Similarities in the Chemical Composition of Carbonate Groundwaters and Seawater

Fifty-four elements were quantified in spring waters emanating from carbonate rock in Ash Meadows, in southern Nevada, and in Death Valley, CA. The results show that the concentrations of many of the trace elements found in these groundwaters are remarkably close to those found in modern seawater. T...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental science & technology 1998-09, Vol.32 (17), p.2481-2486
Main Authors: Hodge, Vernon F, Stetzenbach, Klaus J, Johannesson, Kevin H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Carbonates
Chemical composition
Concentration (composition)
Depletion
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Emission
Enrichment
Environment
Exact sciences and technology
External geophysics
Geochemistry
Groundwater
Hydrogeology
Hydrology. Hydrogeology
Isotopes
Mineralogy
Oceans
Physical and chemical properties of sea water
Physics of the oceans
Rock
Silicates
Similarity
Trace elements
Valleys
Water
Water geochemistry
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Summary:Fifty-four elements were quantified in spring waters emanating from carbonate rock in Ash Meadows, in southern Nevada, and in Death Valley, CA. The results show that the concentrations of many of the trace elements found in these groundwaters are remarkably close to those found in modern seawater. The concentrations of 26 of the elements in the spring waters and seawater are within a factor of 2; 14 more are within a factor of 10; 8 elements are enriched in the groundwater by more than a factor of 10; and 6 elements are depleted by more than a factor of 10. Similarities in the trace chemical composition of ancient seawater and modern seawater can be inferred from the fingerprint of trace elements found in these carbonate rock-source spring waters.
ISSN:0013-936X
1520-5851
DOI:10.1021/es980080v