ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Spatial Distribution and Sources of Dissolved
Organic Matter in High-Antimony Shallow
Groundwater in the Xikuangshan Mine,
Hunan, China
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1
Institute of Disaster Prevention, Sanhe Hebei China, 065201
2
North China Institute of Science and Technology, Sanhe Hebei China, 065201
Submission date: 2022-02-04
Final revision date: 2022-03-26
Acceptance date: 2022-04-23
Online publication date: 2022-08-08
Publication date: 2022-09-28
Corresponding author
Chunming Hao
North China Institute of Science and Technology, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2022;31(5):4805-4816
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ABSTRACT
The origin and composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) is crucial for fate of antimony (Sb)
in aquatic systems. However, there are in which DOM compositional properties, that may better explain
the biogeochemical process of Sb, have been absent. This study aimed to understand the fraction, spatial
distribution, and spectral characteristics of DOM in high-Sb groundwater (commonly: >0.005 mg/L)
from the Xikuangshan Mine in Lengshuijiang, Hunan, China, and explore the characteristics of DOM
associated with the formation process of high-Sb groundwater. Inductively coupled mass spectrometry
and excitation/emission matrix-parallel factor analysis were used to determine the Sb content, DOM
composition, and fluorescence characteristics of 25 shallow groundwater samples collected in May
2021. The dissolved organic carbon (DOC) values in the shallow groundwater varied from 0.38±1.89
to 9.90±1.89 mg/L, with a mean of 2.49 mg/L. The DOM consisted of the following four components:
C1, terrestrial humus; C2, microbial humus; C3, fulvic acid; and C4, tryptophan. DOM in high-Sb
groundwater usually has a high humification index, low biological index, and low fluorescence intensity
values. This result will help to understand the effect of DOM on the accumulation and migration of
antimony in groundwater during biogeochemical cycling.