Characteristics and Source Analysis of High-Arsenic Groundwater in Typical Watershed Areas of Tibet, China

Abstract

High-arsenic water limits the utilization and development of water resources in Tibet, and high-arsenic groundwater is one of the major sources of arsenic input to surface water in the area. In this work, the characteristics of groundwater and the source and formation of arsenic in a typical watershed in Tibet (the lower tributaries of the Angqu River) were investigated using systematic surveys, ionic ratios, Gibbs diagrams, in combination with isotopic and heat storage calculation methods. The studies show that the chemical composition of the water in the study area is mainly determined by the rock weathering of carbonate and silicate rocks. The average recharge elevation levels of hot spring water are 4874.1 m, 4058.1 m, and 4745.0 m, respectively. Deep hot water is the main source of arsenic in the spring water, and its arsenic flux accounts for 98.44–99.77% of the measured flux in the spring water.