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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Environ. Sci.
Sec. Freshwater Science
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2024.1494730

Hydrochemical characteristic and karst development in typ ical karst spring area, northern China

Provisionally accepted
Xiaojuan Qiao Xiaojuan Qiao 1,2*Baoling Li Baoling Li 3Kai Liu Kai Liu 4*Xinyu Chai Xinyu Chai 2Wenjin Yu Wenjin Yu 2
  • 1 Key Laboratory of Computational Geodynamics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
  • 2 College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China
  • 3 Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, Beijing, China
  • 4 Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Karst aquifer is controlled by complex tectonics. While the tectonic effects and its relationship with chemical evolution in large-scale karst areas are always be neglected. This study focuses on the relationship and systematically analyzed structure control on hydrochemical indicators for karst development in Fangshan, Beijing, North China. The results show that the hydrochemical type changes from mainly HCO3-Ca•Mg, HCO3-SO4 2--Ca•Mg, to HCO3-Mg•Ca along with the flow. The ions relationship, Gibs and SI analysis show the process is mainly rock weathering. From recharge to the discharge area, the increases of Mg 2+ mainly due to dedolomitization process and the desulfation results in sulfate reduction. Total dissolved solid (TDS) increases from 261 to 630 mg/L along the flow. While, its core around the fracture-intensive zone is low (less than 247mg /L). And higher Sr concentration neighboring lamprophyre (χ) and magmatic rock (γ). It proved that the overprint of two-episodic tectonism processes caused a series of NE-NW fold-back thrust nappe structures and a number of faults intersection areas, effects hydrochemical characteristic. The direction of a series of karst caves is consistent with the direction of the Xiayunling fold-back thrust nappe structure indicates that multi-stage tectonic activity creates runoff channels and WRI space and impact cave distribution. Our work is benefit to understanding the role of fractures on karst development from the perspective of hydrochemical view in the groundwater flow, which can provide a basis for further formulating the planning of karst water exploitation.

    Keywords: hydrochemistry, Karst groundwater, water-rock interaction, Tectonic fracture, North China

    Received: 11 Sep 2024; Accepted: 18 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Qiao, Li, Liu, Chai and Yu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Xiaojuan Qiao, Key Laboratory of Computational Geodynamics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
    Kai Liu, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing, China

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