Badania potencjału redoks na przykładzie sudeckich wód leczniczych
Abstract
Research of redox potential on the example of curativewaters in the Sudetes Mts., Poland.
A b s t r a c t . In Poland, the redox potential (EH) is seldomly measured in groundwater. Since the year 2006 determination of redox potential is required for documenting properties of curative mineral waters. Investigations of redox conditions in groundwater need both proper measurement and interpretation. In the paper, crucial questions of: 1) redox equilibrium in groundwater, 2) field measurement, 3) correction methods, and 4) EH interpretation are presented. Some aspects of applying the redox potential for interpreting groundwater chemistry and using geochemical modelling are illustrated by hydrochemical data of curative waters from spas in the Sudetes Mts., SW Poland. Main reasons of the common redox non-equilibrium found in groundwater are co-existence of numerous aqueous redox pairs and usually non-equilibrium in particular redox pairs. Redox determinations have to be done in the field, and require extreme cleanness and precision, e.g., measuring without contact with the atmospheric air. Field measurements must be corrected to the standard hydrogen electrode, considering: type of reference electrode, concentration of electrode filling solution, type of standard redox solution, and water temperature. The redox potential has been measured in water at first from all the Sudetic spas, totally in 33 water intakes. In curative waters from the Sudetes corrected EH ranges between –159 mV and +343 mV. Usually, thermal waters show lower EH values than cold, CO2-rich waters. The lowest redox potential was found in the hottest thermal waters, i.e., in water from Zdzis³aw intake (in Lądek Zdrój) and C-2 intake (in Cieplice Śląskie Zdrój). Generally, the higher the pH, the lower the EH in groundwater. Methods of geochemical modelling, which are often and often applied in groundwater research, also require the EH determination. Information about EH are used in the calculation of speciation models of water, and affect the results of whole geochemical modelling as well as evaluations of the saturation state. The speciation-solubility modelling for the Sudetic curative waters, presented in the paper, shows that the proper correction of field EH measurement determines the quality of calculations. Improperly corrected EH values might lead to species activity errors, even up to several order of magnitudes, and erroneous interpretation of the mineral phases stability in the hydrogeochemical system.
A b s t r a c t . In Poland, the redox potential (EH) is seldomly measured in groundwater. Since the year 2006 determination of redox potential is required for documenting properties of curative mineral waters. Investigations of redox conditions in groundwater need both proper measurement and interpretation. In the paper, crucial questions of: 1) redox equilibrium in groundwater, 2) field measurement, 3) correction methods, and 4) EH interpretation are presented. Some aspects of applying the redox potential for interpreting groundwater chemistry and using geochemical modelling are illustrated by hydrochemical data of curative waters from spas in the Sudetes Mts., SW Poland. Main reasons of the common redox non-equilibrium found in groundwater are co-existence of numerous aqueous redox pairs and usually non-equilibrium in particular redox pairs. Redox determinations have to be done in the field, and require extreme cleanness and precision, e.g., measuring without contact with the atmospheric air. Field measurements must be corrected to the standard hydrogen electrode, considering: type of reference electrode, concentration of electrode filling solution, type of standard redox solution, and water temperature. The redox potential has been measured in water at first from all the Sudetic spas, totally in 33 water intakes. In curative waters from the Sudetes corrected EH ranges between –159 mV and +343 mV. Usually, thermal waters show lower EH values than cold, CO2-rich waters. The lowest redox potential was found in the hottest thermal waters, i.e., in water from Zdzis³aw intake (in Lądek Zdrój) and C-2 intake (in Cieplice Śląskie Zdrój). Generally, the higher the pH, the lower the EH in groundwater. Methods of geochemical modelling, which are often and often applied in groundwater research, also require the EH determination. Information about EH are used in the calculation of speciation models of water, and affect the results of whole geochemical modelling as well as evaluations of the saturation state. The speciation-solubility modelling for the Sudetic curative waters, presented in the paper, shows that the proper correction of field EH measurement determines the quality of calculations. Improperly corrected EH values might lead to species activity errors, even up to several order of magnitudes, and erroneous interpretation of the mineral phases stability in the hydrogeochemical system.