Hydrologic Control on Arsenic Cycling at the Groundwater-Surface Water Interface of a Tidal Channel

Historical industrial activities have resulted in soil contamination at sites globally. Many of these sites are located along coastlines, making them vulnerable to hydrologic and biogeochemical alterations due to climate change and sea-level rise. However, the impact of hydrologic dynamics on contaminant mobility in tidal environments has not been well studied. Here, we collected data from pressure transducers in wells, multilevel redox sensors, and porewater samplers at an As-contaminated site adjacent to a freshwater tidal channel. Results indicate that sharp redox gradients exist and that redox conditions vary on tidal to seasonal timescales due to sub-daily water level fluctuations in the channel and seasonal groundwater-surface water interactions. The As and Fe2+ concentrations decreased during seasonal periods of net discharge to the channel. The seasonal changes were greater than tidal variations in both Eh and As concentrations, indicating that impacts of the seasonal mechanism are stronger than those of sub-daily water table fluctuations. A conceptual model describing tidal and seasonal hydro-biogeochemical coupling is presented. These findings have broad implications for understanding the impacts of sea-level rise on the mobility of natural and anthropogenic coastal solutes.

Automated summary

Historical industrial activities have caused soil contamination at coastlines worldwide, which are susceptible to disruptions by climate change and rising sea levels. However, the effects of hydrologic dynamics on contaminant transportation in tidal environments have not been extensively studied. This research collected data from various sensors at a contaminated site near a freshwater tidal channel and found that seasonal groundwater interactions and sub-daily water level fluctuations in the channel contribute to varying redox conditions and contaminant concentrations. The findings highlight the importance of understanding the impacts of sea-level rise on the mobility of coastal solutes.