Co-contamination of arsenic and fluoride in the groundwater of unconsolidated aquifers under reducing environments

The co-contamination of arsenic (As) and fluoride (F−) in shallow aquifers is frequently observed worldwide, and the correlations between those contaminants are different according to the redox conditions. This study geochemically explores the reasons for the co-contamination and for the redox-dependent correlations by investigating the groundwater of an alluvial aquifer in Korea. Geochemical signatures of the groundwater in the study area show that the As concentrations are enriched by the reductive dissolution of Fe-(hydr)oxides, and the correlations between As and F− concentrations are poor comparatively to those observed in the oxidizing aquifers. However, F− concentrations are strongly dependent on pH. Desorption/adsorption experiments using raw soils and citrate–bicarbonate–dithionite treated soils indicated that Fe-(hydr)oxides are the important As and F− hosts causing the co-contamination phenomenon. The weaker correlation between F− and As in reducing aquifers is likely to be associated with sulfate reduction, which removes As from groundwater without changing the F− concentration.

► The As and F− co-contamination and their relationships in groundwater were studied.
► Sharing the same adsorbent, Fe (hydr)oxides, causes the co-contamination.
► Sulfate reduction is responsible for the weak correlation in reducing aquifers.