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Geochemistry and therapeutic properties of Caucasian mineral waters: a review

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Abstract

The Caucasian mineral water (CMW) region is a unique area where mineral waters differ by their chemical composition and balneological properties. The presence of a wide range of mineral waters with various ions and gas components and different genesis and their therapeutic properties in the restricted area is explained by complicated geological and tectonic settings. The dominant type of mineral water in the CMW region is CO2-bearing water with H2SiO3 and H3BO3 as the specific components. According to ion composition, gas phases’ content into groundwater, total dissolved solids, and balneological characteristics, we would distinguish 9 groups and 16 types of these mineral waters, with each water type being of particular therapeutic interest. The CMW region includes four spa cities with a different therapeutic profile: Zheleznovodsk, Kislovodsk, Pyatigorsk, and Essentuki. Spa treatment is based on the use of different types of mineral waters, therapeutic muds within the region’s diverse landscapes, and climatic conditions. Mineral waters are utilized in the form of baths, swimming pools, showers, various irrigations, inhalation, as well as drinking therapy. Therapeutic mineral waters are used to treat gastrointestinal problems, metabolic and nervous system disorders, as well as various diseases of liver, kidney, urinary tract, circulatory system, respiratory organs, and skin.

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All data are original and were obtained by the authors. The data do not contain any prohibited for publication results.

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Acknowledgements

These investigations were supported by the Russian Science Foundation 18-17-00245.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geology Faculty, Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, GSP_1, Moscow, Russia

    Elena Fillimonova, Natalia Kharitonova, Ekaterina Baranovskaya & Alexey Maslov

  2. Far East Geological Institute of Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Science (FEGI FEB RAS), Prospect 100letya 159, Vladivostok, Russia

    Natalia Kharitonova & Anna Aseeva

  3. Geological Institute Russian Academy of Sciences, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pyzhevsky Lane 7, Moscow, Russia

    Natalia Kharitonova & Ekaterina Baranovskaya

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  1. Elena Fillimonova
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  2. Natalia Kharitonova
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  3. Ekaterina Baranovskaya
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Contributions

Elena Fillimonova contributed to conceptualization, writing—original draft, and writing—revised draft. Natalia Kharitonova performed conceptualization, visualization, writing—original draft, and writing—revised draft. Ekaterina Baranovskaya helped in writing—original draft and writing—revised draft. Alexey Maslov was involved in writing tables. Anna Aseeva has done visualization.

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Correspondence to Elena Fillimonova.

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Fillimonova, E., Kharitonova, N., Baranovskaya, E. et al. Geochemistry and therapeutic properties of Caucasian mineral waters: a review. Environ Geochem Health 44, 2281–2299 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-021-01160-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-021-01160-1

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