O impacto de uma lagoa receptora de efluentes industriais contendo boro em um aqüífero raso / Groundwater impact caused by an industrial effluente lagoon with boron

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2006

RESUMO

The boron (B) occurs naturally at low concentrations in surface and ground waters used to human supply and irrigation. Although concentration >1mg/L can cause health and environmental problems, detailed studies on transport and fate of B in aquifers are restricted in Brazil. This study investigated the impacts on groundwater quality caused by an industrial (automobile plant) effluent lagoon into a shallow, unconfined sandy clay aquifer (Taubaté Aquifer) in Taubaté (São Paulo, Brazil). This aquifer is heterogeneous with a hydraulic conductivity varying from 1,08x10-5m/s to 1,7x10-7m/s. The recharge occurs in the whole area (except where the surface is impermeable), and associated to the lagoon. The potentiometric maps indicate radial direction flow from the lagoon to the aquifer and then toward the two streams located in the east and west sides of industrial plant. The present study is based on chemical analyses of groundwater (26 shallow monitoring wells - 3 to 15m deep), surface water (effluent lagoon), and soil and sediments from the bottom of the lagoon, aquifer and surface surround the lagoon in different period of the year. Analyses performed for major elements, B, pH, Eh, and electric conductivity showed the existence of a B plume surrounding the lagoon with maximum length of 120m and deep of 10m. The three different hydrochemical environments were identified: sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride and sodium mixed waters, with variable concentrations of sulfate. The sediment of the bottom of the lagoon acts as a hydrochemical barrier adsorbing the B. This sediment is a secondary source of this contaminant. The adsorption mechanism is controlled by the pH of lagoon water. The lagoon/aquifer system is in relative equilibrium after 2 ½ years since the interruption of the release of B into the lagoon, however, the plume in low concentration is still moving through the aquifer.

ASSUNTO(S)

lagoa de efluente Água subterrânea bottom sediment sedimento de fundo effluent lagoon boro groundwater aqüífero taubaté boron taubaté aquifer

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