An integrated approach to characterising sulphur karst springs : a case study of the Žvepovnik spring in NE Slovenia

Žvab Rožič, Petra (author), Polenšek, Teja (author), Verbovšek, Timotej (author), Kanduč, Tjaša (author), Mulec, Janez (author), Vreča, Polona (author), Strahovnik, Ljudmila (author), Rožič, Boštjan (author)

We present an integrated approach to characterizing the Žvepovnik sulphur spring, comprising detailed basic geological (mapping), geochemical (physico-chemical, elementary), isotopic (δ$^2$H, δ$^{18}$O, δ$^{13}$C$_{DIC}$, δ$^{34}$S and $^3$H), and microbiological analyses. We used a multi-parameter approach to determine the origin of the water (meteoric or deeper infiltration), the origin of the carbon and sulphur, and water retention times. Our special research interest is the origin of the sulphur, as sulphur springs are rare and insufficiently investigated. Our results show that the Žvepovnik spring occurs along the fault near the contact between the dolomite aquifer and overlying shales and volcanoclastic beds. The spring water is the result of the mixing of (1) deeper waters in contact with gypsum and anhydrite and (2) shallow waters originating from precipitation and flowing through the surface carbonate aquifer. The results of δ$^2$H and δ$^{18}$O confirm local modern precipitation as the main source of the spring. δ$^{13}$C$_{DIC}$ originates from the degradation of organic matter and the dissolution of carbonates. We therefore propose four possible sources of sulphur: (1) the most probable is the dissolution of gypsum/anhydrite; (2) barite may be a minor source of sulphur; (3) the microbial dissimilatory sulfate reduction; and (4) the oxidation of pyrite as the least probable option.

• Language: English
• Keywords: sulphur spring, karst groundwater, hydrogeochemistry, isotopes, Slovenia
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: NTF - Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2022
• Number of pages: 21 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 14, iss. 8, art. 1249
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-145255
• UDC: 55
• ISSN on article: 2073-4441
• DOI: 10.3390/w14081249
• COBISS.SI-ID: 104888067
• Publication date in RUL: 14.04.2023

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Water
• Shortened title: Water
• Publisher: Molecular Diversity Preservation International - MDPI
• ISSN: 2073-4441
• COBISS.SI-ID: 36731653

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• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.