Estimation of selenium concentration in shallow groundwater in alluvial fan area in Tsukui, Central Japan

Total selenium (Se) and water-soluble Se in soil, and Se in a shallow groundwater were hydrogeochemically researched in an alluvial fan area in Tsukui, Central Japan. The water-soluble Se was estimated at average level of 2.6 +/- 1.2 microg Se kg(-1) dry soil (+/- SD, n = 25), showing less than 1% of the total Se (349-508 microg Se kg(-1) dry soil) in soil. The monthly Se concentration in groundwater was average 2.2 microg,L(-1), ranging 1.6-2.4 microg,L(-1) during 2001-2003. The Se in groundwater significantly decreased with increasing groundwater level after rainfall. This result indicated that Se-bearing water percolated with relatively low Se concentration through the soil layer. According to our prediction model of linear regression curve on the observation data, Se concentration in the groundwater was estimated to be increasing with the very low rate of 4.35 x 10(-3) microg Se L(-1),yr(-1). The hydrogeochemical research and the result of the prediction model showed that any explosive increase of Se will hardly occur in this groundwater without an anthropogenic Se contamination.