water, gas, and phylogenetic analyses from sulfur springs in cueva de villa luz, tabasco, mexico...

Water, Gas, and Phylogenetic Analyses from Sulfur Springs in

Cueva de Villa Luz, Tabasco, Mexico

Michael N. Spilde, Tobias P. Fischer, and Diana E. NorthupUniversity of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM

H.J. TurinLos Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM

Penelope J. BostonNew Mexico Inst. of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM

Villahermosa

Cueva de Villa Luz

El Chichon

Photos by Kenneth Ingham © 2004 Kenneth Ingham

Elemental sulfur on ceilingElemental sulfur on ceilingSnottites

Phlegm balls

© 2004 Kenneth Ingham


Phlegm balls in hydrogen sulfide springsPhlegm balls in hydrogen sulfide springs

Nearest Relative Clone # Similarity

Lower Kane Cave Epsilonproteobacteria C4,C6,D10,D12 94.4-98.7%

Hydrothermal vent Endosymbionts D1 92.4-92.6%

Unclass Bacterioidetes Hydrothermal Vent Symbiont/SRB

C7 78.0%

© 2004 Miichael Spilde

Sulfur IsotopesH2S Hose et al. 2000 -11.7‰

So “ -23.7‰

Gypsum “ -23.5 ‰H2S (El Chichón) Taran et al. 1998 +4.6 ‰

So (El Chichón) “ +4.5 ‰ Photo by Kenneth Ingham Photo by Kenneth Ingham © 2004 Kenneth Ingham© 2004 Kenneth Ingham

Sulfur Spring in Cueva de Villa Luz

Photos by Kenneth Ingham © 2004 Kenneth

Ingham

Perched Pool

ORP(mV) -250 -222 -216

pH 7.01 7.13 7.4

ORP(mV) -250 -222 -216

pH 7.01 7.13 7.4

-193 -193 -117 -117 –82–82 7.7 7.7 7.63 7.63 7.777.77-193 -193 -117 -117 –82–82 7.7 7.7 7.63 7.63 7.777.77

Oxidation-Reduction Potential Measurements


Research Question:• What is the source of the hydrogen sulfide gas?

• H2S from Campeche oil and gas fields

• Magmatic gas from El Chichon

• Sulfate reduction in Campeche platform evaporites

Map by Jim Pisarowicz & Louise Hose© 1999 National Spleleological Society

Main Entrance

MidwaySprings

SulfurSpring

Perched Pool BoulderSpring

ResurgenceCueva de Villa Luz, Tabasco, Mexico

0 30

PhlegmaPhlegmaSpringSpring

26 groundwater inlets: 200-300 l/s

Sampled spring: waterSampled spring: gasSpring

Villa Luz Gas Chemistry

El Chichon & Agua Caliente data from Taran et al. 1998

• Not atmospheric gas




• Not atmospheric gas• Not thermogenic (not

derived from heating of sediments by intrusive bodies)




• From He isotopes, calculated magmatic component = 22%




• From He isotopes, calculated magmatic component = 22%

• Gas derived from mixing of mantle and crustal sources


Perched Pool

MidwaySprings

BoulderSpring

SulfurSpring

AguaCaliente

(El Chichonspring)

El Chichon Crater

Water Sampling

X10

Water samples:• 4 springs sampled in cave

•2 with low/no H2S gas•2 exhaling H2S

• Compared to El Chichon crater & spring (from Taran et al. 1998)


Perched Pool

MidwaySprings

BoulderSpring

SulfurSpring

AguaCaliente

(El Chichonspring)

El Chichon Crater

Water Sampling

X10

Water samples:• 4 springs sampled in cave

•2 with low/no H2S gas•2 exhaling H2S

• Compared to El Chichon crater & spring (from Taran et al. 1998)

Results:• Little variation between

cave springs• SO4 & Cl nearly equal in

cave water• Low HCO3

• El Chichon water saline, dominated by Cl, low SO4


Villa Luz Water Chemistry

Met

eoric

Wat

er L

ine

Li

B• Trace elements elevated in Villa Luz

water

•B & Li high

•Hg about 10x EPS standard

* data from Taran et al. 1998

Villa Luz

El Chichon*

Agua Caliente*

Cold Spring*

Rainwater*

Mixing?



Met

eoric

Wat

er L

ine

Li


• Fall slightly off meteoric water line


Villa Luz

El Chichon*

Agua Caliente*

Cold Spring*

Rainwater*

Mixing?



Met

eoric

Wat

er L

ine

Li


• Fall slightly off meteoric water line

• Suggests mixing of magmatic and

meteoric water

•Using Cl, we calculate 6% mix


Villa Luz

El Chichon*

Agua Caliente*

Cold Spring*

Rainwater*

Mixing?


Villa Luz Water Modeling

PHREEQC Program (USGS) used to calculate mixtures of solutions.

Scenario 1: Simple dilution.Mix meteoric & magmaticEquilibrate with calcite.


Villa Luz Water Modeling

PHREEQC Program (USGS) used to calculate mixtures of solutions.

Scenario 1: Simple dilution.Mix meteoric & magmaticEquilibrate with calcite.

Scenario 2: Mixture of equilibrated fluids.

Equil. magmatic w/ CaSO4

Mix with meteoricEquilibrate with calcite.


Schematic Model of Water & Gas Sources at Cueva de Villa Luz

Eq CaS

O 4

Eq CaCO3

34S=+4.6

34S=-11.7

MW=4000 mm/yr

faul

t

D

SR

Gas

Water

Degassing

Sulfate reduction

SR

D

10 km

2 km

W E


Gases are predominately crustal gases

• No atmospheric signature

• Slight amount of CH4 not thermogenic

• Approximately 22% magmatic gases, based on He isotopes

• Water is predominantly meteoric

• Slightly elevated trace elements indicative of hydrothermal water

• Around 6% hydrothermal water mixed with meteoric

• SO4 in water derived from middle Cretaceous evaporites underlying cave

• H2S probably derived from bacterial sulfate reduction fueled by CH4

• BSR can occur in water column anywhere below the cave

Conclusions


Water modeling assistance from Laura Crossey, UNM

Gas analysis by Tobias Fischer, UNM

Water analyses by Jake Turin, LANL

Phylogenetic analysis by Diana Northup, UNM

Gas sampling by Doug Soroka & Penny Boston

Photographs by Kenneth Ingham, Albuquerque, NM

Partial funding from National Geographic Society to

Penny Boston & Louse Hose

Acknowledgements

water, gas, and phylogenetic analyses from sulfur springs in cueva de villa luz, tabasco, mexico...

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