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Research on Isotope Investigations in Groundwater Studies
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Research on Isotope Investigations in Groundwater Studies

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Hydrogeology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 1474

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Paula M. Carreira

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C2TN), Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, 2695-066 Bobadela, Portugal
Interests: isotope hydrology; groundwater dating; geochemistry; water–rock interaction; hydrogeology; palaeoclimatology; environmental earth sciences; water management and protection
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. José Manuel Marques

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
1. Department of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
2. Centro de Recursos Naturais e Ambiente (CERENA), Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
Interests: isotope hydrology; hydrogeology; water-rock interaction; thermal and mineral waters; geothermal resources; groundwater pollution and protection
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Isotope investigations play a crucial role in advancing our understanding of groundwater systems, offering valuable insights into sources, recharge processes, residence times, and contamination pathways. With the growing demand for sustainable water resource management, isotope techniques have become essential tools in hydrogeological studies, aiding the assessments of groundwater sustainability, pollution tracking, and climate change’s impacts on water availability.

This Special Issue invites original research and review articles that focus on the latest applications of stable and radiogenic isotopes in groundwater studies. We welcome contributions that explore isotope hydrology methodologies, case studies on groundwater tracing, interactions between surface water and groundwater, and innovative isotope-based approaches for identifying contamination sources. Research incorporating emerging analytical techniques and interdisciplinary applications of isotope geochemistry is particularly encouraged. 

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Groundwater recharge and flow dynamics;
  • Isotopic signatures of water–rock interactions;
  • Applications of isotopes in identifying contamination sources;
  • Climate change’s effects on groundwater systems;
  • Novel analytical methods in isotope hydrology;
  • Groundwater age dating using radiogenic isotopes;
  • Interactions between groundwater and surface water;
  • Isotope-based approaches for managing groundwater resources. 

This Special Issue aims to bring together diverse studies that contribute to a deeper understanding of groundwater processes, supporting improved water resource management strategies worldwide.

Dr. Paula M. Carreira
Dr. José Manuel Marques
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • isotope hydrology
  • groundwater recharge
  • water–rock interactions
  • stable and radiogenic isotopes
  • contaminant source tracking
  • groundwater age dating
  • climate change and groundwater
  • surface water–groundwater interac-tions
  • sustainable water management

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 3012 KB  
Article
Contribution of Hydrogeochemical and Isotope (δ2H and δ18O) Studies to Update the Conceptual Model of the Hyposaline Natural Mineral Waters of Ribeirinho and Fazenda Do Arco (Castelo de Vide, Central Portugal)
by José M. Marques, Paula M. Carreira and Manuel Antunes da Silva
Water 2025, 17(23), 3443; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17233443 - 4 Dec 2025
Viewed by 268
Abstract
In this paper, the conceptual hydrogeological circulation model of natural mineral waters from Ribeirinho and Fazenda do Arco hydromineral concession (Castelo de Vide) is updated. These waters are exploited by the Super Bock Group, as bottled waters, and are commercially labeled as Água [...] Read more.
In this paper, the conceptual hydrogeological circulation model of natural mineral waters from Ribeirinho and Fazenda do Arco hydromineral concession (Castelo de Vide) is updated. These waters are exploited by the Super Bock Group, as bottled waters, and are commercially labeled as Água Vitalis. The physico-chemical data (2004–2024) of these waters were processed regarding their joint interpretation with recent isotopic (δ2H and δ18O) data. The study region is dominated by the Castelo de Vide syncline, which develops along the southern limit of the Central Iberian Zone. These natural mineral waters have low electrical conductivity (EC) mean values (42.80 < ECmean < 54.45 μS/cm) and a slightly acidic pH (5.14 < pHmean < 5.46), making them hyposaline waters. The recharge area of this aquifer system coincides fundamentally with the outcrops of Lower Ordovician quartzites. The updated conceptual circulation model presented in this work is essentially developed on the basis of the chloride–sodium signatures of these waters, explained by the preferential recharge of meteoric waters (δ2H and δ18O) and low water–rock interaction temperature. Such isotopic results seem to indicate the non-existence of a flow continuity between the two blocks (NW and SE) of the quartzite ridges, separated by a fault with a local orientation approximately N-S, as indicated by the most enriched isotopic values of the waters from borehole AC22 (δ18O = −5.90‰ vs. V-SMOW) located in the SE block, compared to the average isotopic value of the waters from the other boreholes (Vitalis I, II, III, IV, V and VI) located in the NW block (δ18Omean = −6.30‰ vs. V-SMOW). This study enhances the understanding of the hydrogeological and geochemical processes controlling low-mineralized (hyposaline) natural mineral waters, widely used for therapeutic and commercial purposes. Despite their global importance, detailed hydrogeological and isotopic studies of such systems are still scarce, making this conceptual model a valuable reference for their sustainable management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Isotope Investigations in Groundwater Studies)
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16 pages, 3963 KB  
Article
Hydrogeochemical and Isotopic Evaluation of Heavy Metal Contamination in Rural Groundwater: A Case Study from Tonosí, Panama
by Dina Henriquez-Rivera, Yazmin L. Mack-Vergara, Miguel Salceda-Gonzalez and Kathia Broce
Water 2025, 17(20), 2918; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17202918 - 10 Oct 2025
Viewed by 833
Abstract
The primary source of drinking water for the people of Tonosí, Panama, is groundwater. This research evaluates the presence of heavy metals and possible hazards by combining geochemical and isotopic analyses. Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence (TXRF) was used to measure metal levels in [...] Read more.
The primary source of drinking water for the people of Tonosí, Panama, is groundwater. This research evaluates the presence of heavy metals and possible hazards by combining geochemical and isotopic analyses. Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence (TXRF) was used to measure metal levels in water and soil near wells and springs, while stable isotope ratios (δ2H and δ18O) identified the source of groundwater recharge. Isotopic signatures closely aligned with the Local Meteoric Water Line (LMWL), suggesting meteoric origin and limited evaporation. An analysis of Enrichment Factor (EF) for soil samples, utilizing background values from Coiba and Montijo, showed moderate to substantial enrichment of arsenic, chromium, and copper. Soil enrichment suggests possible dangers with environmental shifts like changes in land use or heavy rainfall. These findings highlight the necessity for continual groundwater observation in rural areas and show the benefits of integrating isotopic and geochemical methods to detect sources of contamination and guide protection strategies. This research improves comprehension of heavy metal exposure in tropical aquifers and offers evidence to aid environmental and public health policymaking. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Isotope Investigations in Groundwater Studies)
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