Contribution of volcanic ashes to the regional geochemical balance: The 2008 eruption of Chaitén volcano, Southern Chile

The environmental geochemical behaviour of the rhyolitic ashes from the 2008 eruption of Chaitén volcano, Southern Chile, has been studied. After the bulk characterisation, the potential contribution to the regional geochemical fluxes was examined using: i) single batch leaching tests to provide a rapid screening of the implied major and trace elements; and ii) column experiments to evaluate the temporal mobility of leached elements. The environmental concerns of these ashes are related to the fine grained component present in each sample (independent of distance from the source), in particular the presence of cristobalite, and the geochemical hazards posed by ash–water interaction. Leaching experiments show the fast dissolution of surface salts and aerosols, which dominate over glass dissolution during the first steps of the ash–water interaction. Chaitén ashes could transfer to the environment more than 1 × 1010 g or 10,000 metric tonnes (mt) of Cl, S, Ca, Na, Si, and K; between 1000 and 10,000 mt of F, Mg, and Al; between 100 and 1000 mt of As, Pb, P, Fe, Sr, Zn, Mn, and Br; between 10 and 100 mt of Ba, Li, Ti, Ni, Nb, Cu, Rb, Zr, V, Mo, Co, and Sc; and less than 10 mt of Cr, Sb, Ce, Ga, Cs, and Y. These results show the fertilising potential of the ashes (e.g., providing Ca and Fe) but also the input of potentially toxic trace elements (e.g., F and As) in the regional geochemical mass balance. The Chaitén results evidence lower potentials for poisoning and fertilising than low silica ashes due to the lower contents released of practically all elements.

► We model the contribution of 2008 Chaitén ash to the regional geochemical balance. ► There are implied fertilising and potentially toxic elements. ► Chaitén could mobilise more than 10,000 tonnes of Cl, S, Ca, Na, Si, and K to the environment. ► Leaching tests are a key tool for environmental monitoring of ash falls.