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HYDROGEN ISOTOPES, OXIGEN-18 AND CARBON-14 USED TO ESTIMATE AQUIFER RECHARGE CONDITIONS
I. Faurescu1*, A. Feru2, C. Varlam1, D. Faurescu1, I. Vagner1, S. Cuna3, C. Cosma4
1National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenics and Isotopic Technologies - ICIT Rm. Valcea, code 240050 - Rm. Valcea, Uzinei 4, CP7 Riureni, Valcea, Romania, phone:0040 250 736979, fax:0040 250 732746
ABSTRACT
This paper combines radiocarbon age and other environmental isotopes to estimate recharge conditions to a local groundwater aquifer. Estimation was carried out using 14C and other environmental isotopes, such as tritium, deuterium and Oxygen-18. Three types of samples were used: rainfall, surface water and underground water. Radiocarbon and tritium measurements were carried out using liquid scintillation counting. Deuterium and oxygen-18 isotopic composition was determined by mass spectrometry. Mean transit velocities in upper part of aquifer located in volcanic-sedimentary formations was in a range between 0.2 and 1.3 m/year with mean value of 0.9 m/year. Mean transit velocity, specific to aquifers ensemble located in stratovolcanic andesite formations and volcanic-sedimentary formations, is about 2.3 m/year. Results obtained together with similar data from nearby areas, are sufficient to estimate recharge conditions of studied aquifer.
KEYWORDS: Radiocarbon, environmental isotopes, groundwater, aquifer. *Corresponding author: e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it 2National Company of Mineral Waters, Bucharest, Romania 3National Institute of Research-Developement for Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, Cluj-Napoca, Romania 4Faculty of Environmental Science, “Babes-Bolyai” University Cluj-Napoca, Romania |