The use of O, H, B, Sr and S isotopes for tracing the origin of dissolved boron in groundwater in Central Macedonia, Greece

The groundwater B concentration in Mesozoic karst, Neogene and alluvial aquifers in the West part of Chalkidiki province in Central Macedonia, Greece reaches 6.45 mg L−1, which exceeds the limit of 1 mg L−1, set by the European Union for drinking water. The high B contents have been detected in this area, not only near the shoreline, where seawater intrusion occurs, but also in the inland part of the basin. Multi isotope (2H, 18O, 34S, 18O(SO4), 11B, 87Sr/86Sr) data from borehole and thermal water springs allow identification of the possible B sources. The B dissolved in groundwater in the Chalkidiki area is mainly geogenic. The low δ11B values, 0–1‰, similar to those of thermal fluids from continental geothermal fields, and the low Cl/B ratio compared to seawater both indicate a geothermal origin for B and reflect deep circulation and interaction with igneous rocks. The 87Sr/86Sr ratio also indicates that the deep-aquifer granodiorite is the predominant rock source of Sr, while the shallow limestone unit has negligible effects on the dissolved Sr budget in these thermal karst waters which O and H isotopes show to be of meteoric origin. The main source of high B in borehole water is mainly mixing with B-rich geothermal water. The mixing between geothermal water and water from the Neogene aquifer is also reflected by isotopic contents of SO4.