R EPORT OF I NTERNSHIP

TU Bergakademie Freiberg

Within the topics discussed, we found the manual system of

measurement of CO2 emissions and its application, the use of the
strontium analysis method for groundwater studies and, lastly,
practical examples and the use of the Modflow process Software for
the solution of water problems.

María José Gil González, University of Concepción

September-October 2017
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Report of Internship
TU Bergakademie Freiberg
The present report has as main reason to inform about the internship in TU
Bergakademie Freiberg, in the Faculty of Geosciences, Geoengineering and
Mining under the tutelage of DR. Raghid Sabri.

The first area of study was conducted for the Dr. Kamal Qasem A. Zurba. From
the study of Dr. Zurba, we work with the SEMACH-FG system, a Manual soil
respiration measuring system, which measures in situ CO2 emissions.

After doing a field study, strategic points are chosen. To install the system are
used pvc rings (fig. 1) that function as the physical bases of the equipment.
These rings must be buried and then let the soil rest before measurements for
at least 24 hours, after this time the equipment can be assembled and
connected to a portable computer (fig.3) to collect and store all the information
that will be received by the sensors. These sensors measure air temperature
and pressure, relative humidity outside and inside the chamber (fig. 2),
concentration of CO2 emissions, soil temperature, and photosynthetic active
radiation (PAR). The measuring should be done at intervals of 5 min to restore
the ambient conditions.

Fig. 1: Ring of pvc Fig. 2: Chamber with sensors Fig. 3: Portable computer,
SEMACH-FG

This study compares the CO2 emissions of different types of vegetation

studied, among which are Poplar, Willow and Rapeseed. It follows that the
most important relationships between the CO2 emissions of soils is the type of
vegetation and the microorganisms that exist in the soil and it is also ruled out
that it has a correlation with the temperatures. The study concludes with the
recommendation to perform a rotation in the vegetation that is planted
including willow and poplar from time to time.

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The importance of this study helps us to expand the measurement system to

other fields, for example the option to recover soils that have been exploited
and that are to be reforested in a sustainable way for the environment. In
addition, it is a technique that can be used by a multidisciplinary team of
geologists as well as botanists among others, but mainly a technique and
system that improves the planet where we live.

The second part of the internship is directed by Dr. Raghid Sabri where we
study the application of the use of Sr Isotopes method.

In Nature, strontium has 4 isotopes 84Sr, 86Sr, 87Sr and 88Sr, being 87Sr the only
radiogenic, when the abundance of these isotopes is analyzed, it is measured
as a function of the ratio between the isotope 87Sr and 86Sr. This ratio has an
initial value, which increases when the content of 87Sr increases, normally the
strontium has the capacity to exchange with calcium, in this way it is possible
to trace the sources of groundwater depending on the type of rocks through
which they transit. and where this cationic exchange occurs, leaving its
chemical signature.

To perform these analyzes a very strict methodology is used, part of the

internship was to know this procedure and the associated protocol.

The realization of the analysis begins with the creation of columns (fig.4)
containing water of underground origin and rain water, this mixture is dried to
later fill with Harz Sr Spa, nitric acid is added to dissolve all the strontium, the
sample is dried again. In order to measure the strontium, it must be placed in
filaments (fig. 5), with the help of a tantalum gel, filaments that are heated to
red to fix the sample. The filaments are analyzed in a spectrometer to measure
strontium.

Fig. 4: columns with mixture of Fig. 5: filaments for to heat with Fig. 6: Spectrometer.
water strontium.

The usefulness of this method is focused on the determination of the origin of

groundwater, in the evaluation of water mixtures and in the study of the

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balance of isotopes in the interaction of groundwater and minerals and rocks

containing strontium.

Parallel to this, the software called processing modflow was used, which
simulates possible solutions to drainage problems based on variables such as
water conductivity and types of existing aquifers. This type of tools is
applicable to the management of contaminated water, or mining tailings that
can affect existing aquifers or nearby rivers, creating extraction wells it is
possible to divert waters with contaminants.