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B, As, and F contamination of river water due to wastewater discharge of the Yangbajing geothermal power plant, Tibet, China

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Environmental Geology

Abstract

Thermal waters from the Yangbajing geothermal field, Tibet, contain high concentrations of B, As, and F, up to 119, 5.7 and 19.6 mg/L, respectively. In this paper, the distribution of B, As, and F in the aquatic environment at Yangbajing was surveyed. The results show that most river water samples collected downstream of the Zangbo River have comparatively higher concentrations of B, As, and F (up to 3.82, 0.27 and 1.85 mg/L, respectively), indicating that the wastewater discharge of the geothermal power plant at Yangbajing has resulted in B, As, and F contamination in the river. Although the concentrations of B, As, and F of the Zangbo river waters decline downstream of the wastewater discharge site due to dilution effect and sorption onto bottom sediments, the sample from the conjunction of the Zangbo River and the Yangbajing River has higher contents of B, As, and F as compared with their predicted values obtained using our regression analysis models. The differences between actual and calculated contents of B, As, and F can be attributed to the contribution from upstream of the Yangbajing River. Water quality deterioration of the river has induced health problems among dwellers living in and downstream of Yangbajing. Effective measures, such as decontamination of wastewater and reinjection into the geothermal field, should be taken to protect the environment at Yangbajing.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Funds for Distinguished Young Scholar (No. 40425001), National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 40702041), Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province of China (No. 2007ABA312), and the Research Fund of Zhongkai Mining Corporation in Tibet.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental Studies & Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology of Ministry of Education, China University of Geosciences, 430074, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China

    Qinghai Guo, Yanxin Wang & Wei Liu

  2. Geo-environmental Monitoring Institute of Tibet Autonomous Region, 850000, Tibet, Lhasa, People’s Republic of China

    Wei Liu

Authors
  1. Qinghai Guo
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  2. Yanxin Wang
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  3. Wei Liu
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Correspondence to Yanxin Wang.

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Guo, Q., Wang, Y. & Liu, W. B, As, and F contamination of river water due to wastewater discharge of the Yangbajing geothermal power plant, Tibet, China. Environ Geol 56, 197–205 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-1155-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-1155-2

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