Groundwater helium isotope characteristics and source identification in Leizhou Peninsula, southern China
Helium isotopes, alongside radiocarbon (14C) dating and the elemental ratio 20Ne/4He, were employed to investigate groundwater evolution in the Leizhou Peninsula, southern China. Groundwater samples were categorized into two groups based on corrected 14C age: Group Ⅰ (modern recharge, >75pMC) and...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
March 2026
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| In: |
Applied geochemistry
Year: 2026, Volume: 200, Pages: 1-8 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.apgeochem.2026.106750 |
| Online Access: | Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2026.106750 Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0883292726000740 
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| Author Notes: | Shaoheng Li, Zuobing Liang, Werner Aeschbach, Dioni I. Cendón, Wen Wei, Qirui Wu, Di Tian, Rouyan Gong, Gang Zeng, Zaizhi Yang, Jianyao Chen, Linyao Dong |
| Summary: | Helium isotopes, alongside radiocarbon (14C) dating and the elemental ratio 20Ne/4He, were employed to investigate groundwater evolution in the Leizhou Peninsula, southern China. Groundwater samples were categorized into two groups based on corrected 14C age: Group Ⅰ (modern recharge, >75pMC) and Group Ⅱ (older groundwater, 1-75 pMC) with ages ranging up to ∼29,000 years BP. Helium isotope analysis revealed distinct sources: Group Ⅰ exhibited elevated 3He/4He ratios (>1 Ra) and tritiogenic 3He, reflecting atmospheric dominance, while Group Ⅱ showed lower 3He/4He ratios (<1 Ra) and radiogenic 4He accumulation, consistent with prolonged groundwater residence time and water-rock interaction. A notable exception was a volcanic island sample with anomalously high 3He/4He (∼3 Ra) and helium concentrations, indicating a localized mantle-derived helium contribution. A ternary mixing model quantified helium sources, demonstrating increasing crustal contributions (1-52%) with groundwater age. Moreover, dissolved 4He concentrations show a positive correlation with corrected 14C ages, yielding a radiogenic 4He accumulation rate of 2.76×10−9 ccSTP/g/ka, supporting 4He as a complementary groundwater chronometer. These findings emphasize time-dependent noble gas accumulation and mixing processes within the aquifer system, offering insights for sustainable groundwater management in the study area. |
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| Item Description: | Online verfügbar 26 February 2026, Version des Artikels 27 February 2026 Gesehen am 13.05.2026 |
| Physical Description: | Online Resource |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.apgeochem.2026.106750 |