Widespread Natural Perchlorate in Unsaturated Zones of the Southwest United States

A substantial reservoir (up to 1 kg ha-1) of natural perchlorate is present in diverse unsaturated zones of the arid and semi-arid southwestern United States. The perchlorate co-occurs with meteoric chloride that has accumulated in these soils throughout the Holocene [0 to 10−15 ka (thousand years a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental science & technology 2007-07, Vol.41 (13), p.4522-4528
Main Authors: Rao, Balaji, Anderson, Todd A, Orris, Greta J, Rainwater, Ken A, Rajagopalan, Srinath, Sandvig, Renee M, Scanlon, Bridget R, Stonestrom, David A, Walvoord, Michelle A, Jackson, W. Andrew
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Chemical compounds
Climate change
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics
Environmental science
Exact sciences and technology
Geologic Sediments - chemistry
Geological time
Groundwater
Groundwaters
Natural water pollution
Perchlorates - analysis
Pollution
Pollution, environment geology
Reservoirs
Soil Pollutants - analysis
Southwestern United States
Water treatment and pollution
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Summary:A substantial reservoir (up to 1 kg ha-1) of natural perchlorate is present in diverse unsaturated zones of the arid and semi-arid southwestern United States. The perchlorate co-occurs with meteoric chloride that has accumulated in these soils throughout the Holocene [0 to 10−15 ka (thousand years ago)] and possibly longer periods. Previously, natural perchlorate widely believed to be limited to the Atacama Desert, now appears widespread in steppe-to-desert ecoregions. The perchlorate reservoir becomes sufficiently large to affect groundwater when recharge from irrigation or climate change flushes accumulated salts from the unsaturated zone. This new source may help explain increasing reports of perchlorate in dry region agricultural products and should be considered when evaluating overall source contributions.
ISSN:0013-936X
1520-5851
DOI:10.1021/es062853i