Trace element geochemistry in water from selected springs in Death Valley National Park, California

Concentrations of 40 trace elements and other constituents in ground water from springs in Death Valley National Park were measured to investigate whether trace element composition of the ground water can be related to the aquifer materials. Samples from these springs were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for the trace elements and by ion chromatography (IC) for the major anions. A Principal Component Analysis was performed on the data set. Surprise and Scotty's Springs formed one group; Texas, Nevares, and Travertine Springs formed another group; and Mesquite Springs did not group with any of the others. Scotty's and Surprise Spring issued from volcanic rocks; Texas, Nevares, and Travertine discharge from carbonate rocks; and Mesquite Spring is located in alluvial basin-fill deposits. The first three components in each Principal Component Analysis accounted for approximately 95% of the variance in the data set. The Principal Component Analysis suggests that ground water inherits its trace element composition from the rocks or aquifer material with which it has interacted and may be used for the purpose of identifying ground-water movement and source.