Changes in water quality following gypsum application to catchment soils of the Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia

The impacts of gypsum application to pasture on the concentration and character of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and on the inorganic profile of surface and subsurface water were investigated in the Mount Lofty Ranges of South Australia. Two adjacent sub-catchments of the Mount Bold reservoir were...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Varcoe, J., van Leeuwen, J., Chittleborough, D., Cox, J., Smernik, R., Heitz, Anna
Format: Journal Article
Published: Elsevier Science 2010
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/4228
_version_ 1848744457069920256
author Varcoe, J.
van Leeuwen, J.
Chittleborough, D.
Cox, J.
Smernik, R.
Heitz, Anna
author_facet Varcoe, J.
van Leeuwen, J.
Chittleborough, D.
Cox, J.
Smernik, R.
Heitz, Anna
author_sort Varcoe, J.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description The impacts of gypsum application to pasture on the concentration and character of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and on the inorganic profile of surface and subsurface water were investigated in the Mount Lofty Ranges of South Australia. Two adjacent sub-catchments of the Mount Bold reservoir were selected for study, where gypsum was applied at a rate of 15,000 kg ha1 to one and the other left untreated, as a control. Gypsum amendment led to reductions in DOC concentrations in surface and subsurface flows of about 50%, significant increases in aqueous Ca, Mg, Mn and Na and lower concentrations of other metals (Al, Fe) due to Ca2+ exchange. Natural organic matter (NOM) in water from the gypsum treated site was found to have a lower relative aromaticity compared with the control. Alum treatment of control and gypsum-treated waters by a jar test procedure led to 73% and 48% removal of DOC, respectively, resulting in similar residual concentrations. This indicates that DOC removed by traditional alum treatment of drinking water supplies is also susceptible to in situ gypsum treatment, probably via a similar metal-catalysed aggregation mechanism. We conclude that gypsum application to soils of medium to heavy texture has potential to enhance their capacity to bind NOM, thereby lowering DOC concentrations in surface and subsurface flows.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T06:01:46Z
format Journal Article
id curtin-20.500.11937-4228
institution Curtin University Malaysia
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T06:01:46Z
publishDate 2010
publisher Elsevier Science
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling curtin-20.500.11937-42282017-09-13T16:06:09Z Changes in water quality following gypsum application to catchment soils of the Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia Varcoe, J. van Leeuwen, J. Chittleborough, D. Cox, J. Smernik, R. Heitz, Anna gypsum applications dissolved organic carbon NOM Mount Lofty Ranges DOC catchment soils natural organic matter The impacts of gypsum application to pasture on the concentration and character of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and on the inorganic profile of surface and subsurface water were investigated in the Mount Lofty Ranges of South Australia. Two adjacent sub-catchments of the Mount Bold reservoir were selected for study, where gypsum was applied at a rate of 15,000 kg ha1 to one and the other left untreated, as a control. Gypsum amendment led to reductions in DOC concentrations in surface and subsurface flows of about 50%, significant increases in aqueous Ca, Mg, Mn and Na and lower concentrations of other metals (Al, Fe) due to Ca2+ exchange. Natural organic matter (NOM) in water from the gypsum treated site was found to have a lower relative aromaticity compared with the control. Alum treatment of control and gypsum-treated waters by a jar test procedure led to 73% and 48% removal of DOC, respectively, resulting in similar residual concentrations. This indicates that DOC removed by traditional alum treatment of drinking water supplies is also susceptible to in situ gypsum treatment, probably via a similar metal-catalysed aggregation mechanism. We conclude that gypsum application to soils of medium to heavy texture has potential to enhance their capacity to bind NOM, thereby lowering DOC concentrations in surface and subsurface flows. 2010 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/4228 10.1016/j.orggeochem.2009.09.010 Elsevier Science restricted
spellingShingle gypsum applications
dissolved organic carbon
NOM
Mount Lofty Ranges
DOC
catchment soils
natural organic matter
Varcoe, J.
van Leeuwen, J.
Chittleborough, D.
Cox, J.
Smernik, R.
Heitz, Anna
Changes in water quality following gypsum application to catchment soils of the Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia
title Changes in water quality following gypsum application to catchment soils of the Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia
title_full Changes in water quality following gypsum application to catchment soils of the Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia
title_fullStr Changes in water quality following gypsum application to catchment soils of the Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia
title_full_unstemmed Changes in water quality following gypsum application to catchment soils of the Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia
title_short Changes in water quality following gypsum application to catchment soils of the Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia
title_sort changes in water quality following gypsum application to catchment soils of the mount lofty ranges, south australia
topic gypsum applications
dissolved organic carbon
NOM
Mount Lofty Ranges
DOC
catchment soils
natural organic matter
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/4228