Biogeochemical cycling of arsenic in coastal salinized aquifers: Evidence from sulfur isotope study

Arsenic (As) contamination of groundwater, accompanied by critical salinization, occurs in the southwestern coastal area of Taiwan. Statistical analyses and geochemical calculations indicate that a possible source of aqueous arsenic is the reductive dissolution of As-bearing iron oxyhydroxides. There are few reports of the influence of sulfate–sulfide redox cycling on arsenic mobility in brackish groundwater. We evaluated the contribution of sulfate reduction and sulfide re-oxidation on As enrichment using δ34S[SO4] and δ18O[SO4] sulfur isotopic analyses of groundwater. Fifty-three groundwater samples were divided into groups of high-As content and salinized (Type A), low-As and non-salinized (Type B), and high-As and non-salinized (Type C) groundwaters, based on hydro-geochemical analysis. The relatively high enrichment of 34S[SO4] and 18O[SO4] present in Type A, caused by microbial-mediated reduction of sulfate, and high 18O enrichment factor (ε[SO4–H2O]), suggests that sulfur disproportionation is an important process during the reductive dissolution of As-containing iron oxyhydroxides. Limited co-precipitation of ion-sulfide increased the rate of As liberation under anaerobic conditions. In contrast to this, Type B and Type C groundwater samples showed high δ18O[SO4] and low δ34S[SO4] values under mildly reducing conditions. Base on 18O mass balance calculations, the oxide sources of sulfate are from infiltrated atmospheric O2, caused by additional recharge of dissolved oxygen and sulfide re-oxidation. The anthropogenic influence of extensive pumping also promotes atmospheric oxygen entry into aquifers, altering redox conditions, and increasing the rate of As release into groundwater.

► Seawater intrusion and elevated As are the main issues of groundwater in Taiwan.
► Sulfur and oxygen isotopes of sulfate were analyzed to evaluate the As mobility.
► Reductive dissolution of Fe minerals and disproportionation of S are responsible for high As.
► Extensive pumping progressively promoted the sulfide re-oxidation and As release.