, Switzerland.
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Mächler L, Brennwald MS, Kipfer R. Argon concentration time-series as a tool to study gas dynamics in the hyporheic zone. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2013; 47:7060-7066. [PMID: 23611693 DOI: 10.1021/es305309b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The oxygen dynamics in the hyporheic zone of a peri-alpine river (Thur, Switzerland), were studied through recording and analyzing the concentration time-series of dissolved argon, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and temperature during low flow conditions, for a period of one week. The argon concentration time-series was used to investigate the physical gas dynamics in the hyporheic zone. Differences in the transport behavior of heat and gas were determined by comparing the diel temperature evolution of groundwater to the measured concentration of dissolved argon. These differences were most likely caused by vertical heat transport which influenced the local groundwater temperature. The argon concentration time-series were also used to estimate travel times by cross correlating argon concentrations in the groundwater with argon concentrations in the river. The information gained from quantifying the physical gas transport was used to estimate the oxygen turnover in groundwater after water recharge. The resulting oxygen turnover showed strong diel variations, which correlated with the water temperature during groundwater recharge. Hence, the variation in the consumption rate was most likely caused by the temperature dependence of microbial activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Mächler
- Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
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