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APPLICATION OF GEOCHEMICAL AND ISOTOPIC STUDY (beta15NNO3, beta18ONO3, beta34SSO4, beta18OSO4) TO ASSESS THE EXTENT OF HUMAN IMPACT ON GROUNDWATER QUALITY IN THE AREA OF KUZNICA WAREZYNSKA RESERVOIR (SOUTHERN POLAND)

Sabina Jakóbczyk-Karpierz

Abstract

The Kuznica Warezynska surface reservoir with an area of 5.6 km2 is located in the Silesian district, southern Poland. It was established in 2006 as a result of flooding of a sand pit after over 40 years of mine operation. Currently, it has various functions, the most important of which are flood control and recreational. The long-term dewatering of the pit and its subsequent flooding caused significant changes in the geochemical conditions in the Quaternary aquifer composed of sands and gravels. In addition, numerous buildings around the reservoir do not have a sewage network, which may affect the concentration of such constituents of groundwater as inorganic nitrogen forms, sulphates, bicarbonates or chlorides. In 2018, studies on the chemistry of groundwater from the Quaternary aquifer were carried out around the reservoir. The isotopic composition of nitrates and sulphates in groundwater samples from three selected piezometers was also determined. The results indicate a high diversity of the chemical composition of groundwater around the reservoir. Water electrical conductivity varies in the range 243-1101 ?S/cm, nitrate concentrations vary from 0.25 to 57.2 mg/L, bicarbonate ? from 24.4 to 396.6 mg/L, Fe2+ from 0 to 3.0 mg/L and Mn2+ from 0.01 to 0.69 mg/L, while sulphate concentrations are more uniform around the reservoir (49-89 mg/L). The results of isotopic studies of S and O in sulphates indicate the origin of sulphates from the oxidation of sulphide minerals and from municipal sewage. Isotopic studies of nitrates suggest their origin from natural fertilizers or municipal sewage. Therefore, it seems that the dominant factor determining the deterioration of groundwater quality is unregulated sewage management around the reservoir.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2019/1.2/s02.010

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