Abstract
Redox reactions of sulfur are very common in groundwater, surface water and in the marine environment (Nordstrom et al., 1979; Froelich et al., 1979; Leuchs, 1988; Alpers & Blowes, 1994; Van Berk & Wisotzky, 1995; Stumm & Morgan, 1996). The input of an oxidant (02, NO3 −, Fe(III)) into a system which contains sulfide minerals leads to mobilising reactions (increase of mineralisation and decrease of pH). Thus, the reaction of oxygen or nitrate with sulfide-containing soils is responsible for sulfuric acid release and increased mobility of metals. Pyrite (FeS2) as an important sulfide mineral can be found in metallic ores, black shales and in overburden sediments of lignite and hard coal deposits. Pyrite oxidation processes include redox reactions of sulfur and iron. These reactions are of high importance for the groundwater quality in lignite mining areas where there are massive occurrences of groundwater in porous media. High sulfate and iron concentrations in the groundwater of the dump aquifers corroborate the dominance of pyrite oxidation in this system. This characterisation is necessary to check the plausibility of redox measurements in the investigated system.
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Wisotzky, F. (2000). Redox Reactions, Multi-Component Stability Diagrams and Isotopic Investigations in Sulfur- and Iron-Dominated Groundwater Systems. In: Schüring, J., Schulz, H.D., Fischer, W.R., Böttcher, J., Duijnisveld, W.H.M. (eds) Redox. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-04080-5_14
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-04080-5_14
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