Permanent Link:

https://digital.lib.usf.edu/SFS0069728/00001

Material Information

Title:

Environmentally acceptable effect of hydrogen peroxide on cave “lamp-flora”, calcite speleothems and limestones

Series Title:

Environmental Pollution

Creator:

Štelcla, Jindřich
KubeÅ¡ová, Svatava

Publication Date:

2003-04-01

Language:

English

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:

Cave ( local )
Dissolution ( local )
Hydrogen Peroxide ( local )
Kinetics ( local )
Lamp-Flora ( local )

Genre:

serial ( sobekcm )

Notes

Abstract:

"Mosses, algae, and cyanobacteria (lamp-flora) colonize illuminated areas in show caves. This biota is commonly removed by a sodium hypochlorite solution. Because chlorine and other deleterious compounds are released into a cave environment during lamp-flora cleansing, hydrogen peroxide was tested as an alternative agent. In a multidisciplinary study conducted in the KateÅ™inská Cave (Moravian Karst, Czech Republic), 12 algae- and cyanobacteria taxons and 19 moss taxons were detected. The threshold hydrogen peroxide concentration for the destruction of this lamp-flora was found to be 15 vol.%. Based on laboratory experiments in stirred batch reactors, the dissolution rates of limestones and calcite speleothems in water were determined as 3.77×10−3 and 1.81×10−3 mol m−2 h−1, respectively. In the 15% peroxide solution, the limestone and speleothem dissolution rates were one order of magnitude higher, 2.00×10−2 and 2.21×10−2 mol m−2 h−1, respectively. So, the peroxide solution was recognised to attack carbonates somewhat more aggressively than karst water. In order to prevent the potential corrosion of limestone and speleothems, the reaching of preliminary peroxide saturation with respect to calcite is recommended, for example, by adding of few limestone fragments into the solution at least 10 h prior to its application. "

Original Version:

Environmental Pollution, Vol. 122, no. 3 (2003-04-01).

Record Information

Source Institution:

University of South Florida Library

Holding Location:

University of South Florida

Rights Management:

This object is protected by copyright, and is made available here for research and educational purposes. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the object beyond the bounds of Fair Use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.

USFLDC Membership

Aggregations:

University of South Florida
Karst Information Portal

Postcard Information

Format:

serial