Trace Metal Concentrations in Deep Groundwater in Renlou Coal Mine, Northern Anhui Province, China

Concentrations of six types of metals (including Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb) in twelve groundwater samples from two different aquifers (coal bearing and limestone aquifers) in Renlou coal mine in northern Anhui Province, China have been analyzed by using ICP-MS and processed by statistical analysis for tracing their sources. The results indicate that the concentrations of metals are as follows: Cu(6.68 mg/L)> Cr(2.39 mg/L)> Ni(1.03 mg/L)> Zn(0.882 mg/L)> Co(0.569 mg/L)> Pb(0.116 mg/L). Concentrations of Cr, Ni, Cu and Pb are several times (47.8, 51.5, 3.3 and 8.0, respectively) higher than the drinking water standard of WHO, and indicating that these groundwater cannot be used for drinking directly. Two components (eigenvalues higher than one) have been obtained by using factor analysis with a total variance explanation of 88.7%, and two sources for metals in the groundwater have been identified that Cr-Cu and Co-Ni-Pb are originated from different sources. Moreover, the differences of metal concentrations between groundwater in these two aquifers suggest that they can be used for water source discrimination.