Iron concentrations in selected groundwater samples from the lower Friulian Plain, northeast Italy: importance of salinity

High amounts of iron, up to 14 mg/L, were found in groundwater samples from Marano Lagoon in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Plain (northeast Italy). In order to characterize groundwater hydrochemistry in the area, an investigation has been conducted on 35 wells that were monitored since 2006. Leaching tests were performed (under anaerobic conditions with deionized and saline waters) on two core samples in the area to study the iron release from soils to groundwater. Collected data indicated the main role of salinity in metal leaching and highlighted spatial correspondence between high levels of chloride and iron. To understand the mechanism of groundwater salinization, sulphate/chloride ratio has been investigated and a statistical relation between salinity, pH and iron was found. These data do not show any relation between past activities and high iron groundwater contents. High iron concentrations are diffuse in the whole area and therefore comparable to background values. Consequently, the study states that no remediation plan should have been made for iron concentrations in this area.