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J. Limnol., 2014; 73(3): 523-535 ORIGINAL ARTICLE
DOI: 10.4081/jlimnol.2014.961
INTRODUCTION
Karst sinkholes are a common feature in the Tyrrhenian
side of central-southern Italy (Santo et al., 2011, and refer-
ences therein). The occurrence of ground collapses, basi-
cally produced by internal erosion and deformation
processes caused by subsurface karstification (Williams,
2003; Sauro, 2003; Waltham et al., 2005), is likely favored
by seismic activity (Del Prete et al., 2010) and circulation
of CO2(H2S)-rich fluids (Duchi et al., 1986; Billi et al.,
2007; Frondini et al., 2008). An enhanced hydrothermal ac-
tivity in this area was interpreted as related to a heat flow
anomaly (Gianelli et al., 1997; Batini et al., 2003; Bellani
et al., 2004) and extensional structures coeval with the em-
placement of granitoids at depth in the Late Miocene, ex-
posed or drilled during mining exploitation (Serri et al.,
1993; Dini et al., 2005; Benvenuti et al., 1994). Hydrother-
mal fluid patterns are currently controlled by Early
Pliocene-Present high angle normal to strike-slip faults giv-
ing rise to local tectonic depressions (Bertini et al., 1991;
Carmignani et al., 1994; Jolivet et al., 1998; Rossetti et al.,
2011; Brogi et al., 2005; Liotta et al., 2010).
Lake Accesa (42°59’ N; 10°53’ E; 157 m asl) is a water-
filled sinkhole located 5 km from the town of Massa Marit-
tima (southern Tuscany, central Italy) and 12 km west of
the Tyrrhenian Sea coast, located at the southern border of
Colline Metallifere mining district, which is marked by ore-
deposits and widespread hydrothermal mineralization
(Serri et al., 1991) (Fig. 1a). Exploitation activity of metal
deposits since pre-Roman Age (~2500 yrs BP) is here tes-
tified by the presence of a necropolis and an Etruscan set-
tlement (Lobell, 2002). In the past century, mineral
exploitation mainly focused on the Cu-Pb-Zn-Ag deposit
of Fenice Capanne (Mascaro et al., 2001), and the pyrite
deposits of Niccioleta and Gavorrano (Fig. 1b). In historic
times, water from Lake Accesa was used to wash minerals
from the Island of Elba and other regional and local mines
(Rizzotto, 1981). The existence of the lake, which has an
effluent (Bruna River) and no tributaries, seems to depend
on the occurrence of mineral springs mainly discharging
from the lake bottom, e.g. Paradiso spring, and partly by
subaerial contribution, Inferno spring (Magny et al., 2007;
Negri, 2008; Vannière et al., 2008).
Hydrogeochemical processes controlling water and dissolved gas chemistry
at the Accesa sinkhole (southern Tuscany, central Italy)
Franco TASSI,1,2* Gabriele BICOCCHI,1Jacopo CABASSI,1Francesco CAPECCHIACCI,1,2 Orlando VASELLI,1,2
Enrico CAPEZZUOLI,3Andrea BROGI4
1Department of Earth Sciences, Via G. La Pira 4, 50121 Florence; 2CNR - Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources, Via G. La
Pira 4, 50121 Florence; 3Department of Physical Sciences, Earth and Environment, Via Laterina 8, 53100 Siena; 4Department of
Earth and Geoenvironmental Sciences, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
*Corresponding author: franco.tassi@unifi.it
ABSTRACT
The 38.5 m deep Lake Accesa is a sinkhole located in southern Tuscany (Italy) that shows a peculiar water composition, being
characterized by relatively high total dissolved solids (TDS) values (2 g L–1) and a Ca(Mg)-SO4 geochemical facies. The presence of
significant amounts of extra-atmospheric gases (CO2and CH4), which increase their concentrations with depth, is also recognized.
These chemical features, mimicking those commonly shown by volcanic lakes fed by hydrothermal-magmatic reservoirs, are consistent
with those of mineral springs emerging in the study area whose chemistry is produced by the interaction of meteoric-derived waters
with Mesozoic carbonates and Triassic evaporites. Although the lake has a pronounced thermocline, water chemistry does not show
significant changes along the vertical profile. Lake water balance calculations demonstrate that Lake Accesa has >90% of its water
supply from sublacustrine springs whose subterranean pathways are controlled by the local structural assessment that likely determined
the sinking event, the resulting funnel-shape being then filled by the Accesa waters. Such a huge water inflow from the lake bottom
(~9·106m3yr–1) feeds the lake effluent (Bruna River) and promotes the formation of water currents, which are able to prevent the es-
tablishment of a vertical density gradient. Consequently, a continuous mixing along the whole vertical water column is established.
Changes of the drainage system by the deep-originated waters in the nearby former mining district have strongly affected the outflow
rates of the local mineral springs; thus, future intervention associated with the ongoing remediation activities should carefully be eval-
uated to preserve the peculiar chemical features of Lake Accesa.
Key words: Central Italy, lake chemistry, Lake Accesa, sinkholes, lake water balance, structural geology setting.
Received: February 2014. Accepted: May 2014.
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524 F. Tassi et al.
In this work, the chemical and isotopic compositions
of water and dissolved gases of Lake Accesa are presented
and discussed. The main goal is to investigate the role
played by i) the external fluid source(s) and ii) biogeo-
chemical processes, such as water-rock interactions and
microbial activity, for determining the lake chemistry
along the vertical profile.
GEOSTRUCTURAL OUTLINES OF THE
STUDY AREA
Southern Tuscany is characterized by a thinned conti-
nental crust and lithosphere (Nicolich, 1989) that has fa-
vored the presence of a high heat flow, the most relevant
expressions being represented by the Larderello-Travale
and Mt. Amiata geothermal fields (Batini et al., 2003 and
references therein) and a large number of gas(CO2-H2S)-
rich thermo-mineral springs (Minissale, 2004; Minissale
et al., 1997, and references therein). This tectonic setting
results from the convergence and collision (Cretaceous-
Early Miocene) between the Adria Plate and the Sardinia-
Corsica Massif with the consequent stacking of the tec-
tonic units and their subsequent compression (to the East)
and extension (to the West) from the Early-Middle
Miocene to Present (Elter et al., 1975; Carmignani et al.,
1995, 2001, and references therein) and late-Apenninic
magmatism (Tanelli, 1983; Lattanzi et al., 1994; Costagli-
ola et al., 2008). Historically-exploited base metal-sulfur
ore deposits and S-bearing mineralizations that form the
mining district of Colline Metallifere, are hosted within
sedimentary and Palaezoic (phyllites) and Triassic (dolo-
stone and gypsum/anhydrite) rocks that are covered by
Ligurian Units produced by an extensional detachment
occurring in Middle-Late Miocene (Arisi Rota and Vighi,
1971; Tanelli, 1983).
In the study area large outcrops of Mesozoic lime-
stone deposits occur and are able to host large volume
of meteoric waters that interact with deep-originated
CO2-H2S-rich fluids favoring the formation of sinkholes
and dolines (Nisio et al., 2007; Caramanna et al., 2008;
Liotta et al., 2010). The funnel-shaped Lake Accesa,
originated by karstic collapse, is located at the intersec-
Fig. 1. Geographic map of the (a) southern Tuscany with the location of the Colline Metallifere mining district, and (b) the study area
with the location of i) Lake Accesa and its catchment area, ii) Aronna Venelle and Montioni springs, iii) Ghirlanda and Schiantapetto
sinkholes, iv) Niccioleta, Boccheggiano and Fenice Capanne mines (image Landsat ©2014 Google).
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525
Hydrogeochemical processes at the Accesa sinkhole (Central Italy)
tion of two NW- and NE-trending faults (Merciai, 1933;
Magny et al., 2007; Negri et al., 2008; Vanniere et al.,
2008) (Fig. 2), which allow the uprising of subaqueous
springs feeding the lake (Negri, 2008). It is worthwhile
to mention that the NW-trending fault system is also
controlling spring waters (Aronna and Venelle; Bencini
et al., 1977; Celati et al., 1990; Fig. 1b), located in cor-
respondence of small karstic depressions north of Lake
Accesa, and other sub-circular depressions (Ghirlanda
and Schiantapetto, Caramanna et al., 2008) occurring
nearby (Fig. 1b).
SAMPLING AND ANALYTICAL METHODS
Field measurements and water and dissolved
gas sampling
In May 2012, water depth (m), temperature (°C), pH,
dissolved O2(µmol/L), and electrical conductivity (EC in
S cm–1), corrected at room ambient temperature: 20 °C,
were measured along the lake vertical profile using a Hy-
drolab multiparameter probe (Idroprobe) equipped with a
data logger for data storage. The nominal precisions are:
depth, ±0.05 m; temperature, ±0.03 °C; pH, ±0.1; O2, ±2
μmol/L; EC, ±5 S cm–1.
On the same date, water and dissolved gas sampling
was carried out from the lake surface to the bottom at in-
tervals of 5 m at a site corresponding to the deepest point
of the lake (42°59’16” N, 10°53’44” E). The sampling
equipment consisted of a set of 10 m long Rilsan®tubes
(φ=6 mm) connected by steel connectors. Once the Rilsan®
tube was lowered to the chosen depth, water was pumped
up to the surface by means of a 150 mL glass syringe
equipped with a three-way valve and transferred into plastic
bottles after the displacement of a water volume double
than the inner volume of the Rilsan tube (Tassi et al., 2009).
One water sample from the Aronna (43°00’18” N,
10°52’36” E) mineral spring located near the lake (Fig. 1)
was also collected.
Filtered aliquots of water were transferred in 125 mL
polyethylene bottles for the analysis of anions, cations
(acidified with HCl 30% wt) and trace species (acidified
with ultrapure HNO365% wt). An aliquot (8 mL) of water
was collected in plastic tubes filled with 2 mL of a Cd-
NH4 solution for the determination of the reduced sulfur
Fig. 2. Schematic geostructural map of Lake Accesa catchment area (modified after Magny et al., 2007).
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526 F. Tassi et al.
species (H2S, HS– and S2–, expressed as ΣS2–) according
to Montegrossi et al. (2006). Water samples collected in
500 mL polyethylene bottles with the addition of HgCl2
were used for the analysis of δ2H, δ18O, δ34S-SO4 and δ13C
of total dissolved inorganic carbon (TDIC). Dissolved
gases were sampled using pre-evacuated 250 mL glass
vials equipped with a Teflon stopcock that were connected
to the Rilsan tube and filled with water up to about three
fourths of their inner volume (Chiodini, 1996; Tassi et al.,
2008). Flow rate measurements of the Bruna River emis-
sary were carried out at La Pesta site, about 600 m down-
stream of Lake Accesa, using a mechanical current-meter
method. Stream section and velocity were measured using
a steel tape and a current meter, respectively.
Chemical and isotopic analysis of waters
Total alkalinity (HCO3–in Tab. 1) was analyzed via
acidimetric titration with 0.01 N HCl using a Metrohm
794 automatic titration unit. Major cations (Ca2+, Mg2+,
Na+, K+and NH4+) and anions (Cl–, SO42–, NO3–, Br–and
F–) were analyzed by ion chromatography (Metrohm 861
and 761 IC, respectively). Reduced sulfur species (ΣS2–)
were analyzed as SO42– by ion chromatography (Metrohm
761 IC), as described in Montegrossi et al. (2006). Se-
lected minor and trace elements (Al3+, As, B, Fetot, Li+,
Mn2+, Rb+, Sr2+ and Zn2+) were analyzed at the CSA Lab-
oratory (Rimini, Italy) by ICP-MS on the samples acidi-
fied with 1% ultra-pure HNO3. Analytical errors for
chemical analysis of major, minor and trace compounds
were <5%. Water isotopes (expressed as δ18O and δ2H ‰
vs V-SMOW) in water samples were analyzed using a
Finnigan Delta Plus XL mass spectrometer according to
standard protocols. Oxygen isotopes were analyzed using
the CO2–H2O equilibration method proposed by Epstein
and Mayeda (1953). Hydrogen isotopes were analyzed on
H2produced after the reaction of 10 mL of water with
metallic zinc at 500 °C (Coleman et al., 1982). Analytical
errors for δ18O and δ2H analysis were ±0.1% and ±1%, re-
spectively. The 3H content (TU, tritium unit; 1 TU=119
Bq m–3) in one selected sample (Lake Accesa, 15 m depth)
was determined at the Geoisotopical Unit of Public
Health, Department of Chemistry (Koper, Slovenia) using
Liquid Scintillation Counting (LSC) technique. For the
analysis, 500 mL of sample were transferred to a pyrex
container with carborundum (SiC), adding 250 mg of
Na2S2O3and 500 mg of Na2CO3. Blank and samples were
prepared by mean of a distillation apparatus. The analyt-
ical error was 1 Bq m–3 on 100 Bq m–3 (1%). The 13C/12C
ratios of total dissolved inorganic carbon (TDIC; ex-
pressed as δ13C-TDIC ‰ vs V-PDB) were determined on
CO2produced by reaction of 3 mL of water with 2 mL of
anhydrous phosphoric acid in vacuum (Salata et al., 2000)
using a Finnigan Delta Plus XL mass spectrometer. The
recovered CO2was analyzed using a Finningan Delta S
Tab. 1. Temperature, pH and chemical composition of water samples collected from the vertical profile of Lake Accesa at depth intervals of 5 m. Chemical data for the Aronna spring
are also reported. Concentrations are in mg L–1.
Sample Depth pH T Ca2+ Mg2+ Na+K+NH4+HCO3–SO42– NO3–Cl–F–Br–HS–Al3+ As B Fe3+ Li+Mn2+ Rb+1 Sr2+ Zn2+ TDS
Lake Accesa 0 7.90 20.6 470 104 13 2.9 0.17 270 1290 2.6 36 1.2 0.075 137 0.004 0.014 1.52 <0.005 0.049 0.009 0.024 7.1 0.005 2336
“ 5 7.86 20.4 460 105 12 3.2 0.17 270 1270 2.9 37 1.0 0.077 136 0.003 0.014 1.58 0.007 0.052 0.009 0.024 7.2 0.006 2306
“ 10 7.70 20.1 450 103 13 2.9 0.23 280 1250 3.4 43 2.5 0.074 137 0.002 0.011 1.61 0.005 0.051 0.009 0.024 7 0.012 2294
“ 15 7.94 11.0 460 102 14 3.2 0.06 280 1250 2.1 36 1.2 0.072 161 0.006 0.010 1.52 0.007 0.048 0.010 0.024 7 0.011 2319
“ 20 8.00 9.3 450 101 12 3.0 0.14 270 1260 2.3 37 1.3 0.078 138 0.003 0.010 1.52 0.007 0.048 0.011 0.024 6.9 0.013 2283
“ 25 8.09 8.9 450 102 13 3.8 0.09 270 1260 2.6 38 1.8 0.071 130 0.003 0.010 1.52 0.006 0.048 0.020 0.024 6.8 0.011 2279
“ 30 8.02 8.6 460 102 13 2.6 0.11 270 1280 2.0 35 1.3 0.074 157 0.002 0.010 1.56 <0.005 0.049 0.019 0.024 6.9 0.015 2332
“ 35 8.00 8.5 440 102 13 4.6 0.18 280 1290 3.1 37 1.3 0.073 109 0.002 0.010 1.52 <0.005 0.048 0.023 0.024 6.9 0.016 2288
“ 38.4 8.01 8.4 450 101 12 3.9 0.22 270 1290 2.2 37 1.4 0.076 112 0.002 0.010 1.53 <0.005 0.048 0.025 0.023 6.8 0.014 2288
Aronna 7.03 22.7 470 113 11 4.2 0.60 280 1230 2.7 32 1.5 0.067 109 0.002 0.048 1.85 <0.005 0.051 <0.001 0.035 n.a. 0.019 2256
TDS, total dissolved solids.
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527
Hydrogeochemical processes at the Accesa sinkhole (Central Italy)
mass spectrometer after two-step extraction and purifica-
tion procedures of the gas mixtures by using liquid N2and
a solid–liquid mixture of liquid N2and trichloroethylene
(Evans et al., 1998; Vaselli et al., 2006). Internal (Carrara
and San Vincenzo marbles) and International (NBS18 and
NBS19) standards were used for estimating the external
precision. The analytical error and the reproducibility
were ±0.05% and ±0.1%, respectively.
The analysis of 34S/32S ratios of SO42– (δ34S-SO4ex-
pressed as ‰ vs V-CDT) was carried out at Iso-Analytical
laboratory in UK. Prior to the analysis an appropriate
amount of sample was used to precipitate barium sulfate
by the addition of a 10% (w/v) barium chloride solution.
The resulting precipitate was collected via centrifugation
and dried. Using an automatic sampler, reference or sam-
ple material plus vanadium pentoxide catalyst were
dropped into a furnace held at 1080 °C and then com-
busted at ~1700° C in the presence of oxygen. Combusted
gases were then swept in a helium stream over combus-
tion catalysts (tungstic oxide/zirconium oxide) and
through a reduction stage of high purity copper wires to
produce SO2, N2, CO2, and water. Water was removed
using a Nafion™ membrane. Sulfur dioxide was resolved
from N2and CO2on a packed GC column at 45 °C. The
resultant SO2peak entered the ion source of the IRMS
(Isotope-Ratio Mass Spectrometer) where it was ionized
and accelerated. Gas species of different mass were sep-
arated in a magnetic field and measured on a Faraday cup
universal collector array. Analysis was based on monitor-
ing of m/z 48, 49 and 50 of SO+produced from SO2in the
ion source. The reference material used for analysis was
IA-R061 (Iso-Analytical working standard barium sulfate,
δ34S = +20.33‰ vs V-CDT). IA-R025 (Iso-Analytical
working standard barium sulfate, δ3 4S = +8.53‰ vs V-
CDT), IA-R026 (Iso-Analytical working standard silver
sulfide, δ34S = +3.96‰ vs V-CDT) and IA-R061 were
used for calibration and correction of the 18O contribution
to the SO+ ion beam. Working standards were traceable
to NBS-127 (barium sulfate, δ34S = +20.3‰ vs V-CDT),
IAEA-SO-5 (barium sulfate, δ34S = +0.5‰ vs V-CDT)
and IAEA-S-1 (silver sulfide, δ34S = -0.3 ‰ vs V-CDT).
Chemical and isotopic analysis of dissolved gases
The composition of the inorganic gas compounds
(CO2, N2, Ne, O2and Ar) stored in the headspace of the
sampling flasks was determined using a Shimadzu 15A
gas chromatograph (GC) equipped with a 5 m long stain-
less steel column packed with Porapak 80/100 mesh and
a Thermal Conductivity Detector (TCD), whereas CH4
was analyzed using a Shimadzu 14A GC equipped with a
10 m long stainless steel column packed with Chromosorb
PAW 80/100 mesh coated with 23% SP 1700 and a Flame
Ionization Detector (FID) (Vaselli et al., 2006; Tassi et
al., 2008). The analytical error for GC analysis was ≤5%.
The 13C/12C ratios of CO2in the headspace of the sam-
pling flasks (δ13C-CO2expressed as ‰ vs V-PDB) were
analyzed using the same instrument and purification pro-
cedure used for the determination of the δ13C-TDIC val-
ues. The 13C/12C ratios of dissolved CO2(δ13C-CO2aq) were
recalculated on the basis of δ13C-CO2 values, considering
the isotopic fractionation caused by gas release from
water occurred during the sampling procedure was quan-
tified by using the ε1fractionation factor for the gas-water
equilibrium (Zhang et al., 1995), as follows:
ε1= δ13C-CO2aq - δ13C-CO2= (0.0049 · T) -1.31 (eq. 1)
where temperature (T) is expressed in °C.
The analysis of δ13C in CH4(δ13C-CH4expressed as
‰ vs V-PDB) was carried out by mass spectrometry (Var-
ian MAT 250) according to the procedure described by
Schoell (1980). The analytical error was ± 0.15‰.
RESULTS
Lake morphology
Up to 500 bathymetric data, measured with a
GPSMAP®526s (Garmin, Olathe, KS, USA) eco-
sounder, were used to reconstruct the lake morphology
(Fig. 3). The lake has a sub-circular shape, a diameter of
~400 m, a maximum depth of 38.5 m, a surface area of
16×104m2and a volume of 2.39×106m3. The catchment
area (Fig. 2), delimited by small hills culminating at 350
m asl, covers 5 km2. In this area, the outcropping geolog-
ical formations include: Paleazoic phyllites, Triassic lime-
stones, Cretacic shales and Quaternary debris. The Lake
Accesa lies on peat deposits (Fig. 2). In 1912, the lake
level was artificially lowered to extend arable lands. This
intervention significantly diminished the submerged lit-
toral platform that currently account for a 5-20 m wide
carbonate bench. Below this zone, the lake profile shows
a steep slope, followed by a gentle slope that reaches the
sub-horizontal bottom of the lake (Fig. 3).
Vertical profiles of temperature, EC, pH and
dissolved O2
Temperature, EC, pH, and dissolved O2 concentrations
measured along the vertical profiles of Lake Accesa are
shown in Fig. 4 a-d. The lake had a thermocline at 10-15
m depth, where temperature decreased from 20 to 9 °C and
then remained relatively constant down to the bottom (Fig.
4a). EC values did not significantly change with depth,
showing a slight increase from 1.93 to 1.98 mS cm–1 (Fig.
4b). In the very first 3 m, the pH values abruptly decreased
from 7.9 to 7.7, then progressively increased, reaching 8.1
at 25 m depth, whereas they slight decreased to 8.0 toward
the bottom (Fig. 4c). Dissolved O2concentrations strongly
increased, from 250 to 380 µmol L–1, at ~10 m depth, in
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528 F. Tassi et al.
correspondence of the thermocline. Thus, the O2increasing
trend is to be interpreted as related to an increase of O2sol-
ubility at decreasing temperatures. Below this depth O2
concentrations decreased reaching the minimum vales of
215 µmol L–1 at the lake bottom (Fig. 4d).
Chemical and isotopic (δ18O, δ2H, 3H, δ13C-TDIC and
δ34S-SO4) composition of lake water
The lake is characterized by a relatively high total
dissolved solids (TDS) (up to 2336 mg L–1 at the bottom)
and a Ca-SO4composition (Ca and SO4 concentrations
were up to 470 and 1290 mg L–1, respectively) (Tab. 1).
Mg2+ , ΣS2 – and HCO3–concentrations were relatively
high (up to 105, 161 and 280 mg L–1), whereas minor
concentrations of Cl–(<43 mg L–1), Na+(<14 mg L–1),
K+(<4.6 mg L–1), Sr2+ (up to 7.2 mg L–1), NO3–(<3.4 mg
L–1), B (up to 1.6 mg L–1), F–(up to 2.5 mg L–1) and NH4+
(<0.23 mg L–1) were measured. Concentrations of other
trace elements (Al3+, As, Br–, Fetot, Li+, Mn2+, Rb+, and
Zn2+) were <0.1 mg L–1 (Tab. 1). In agreement with the
relatively constant EC values along the vertical profile
(Fig. 4b), all the analyzed ion species did not show any
significant variation (Tab. 1).
The δ18O-H2O and δ2H-H2O values (Tab. 2) varied in
a narrow range, from -5.94 to -5.72‰ vs V-SMOW and
from -42.4 to -37.8‰ vs V-SMOW, respectively. The
δ13C-TDIC values ranged from -2.5 to 0.33 ‰ vs V-PDB.
No clear trends with depth were shown by these isotopic
parameters. The 3H value was 3 TU (Tritium Unit). The
δ34S values, measured in water samples collected from the
lake surface and at the depths of 15 and 35 m, slightly in-
creased with depth, from 13.70 to 14.12‰ vs V-CDT.
Chemical and isotopic (δ13C-CO2aq) composition
of dissolved gases
The chemical composition of dissolved gases (Tab. 3)
was largely dominated by atmospheric-related com-
pounds, i.e., N2(from 569 to 589 mol L–1) and O2(from
216 to 329 mol L–1), with minor amounts of noble gases
(Ar and Ne up to 15 and 0.008 mol L–1, respectively).
Extra-atmospheric gas species mainly consisted of CO2,
whose concentrations were from 2.1 to 81 mol L–1) sig-
nificantly increased with depth, and relatively low CH4
concentrations (up to 21 mol L–1) in the deepest water lay-
ers (≥35 m depth). δ13C-CO2aq values (measured in dis-
solved gas samples collected from depth ≥20 m) ranged
Fig. 3. Bathymetric map of Lake Accesa.
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529
Hydrogeochemical processes at the Accesa sinkhole (Central Italy)
from -11.79 to -9.24‰ vs V-PDB, whereas the δ13C-CH4
values were -68.5 and -71.3‰ vs V-PDB at the depths of
35 and 38.4 m, respectively.
DISCUSSION
Processes controlling the lake water chemistry
The most striking chemical feature of Lake Accesa
water is its high salinity (TDS values >2000 mg L–1), sig-
nificantly higher than that of sinkhole lakes (Nisio et al.,
2007; Caramanna et al., 2008; Tassi et al., 2012), and
other types of lakes in Italy (Ambrosetti et al., 1992; Guil-
izzoni and Lami, 1992; Marchetto et al., 1995; Salmaso
and Mosello, 2010), including those hosted in volcanic
systems (Mosello et al., 2004; Ellwood et al., 2009;
Cabassi et al., 2013), which are typically mainly fed by
meteoric water. Few exceptions are the Vescovo lakes in
the Pontina Plain (Central Italy) that have a Na+-Cl–com-
position and TDS values >2000 mg L–1 (Tuccimei et al.,
2005), and some small sinkhole lake in the S. Vittorino
Plain (Rieti province, Central Italy) that show chemical
features resembling those of Lake Accesa (Nisio et al.,
2007; Caramanna et al., 2008). In both cases, the water
chemical composition was interpreted as related to inputs
of hydrothermal fluids.
The Ca-SO4composition of Lake Accesa water
closely resembles those shown by thermal springs of Cen-
tral Italy, which are fed by hydrothermal reservoirs
recharged by meteoric water interacting with carbonate-
evaporite embedding formations (Bencini et al., 1977;
Minissale and Duchi, 1988; Celati et al., 1990, Capaccioni
et al., 2001; Boschetti et al., 2005), including the Aronna
spring (Tab. 1) and other mineral water discharges, e.g.
Venelle and Montioni, located nearby the study area
(Minissale, 2004) (Fig. 1b). This suggests that all the min-
eral springs of the study area are related to the same hy-
drological circuit that also feeds the springs discharging
from the lake bottom. Accordingly, modifications of the
hydrologic cycle caused by the opening of galleries drain-
ing Niccioleta and Boccheggiano mine waters have
caused a significant change of the outflow rate of these
mineral springs (Tesser, 2012). Considering that: i) spring
waters have a salinity up to two orders of magnitude
higher than that of rainwater and show significant CO2
contents (Tab. 3); and ii) the lake have a marked thermo-
cline, the lack of significant variations in water chemistry
along the lake vertical profile (Tab. 1) is quite peculiar.
Water density indeed increases with both increasing salin-
ity and dissolved CO2(Imboden and Wüest, 1995), and is
inversely correlated to water temperature (Wüest et al.,
1996). According to the classification proposed by
Hutchinson (1957), inflow at depth of saline water in
lakes is able to cause ectogenic meromixis, crenogenically
meromictic lakes owe their permanent stratification to in-
flow of surface water runoff, whereas thermobaric strati-
fication can occur when solar radiation produces a vertical
gradient of lake water temperature. Water vertical convec-
tion at Lake Accesa is possibly related on the input rates
from the different water sources, i.e. sublacustrine springs
and rainwater, that can be evaluated on the basis of a sim-
ple hydrological balance of lake water. According to the
observations reported in literature (Magny et al., 2007;
Negri,2008) and those carried out for the present study,
the volume of Lake Accesa (V) can reasonably be as-
Fig. 4. Vertical profiles of a) temperature (T; °C); b) electrical
conductivity (EC; mS cm–1); c) pH; d) dissolved oxygen (O2;
mol L–1) of Lake Accesa.
Tab. 2. Isotopic composition (δ18O, δ2H, 3H, δ13C-TDIC and
δ34S) of water samples collected from the vertical profile of Lake
Accesa at depth intervals of 5 m. δ34S values for the Aronna
spring are also reported.
Sample Depth δ18Oδ
2H3Hδ
13C-TDIC δ34S
Lake Accesa 0 -5.76 -40.2 nd -1.10 13.70
“5-5.72 -39.1 nd 0.33 nd
“ 10 -5.82 -37.8 nd -2.50 nd
“ 15 -5.79 -40.1 3 -0.80 13.97
“ 20 -5.8 -42.4 nd -1.99 nd
“ 25 -5.94 -40.2 nd -2.14 nd
“ 30 -5.79 -38.7 nd -2.25 nd
“ 35 -5.75 -38.1 nd -2.47 14.12
“ 38.4 -5.79 -38.0 nd -0.86 nd
Aronna nd nd nd nd 14.12
nd, not detected.
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530 F. Tassi et al.
sumed constant in the last decades. At a first approxima-
tion, under a steady-state condition, the water mass budget
(MB) of the lake is equal to 0 and can be expressed in a
differential form, as follows:
MB = 0 = Qr+ Qsp – Qe– Qs– Qet – Qo(eq. 2)
where Qris the amount of rainwater in the catchment area,
Qsp is the water input from the sublacustrine springs, Qe
is the evaporative loss of water from the lake surface, Qet
of rainwater loss from the soil of the catchment area due
to evapotranspiration, Qsis the seepage water loss from
the lake, Qois the overflow flux through the Bruna River.
According to our measurements, the discharge rate of
the Bruna River (Qo) is 9.5·106m3yr–1. Assuming that the
mean rainfall rate in this areas is 745 mm yr–1 (Vannière et
al., 2008), and considering that the catchment area of the
lake is 5·106 m2, Qris equal to 3.7·106 m3yr–1, although this
value is to be considered overestimated since a significant
percentage of rainwater infiltrates through soil and does not
reach the lake. Qe, calculated using the annual mean tem-
perature (13°C; Vannière et al., 2008) and the approach
suggested by Dragoni and Valigi (1994), is 2.5·105m3yr–1,
whereas Qet, calculated using the Thornthwaite equation
(Thornthwaite, 1948), is 2.9·106m3yr–1. The Qsvalue is
likely to be considered negligible with respect to the other
input and output factors, since the bottom of the lake is al-
most impermeable being covered by a thick silt layer
(Negri, 2008). Therefore, solving eq. (2) sublacustrine
spring discharges into Lake Accesa (Qsp) is calculated at
8.95·106m3yr–1, a value that is higher with respect to most
thermal springs in Tuscany and comparable with those of
the Aronna and Venelle springs (Celati et al., 1990). As ex-
pected, Qsp basically constitutes the main water source for
the lake, since it is more than one order of magnitude higher
than the net amount of rainwater input into the lake (Qr-
Qet). Moreover, our data indicate that the theoretical re-
newal time of Lake Accesa water, i.e., the ratio between the
volume of the lake and the volume of its outflow, is <3
months, which suggests a relatively high hydrological vi-
vacity that contributes to counteract the establishment of a
chemical stratification (Ambrosetti et al., 2003).
As shown in the δ2H vs δ18O diagram (Fig. 5), Lake
Accesa, as well as the Aronna spring (Minissale and
Vaselli, 2011), is characterized by a δ18O positive shift
with respect to the Local Meteoric Water Line (LMWL)
Tab. 3. Chemical and isotopic (δ13C-CO2and δ13C-CH4) compositions of dissolved gases collected from the vertical profile of Lake
Accesa at depth intervals of 5 m. Concentrations of dissolved gases are in mol L–1. Dissolved gas composition for the Aronna spring is
also reported.
Sample Depth CO2N2CH4Ar O2Ne δ13C-CO2aq δ13C-CH4TOT
Lake Accesa 0 2.1 589 nd 15 250 0.008 nd nd 856
“59.3 578 nd 15 249 0.008 nd nd 851
“ 10 12 569 nd 14 275 0.008 nd nd 870
“ 15 15 581 nd 14 329 0.008 nd nd 939
“ 20 39 578 nd 15 313 0.008 -11.8 nd 945
“ 25 45 582 nd 14 296 0.007 -9.24 nd 937
“ 30 49 577 nd 14 270 0.007 -11.1 nd 910
“ 35 58 572 13 14 238 0.007 -11.6 -68.5 895
“ 38.4 81 570 21 14 216 0.007 -11.7 -71.3 902
Aronna 615 455 0.54 10 61 0.007 -12.2 nd 1142
nd, not detected.
Fig. 5. δ2H vs δ18O binary diagram for Lake Accesa (open
square) and Aronna (open circle) waters. The Local Meteoric
Water Line (LMWL) proposed by Longinelli and Selmo (2003)
for Central Italy is also reported.
Non-commercial use only
531
Hydrogeochemical processes at the Accesa sinkhole (Central Italy)
proposed by Longinelli and Selmo (2003) for Central
Italy, indicating the occurrence of a significant interaction
with rocks. Furthermore, the water isotopic data confirm
that the origin of lake water and the Aronna spring are in-
timately related, and indicate that meteoric water feeding
the deep hydrothermal system permeate into the soil at an
altitude of ~200-400 m. The nearby Colline Metallifere
(Fig. 1) likely represents the main recharge area, as also
supported by the 3H concentration (3 TU), suggesting that
Lake Accesa is a mix of submodern (i.e., prior to 1950s)
and modern water. Rainwater permeating at depth inter-
acts with the Mesozoic carbonate sequence and anhydrite-
rich Triassic layers. Dissolution of CaMg(CO3)2 and
Ca(Mg)SO4produces the relatively high TDS values char-
acterizing Lake Accesa. The Ca-SO4composition is pro-
duced by subsequent calcite and dolomite precipitation
that controls the HCO3–concentrations, whereas SO4-
bearing minerals (gypsum and anhydrites) are under-sat-
urated (Tab. 4). The difference between the δ13C-TDIC
values of the lake (Tab. 2) and the δ13C values of carbon-
ate minerals in this region (from +1.5 to +3.5‰ vs V-
PDB; Cortecci and Lupi, 1994) is produced during the
dissolution process that at 25°C causes an isotopic frac-
tionation of 2.4‰ (Bottinga, 1968). Similarly, the varia-
tions of the δ13C-TDIC values measured along the lake
vertical profile are possibly related to secondary calcite
and dolomite precipitation. The δ34S-SO4values (Tab. 2)
are slightly less positive than those of the Triassic anhy-
drites ranging from +15‰ to +20‰ vs V-CDT (Cortecci
et al., 1981; Dinelli et al., 1999), confirming that water-
rock interactions involving this evaporitic formation is the
dominant source of SO42– for Lake Accesa. However, con-
sidering that isotopic fractionation caused by dissolution
of solid sulfates in water is negligible (Tuttle et al., 2009),
minor sulfur contribution from 32S-rich sulfide deposits
(Cortecci et al., 1983) cannot be excluded. This hypothe-
sis is also supported by the anomalously high ΣS2– con-
centrations measured both in the lake and Aronna waters
(Tab. 1), even higher than most of the SO42––rich springs
in Italy (Montegrossi et al., 2006). This chemical feature
is likely related to leakage of S-bearing polymetallic min-
erals from the nearby mining area of Fenice Capanne.
Production of reduced S-bearing chemical species from
microbial activity is indeed expected to be negligible,
since the lake lacks of anaerobic layers (Tab. 3) where
SO42– reduction can occur.
Dissolution of carbonates and sulfates is the main
source for the relatively high concentrations of Sr2+ (up to
7.2 mg/L), typically substituting Ca2+ in crystal lattice of
these minerals. The relatively low concentrations of Na+
and Cl–, which are the typical main constituents of geot-
hermal fluids, suggest that contribution of deep geother-
mal fluids from the Larderello-Travale geothermal
systems that are located only 30 kilometers N-W of Lake
Accesa, are unlike.
Origin of dissolved gases
As already mentioned, lake water chemistry does not
show significant changes along the vertical profile. On the
contrary, the composition of dissolved gases, which is
largely dominated by atmospheric gases maintaining the
same concentrations at different depths (Tab. 3), is marked
by increasing dissolved CO2concentrations and, at >30
m depth, by the presence of significant amounts of CH4.
Carbon dioxide and CH4are commonly produced in lakes
by microbial activity.
Production of CO2from decomposition of organic
matter through microbial activity can occur at both anaer-
obic and aerobic conditions (Rudd et al., 1974; Rich,
1975; Hanson and Hanson, 1996; Lopes et al., 2011).
These processes are counteracted by CO2consumption
that in the epilimnion proceeds through oxygenic photo-
synthesis mainly carried out by microalgae and cyanobac-
teria (Nelson and Ben-Shem, 2004), whereas at anaerobic
conditions is mainly related to the activity of
methanogens, a group of microorganisms phylogeneti-
cally affiliated to the kingdom Euarchaeota of the domain
Archaea (Woese et al., 1990). Considering i) the avail-
ability of free O2along the whole vertical profile, exclud-
ing the occurrence anaerobic processes; and ii) the
relatively high concentrations of dissolved CO2measured
in Aronna spring whose chemistry is evidently similar to
that of the sublacustrine discharges, CO2in Lake Accesa
likely has an external origin. Moreover, the δ13C-CO2aq
values of the lake are similar to those characterizing most
CO2-rich springs of central Italy (Minissale et al., 2002,
and references therein). Therefore, the origin of CO2may
be related to mixing of deep hydrothermal fluids, hav-
ingδ13C-CO2values that range from -2 to +3‰ vs V-
PDB, with isotopically light CO2(<-20‰ vs V-PDB)
Tab. 4. Saturation indices for calcite, dolomite, anhydrite and
gypsum calculated for Lake Accesa water at depth intervals of
5 m using the PHREEQC v2.18 software package (Parkhurst
and Appelo, 1999).
Sample Depth SI SI SI SI
Dolomite Calcite Anhydrite Gypsum
Lake Accesa 0 2.03 1.21 -0.52 -0.17
“51.96 1.16 -0.53 -0.18
“ 10 1.64 1.01 -0.54 -0.19
“ 15 1.73 1.12 -0.61 -0.16
“ 20 1.75 1.14 -0.62 -0.15
“ 25 1.88 1.21 -0.63 -0.15
“ 30 1.75 1.15 -0.62 -0.14
“ 35 1.71 1.12 -0.63 -0.14
“ 38.4 1.70 1.12 -0.63 -0.14
SI, saturation indices.
Non-commercial use only
532 F. Tassi et al.
likely deriving from a shallow biogenic source (Deines et
al., 1974; Rose and Davisson, 1996) and/or from isotopic
carbon fractionation caused by limestone precipitation af-
fecting deep uprising fluids (Minissale, 2004). It is worth
noting that the differences between δ13C-TDIC and δ13C-
CO2aq values (Tabs. 2 and 3, respectively) are consistent
with the values (9-10‰) theoretically predicted for iso-
topic fractionation occurring during the transformation of
dissolved CO2into HCO3–(Mook et al., 1974).
The extremely negative carbon isotopic signature of
CH4(Tab. 3) clearly indicates that this gas originates from
methanogenic activity (Schoell, 1980; Whiticar, 1999), a
process that in the hypolimnion of lakes typically proceeds
through CO2reduction (Belyaev et al., 1975; Winfrey et
al., 1977; Schoell et al., 1988). Therefore, CH4is produced
within the bottom sediments and is released to the lake
through diffusion and/or carried by the sublacustrine
springs. Once in the lake, CH4is readily oxidized, as also
testified by the decrease of O2concentrations (Tab. 3), in-
dicating the occurrence of O2-consuming reactions.
CONCLUSIONS
Lake Accesa is hosted in a basin produced by karst
collapse(s) whose origin is likely related to sub-surface
circulation of Ca-SO4fluids produced by interaction of
meteoric water with rocks of Mesozoic carbonate and Tri-
assic evaporite formations. These fluids represent the
main water source for the lake, whereas direct contribu-
tion of rainwater accounts for less than 10% of the total
water inflow. This hydrological cycle (Fig. 6) depends on
the local structural assessment consisting of NNW and
ENE-oriented fault systems. As a result, the total outflow
of mineral water from the study area is one of the highest
of Tuscany (Celati et al., 1990) and in general of the
Tyrrhenian side of central-southern Italy (Minissale,
2004). The occurrence of relatively high saline sublacus-
trine springs that discharge into CO2-rich Lake Accesa and
a pronounced thermocline (Fig. 4a) could determine fa-
vorable conditions for a density gradient able to produce
a chemical stratification. Italian lakes having morpholog-
ical features similar to those of Lake Accesa, i.e., Averno
and Monticchio Lakes (Cabassi et al., 2013), are
meromictic.
Notwithstanding these evidences, at Lake Accesa no
significant variations of water chemistry with depth were
recognized. A possible explanation is that the huge
amount of mineral water recharging the lake from depth
and then discharged through the Bruna River, which de-
termines a relatively short renewal time for lake water (<3
months), is able to promote convective mixing of the
water column. A continuous vertical circulation allows
oxygenated shallow waters to reach the deep lake waters,
preventing decomposition of organic material and disso-
lution of its end product that could contribute to enhance
a vertical density gradient (Boehrer and Schultze, 2008).
However, the vertical water mixing cannot prevent the in-
stauration of a thermocline during the warm season, when
solar radiation is able to rapidly increase the temperature
of the shallow water layer thus seasonally maintaining a
temperature vertical gradient.
The peculiar chemistry of Lake Accesa is the result of
a complex combination of geostructural assessment, hydro-
logical patterns and geochemical processes. Past experi-
ences (Tesser, 2012) have shown that changes of the water
drainage system in the nearby mining district have a strong
influence on the deep-originated water supply for the lake,
Fig. 6. Schematic model for the hydrological cycle of Lake Accesa.
Non-commercial use only
533
Hydrogeochemical processes at the Accesa sinkhole (Central Italy)
thus possible future intervention should be carefully eval-
uated to preserve this unique natural environment.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The work was financially supported by the Laborato-
ries of Fluid and Rock Geochemistry (Resp. F. Tassi) and
Stable Isotopes (Resp. O. Vaselli). The authors are grateful
to Giuliano Pieretti for his help in field, Dr. S. Caliro and
Dr. G. Moratti for the construction of the bathymetric pro-
file of Lake Accesa. The authors wish to thanks two
anonymous reviewers for their useful comments to an
early version of the manuscript.
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