Page 23 - 1915, Springs of CA.

NATURAL WATERS. 23

miscellaneous group of positive radicles, including iron and aluminum
chlorides and sulphates, and free strong acids.
Alkalinity is a property of reaction such as is caused by the solution
of weak-acid salts. Primary alkalinity is alkalinity such as is caused
by the solution of weak-acid salts of the alkalies, chiefly sodium and
potassium carbonates, sulphides, and borates; secondary alkalinity, by
the solution of weak-acid salts of the alkaline earths; and tertiary alka-
linity or subalkalinity1 by the solution of weak-acid salts of the miscel-
laneous group of positive radicles, including'' free'' weak acids. Under
this term are grouped the colloids silica, alumina, and iron oxide; the
gases carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide; and other similar sub-
stances that occupy an unstable position in the water solution and
which, under favorable conditions, may contribute to one of the other
properties of reaction. Tertiary alkalinity, because of its rather
indeterminate value, is not included in the summation of properties
to the value 100 and is expressed as a per cent of the sum of all other
properties of reaction.
Hardness is a property of the water solution caused by the posi-
tive radicles other than the alkalies. Hardness is the property
that results in the decomposition of soap. Temporary hardness,
which is dissipated by boiling, is measured by secondary alkalinity;
and permanent hardness, which is not dissipated by boiling, is measured
by secondary salinity and tertiary salinity.
Carbonated is a term applied to waters containing the gas carbon
dioxide.
Sulphureted is a term applied to waters containing the gas hydrogen
sulphide, or sulphureted hydrogen.
Odor in spring water is noticed chiefly in water from sulphur
springs, where it is produced by hydrogen sulphide, which is a gas
that has the odor of decaying eggs. The amount of this gas that
escapes at some springs is so large that it is perceptible at a distance
of hundreds of yards. A slight oily odor is perceptible in the water
of a few springs, but the fishy and musty odors that are often notice-
able in well waters are rarely present in spring waters.
Color is not nearly so common in spring waters as it is in stream and
well waters. A very few strongly sulphureted spring waters have a
clear greenish-yellow color that is probably due to complex sulphides
in solution. The waters of white-sulphur springs may be opalescent
or even milky from the finely divided white, allotropic form of sul-
phur in suspension; and the waters of blue-sulphur and black-sulphur
springs are possibly tinted by other finely divided allotropic forms
of sulphur or by very small amounts of iron sulphide in suspension.

1 The terms persalinity and subalkalinity have been proposed instead of tertiary salinity and tertiary
alkalinity, for tertiary salinity or persalinity represents more than salinity, being an acid property, whereas
tertiary alkalinity or subalkalinity is less than true alkalinity.