Estimation of carbon dioxide flux degassing from percolating waters in a karst cave: Case study from Bijambare cave, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Drip water, collected above three actively forming stalagmites, has been analyzed and the results discussed using a calcite saturation index versus equilibrium carbon dioxide partial pressure theoretical relationship. Percolating water appears to have been originated from a parent solution in equilibrium with a carbon dioxide rich gas phase having a minimum concentration varying between 15,000 ppmv and 26,000 ppmv while large part of the variability recorded in the cave can be explained by different stage of degassing. Similarly, analyses performed at several cave pools confirm that drip water rapidly achieves equilibrium with the cave atmosphere after impact on the stalagmite apex, while oversaturation is retained longer. Using these boundary conditions, the changes in inorganic carbon concentration in the percolating water have been calculated and converted into fluxes using an average effective infiltration flow estimated from the annual water balance.The predicted flux of carbon dioxide degassing from drip water is in the range of 0.03–0.06 μmol m−2 s−1. This flux has been found to be one of the major sources of carbon dioxide in the cave atmosphere during low ventilation periods.