Coupled radon, methane and nitrate sensors for large-scale assessment of groundwater discharge and non-point source pollution to coastal waters

We constructed a survey system of radon/methane/nitrate/salinity to find sites of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) and groundwater nitrate input. We deployed the system in Waquoit Bay and Boston Harbor, MA where we derived SGD rates using a mass balance of radon with methane serving as a fine r...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of environmental radioactivity 2010-07, Vol.101 (7), p.553-563
Main Authors: Dulaiova, Henrieta, Camilli, Richard, Henderson, Paul B., Charette, Matthew A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Boston
Boston Harbor
Brackish
Coastal oceanography, estuaries. Regional oceanography
Discharge
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Environmental Pollution - adverse effects
Environmental Pollution - analysis
Exact sciences and technology
External geophysics
Freshwater
Geography
Geophysics. Techniques, methods, instrumentation and models
Groundwater
Harbors
Marine and continental quaternary
Methane
Methane - analysis
Natural water pollution
Nitrate
Nitrates
Nitrates - analysis
Nitrogen - analysis
Non-point source pollution
Physics of the oceans
Pollution
Radon
Radon - analysis
Risk Assessment - methods
Rivers
Rivers - chemistry
Salinity
Seawater - chemistry
Seawaters, estuaries
Ships
Submarine groundwater discharge
Surficial geology
Waquoit Bay
Water - chemistry
Water Pollutants - analysis
Water pollution
Water treatment and pollution
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Summary:We constructed a survey system of radon/methane/nitrate/salinity to find sites of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) and groundwater nitrate input. We deployed the system in Waquoit Bay and Boston Harbor, MA where we derived SGD rates using a mass balance of radon with methane serving as a fine resolution qualitative indicator of groundwater. In Waquoit Bay we identified several locations of enhanced groundwater discharge, out of which two (Childs and Quashnet Rivers) were studied in more detail. The Childs River was characterized by high nitrate input via groundwater discharge, while the Quashnet River SGD was notable but not a significant source of nitrate. Our radon survey of Boston Harbor revealed several sites with significant SGD, out of these Inner Harbor and parts of Dorchester Bay and Quincy Bay had groundwater fluxes accompanied by significant water column nitrogen concentrations. The survey system has proven effective in revealing areas of SGD and non-point source pollution.
ISSN:0265-931X
1879-1700
DOI:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2009.12.004