| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4435821 | Applied Geochemistry | 2014 | 8 Pages |
•Isotopic analysis of groundwater perchlorate can provide source identification.•Citrus cultivation in Pomona, CA caused perchlorate contamination of groundwater.•Hydrologic modeling and mass balance support interpretation of perchlorate source.
The groundwater of Pomona, California, is contaminated with perchlorate (ClO4-). This water is treated to reduce the ClO4- concentration to less than 6 μg L−1 for compliance with California Department of Public Health drinking water regulations. A study of the isotopic composition of oxygen and chlorine in ClO4- has been conducted to determine the source of the contamination. Isotopic compositions were measured for ClO4- samples extracted from 14 wells, yielding ranges of δ18O values from −10.8‰ to −8.0‰, Δ17O values from +4.6‰ to +7.5‰, and δ37Cl values from −12.8‰ to −8.9‰. Evaluation of mixing proportions using published isotopic data for three ClO4- end-members (synthetic, Atacama, and indigenous natural ClO4-) indicates that contamination is dominantly (85–89%) Atacama ClO4- derived from past use of imported Chilean nitrate fertilizer in citrus cultivation. This interpretation is consistent with (1) aerial photography archives showing extensive citrus fields surrounding Pomona in the early- to mid-20th century, (2) mass-balance estimates for ClO4-, and (3) numerical hydrologic models yielding travel-times for ClO4- from fields to wells that are in the range of 15 to >100 years. The hydrologic models predict that ClO4- contamination of Pomona groundwater will persist for decades into the future.
