Abstract: A hydrochemical study employing modelling techniques, was carried out using samples taken at 65 points (springs and wells) in Triassic carbonate aquifers (Lújar-Gádor Unit, Alpujárride Complex, Betic Cordillera). These aquifers are made up of limestones and dolomites with some gypsum scattered or interbedded. Though the area is semi-arid, recharge is relatively high because of their mountainous nature. The carbonate rocks contain dense microfissuration; the groundwater flow regime is predominantly diffuse. The karstic forms are in general poorly developed. Two main hydrochemical processes have been identified in these aquifers. One is incongruent dissolution of dolomite that determines the chemical composition of the less mineralised water. The other is dedolomitisation (dolomite dissolution together with calcite precipitation caused by dissolution of gypsum), which becomes predominant when the flow encounters interbedded gypsum. This reaction is also frequently associated with low temperature thermalism, and can play a part in more intense local karstification (cavities, sinkholes, high transmisivity in wells) observed in the sectors of these aquifers where gypsum is more abundant. A reaction path model has been used to simulate the geochemical processes through a hypothetical aquifer (with similar lithology to the Alpujárride carbonate aquifers). Successive stages of evolution through the carbonate sequence, represented by different saturation states with respect to calcite, dolomite gypsum and CO2, have been modelled and then compared with the field data.

Abstract: We studied if the presence of Saharan dust intrusions and the rains modify the chemical signature of the wet and dry deposition in the southern Iberian Peninsula. We have sorted the 109 sampling weeks by the presence (rainy weeks) or absence (dry weeks) of rain and by the occurrence or not of Saharan dust intrusions. Dry deposition dominated the delivery of particulate material (PM), total phosphorus (TP), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), Ca2+, Mg2+ and K+, whereas wet deposition dominated the delivery of Na+, total nitrogen, and . In the dry weeks, the presence of Saharan dust intrusions lead to higher inputs of PM, TP, SRP, Ca2+, Mg2+ and K+ in the dry deposition. Conversely, in the rainy weeks, there were no differences in mean values of dry deposition irrespective of the occurrence of Saharan dust intrusions. Nevertheless, in the presence of Saharan intrusions and some rain, the weekly collection of PM, TP and Ca2+ in dry deposition were significantly higher and increased as rainfall was lower. By contrast, the ions Cl– and Na+ in wet deposition were higher in absence of Saharan dust intrusion and increased as rainfall increased.