In most of research papers I found that high levels of Strontium in groundwater leads to salt water intrusion
my doubt is that:
1. The concentration levels of Sr is always dependent on geology of the area under study or is it fixed?
2. Does sea water consist of Sr in high levels?
3. As seawater is suppose to consist mostly of the elements, why do we consider Sr alone for the salt water intrusion studies?
4. Are there any standards for levels of Sr in seawater as well as groundwater to study about salt water intrusion?
Sr is one of the major elements of the ocean and the least in concentration among other major elements (Na, Mg, Ca and K) but Sr is an attractive proxy in paleoceanographic studies because of its long residence time in the ocean (5Ma), which implies a uniform distribution and conservative nature. Sr level concentrations are higher in ocean waters than in freshwater systems; hence; a considerable increase in the concentration of Sr in the system is an indication of seawater intrusion. Sr levels in the ocean is estimated to be about 8mg/L.
Though a higher concentration of Sr in water is a potential indicator of Marine provenance. But it alone should not be considered to interpret it as a case of salt water intrusion / sea water ingress. In coastal parts of India - a lot of people engage in prawn farming and salt extraction in salt pans by pumping sea water inland through canals, pipelines etc. To substantiate the study a thorough knowledge of sub-surface aquifer disposition and geometry is also essential. The concentration of halides like - Cl, F, Br, I along with that of Na & Mg too should be considered. This is more relevant in cases of transition zones or mixing zones of fresh water and marine water systems.
Though the concentration of Sr in sea water is almost constant, its values in ground water systems varies widely based on the geology and type of water and their residence time in such systems.
I am doing a research on quality improvement of lagoon periphery by regulating the mouth operation. Pl refer the fourth research article uploaded by me in RG. this may be useful to you pl
With regards - Siva
Dear Dr. Kumar
What do you mean by 'high'?
1. Sr in groundwater usually comes from calcium carbonate, so limestone aquifers may have ppm concentrations of Sr.
2. Seawater contains about 7.6 ppm Sr
3. No-one should use Sr for studies of seawater intrusion - use Na, Cl, B, Br and their ratios.
4. What do you mean by 'standards'?
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