Dissolved organic carbon of infiltration within the autogenic Karst Hydrosystem

Abstract : This work aims at using the Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) as a tracer of infiltration in karstic aquifers with only diffuse recharge. Regular measurements of DOC have been carried out in three karstic systems located in South-eastern France during an hydrogeological cycle. Considering that the DOC is mainly located in the soil, it might be used as a tracer of the infiltration. The behavior of the tracer considerably varies between the high and low flow periods. The low concentrations of DOC occur when the flow is mainly due to a long residence time of the water in the saturated zone, whereas the concentration of DOC increases with the contribution of recent waters during the flood period. So the DOC can be used as a tracer of the infiltration. A comparison between the magnesium and the DOC allows to demonstrate the ability of using the DOC as a tracer of the water residence time.