engleski

Application of Stable Isotopes and Tritium in Hydrology

Studies of groundwater recharge and infiltration conditions, the mechanisms of mass transfer, and mixing of waters with different compositions and ages are among the basic problems of geology and hydrogeology. Isotopes of hydrogen (3H, 2H) and oxygen (18O) are perfect candidates for groundwater tracers because they are constituent elements of the water molecule. Knowledge on the isotopic composition (Δ18O, Δ2H and 3H activity concentration) in surface and groundwater has found wide application in hydrology, as well as environmental studies in hydro-ecological systems. The isotope techniques have proven to be effective tools for providing information that could not be obtained by any other conventional means. This Special Issue (SI) of the MDPI journal Water addresses the current state-of-the-art applications of stable isotopes and tritium in studies of hydrological process and the whole water cycle. The SI comprises six papers that passed the rigorous review by at least two recognized international reviewers and extensive editorial checks. The compiled papers show a wide variety of topics: isotope distribution in precipitation and groundwater on regional scales, the relationship between isotopes in precipitation and ground and drip water in a karst area, effects of evapotranspiration, and farming activities on water isotope composition. Three out of six papers describe isotope studies in a karst area of Croatia, while the other papers consider the Iberian Peninsula, the United States of America, and China. The papers describe isotope applications in studies performed locally or regionally, but the conclusions obtained may be valid worldwide. Precipitation, groundwater, and surface waters belong to classical water bodies, while evapotranspiration, effects of farming, and drip water in karst caves seldom present applications of water isotopes.

Stable isotopes ; tritium ; applications

Ovo je skup radova iz časopisa Water objavljenih u Special Issue.