The Importance of Incorporating Denitrification in the Assessment of Groundwater Vulnerability
Human activities are deeply connected with groundwater reservoirs, so protecting them from pollution has become a priority in many regions of the world. Nitrate is considered the main groundwater pollutant since it is directly linked to many human activities. Agricultural activities and domestic was...
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MDPI AG
2020-03-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/7/2328 |
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| author | Gianluigi Busico Nerantzis Kazakis Nicolò Colombani Khabat Khosravi Konstantinos Voudouris Micòl Mastrocicco |
| author_facet | Gianluigi Busico Nerantzis Kazakis Nicolò Colombani Khabat Khosravi Konstantinos Voudouris Micòl Mastrocicco |
| author_sort | Gianluigi Busico |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Human activities are deeply connected with groundwater reservoirs, so protecting them from pollution has become a priority in many regions of the world. Nitrate is considered the main groundwater pollutant since it is directly linked to many human activities. Agricultural activities and domestic wastewater have been identified as the main sources of nitrate in groundwater. Nevertheless, there are some natural processes that can mitigate nitrate pollution. Together with dilution processes, the degradation of nitrate through denitrification has been acknowledge as a process that can potentially reduce nitrogen loads, in both deep and shallow aquifers. Usually these processes were not properly quantified in vulnerability assessment methods, until the introduction of LOS indices. In this study, the application of the LOS indices on 4 agricultural areas is discussed, highlighting how the LOS indices can identify portions of the landscape with higher potential denitrification and how they directly enhance the groundwater vulnerability assessment. Previous studies have shown that LOS indices are a valuable tool for proper vulnerability assessment to nitrate, however they need to be coupled with other parameters that also describe nitrate behavior in groundwater. The SINTACS-SVN and DRASTIC-PA methods that include the LOS indices, were applied for the first time in the Epanomi coastal area to evaluate the reliably of the assessment and, despite the different classes range and the weights applied, similar groundwater vulnerability assessment maps were obtained. The nitrate vulnerability maps were comparable with the observed nitrate concentrations and were found to be highly comparable with original LOS maps. Nevertheless, it should be kept in mind that vulnerability methods are only screening tools and groundwater quality observations are pivotal information for environmental management. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T10:10:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-75403349c0f7498889b1c4afbc65c68c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T10:10:55Z |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-75403349c0f7498889b1c4afbc65c68c2023-11-16T14:33:41ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172020-03-01107232810.3390/app10072328The Importance of Incorporating Denitrification in the Assessment of Groundwater VulnerabilityGianluigi Busico0Nerantzis Kazakis1Nicolò Colombani2Khabat Khosravi3Konstantinos Voudouris4Micòl Mastrocicco5Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, ItalyDepartment of Geology, Lab. of Engineering Geology & Hydrogeology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Materials, Environmental Sciences and Urban Planning “SIMAU”, Polytechnic University of Marche, via Brecce Bianche 12, 60131 Ancona, ItalySchool of Engineering, University of Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, CanadaDepartment of Geology, Lab. of Engineering Geology & Hydrogeology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, ItalyHuman activities are deeply connected with groundwater reservoirs, so protecting them from pollution has become a priority in many regions of the world. Nitrate is considered the main groundwater pollutant since it is directly linked to many human activities. Agricultural activities and domestic wastewater have been identified as the main sources of nitrate in groundwater. Nevertheless, there are some natural processes that can mitigate nitrate pollution. Together with dilution processes, the degradation of nitrate through denitrification has been acknowledge as a process that can potentially reduce nitrogen loads, in both deep and shallow aquifers. Usually these processes were not properly quantified in vulnerability assessment methods, until the introduction of LOS indices. In this study, the application of the LOS indices on 4 agricultural areas is discussed, highlighting how the LOS indices can identify portions of the landscape with higher potential denitrification and how they directly enhance the groundwater vulnerability assessment. Previous studies have shown that LOS indices are a valuable tool for proper vulnerability assessment to nitrate, however they need to be coupled with other parameters that also describe nitrate behavior in groundwater. The SINTACS-SVN and DRASTIC-PA methods that include the LOS indices, were applied for the first time in the Epanomi coastal area to evaluate the reliably of the assessment and, despite the different classes range and the weights applied, similar groundwater vulnerability assessment maps were obtained. The nitrate vulnerability maps were comparable with the observed nitrate concentrations and were found to be highly comparable with original LOS maps. Nevertheless, it should be kept in mind that vulnerability methods are only screening tools and groundwater quality observations are pivotal information for environmental management.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/7/2328denitrificationLOS indicesspecific vulnerability assessmentnitrate leachinggroundwater pollution |
| spellingShingle | Gianluigi Busico Nerantzis Kazakis Nicolò Colombani Khabat Khosravi Konstantinos Voudouris Micòl Mastrocicco The Importance of Incorporating Denitrification in the Assessment of Groundwater Vulnerability Applied Sciences denitrification LOS indices specific vulnerability assessment nitrate leaching groundwater pollution |
| title | The Importance of Incorporating Denitrification in the Assessment of Groundwater Vulnerability |
| title_full | The Importance of Incorporating Denitrification in the Assessment of Groundwater Vulnerability |
| title_fullStr | The Importance of Incorporating Denitrification in the Assessment of Groundwater Vulnerability |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Importance of Incorporating Denitrification in the Assessment of Groundwater Vulnerability |
| title_short | The Importance of Incorporating Denitrification in the Assessment of Groundwater Vulnerability |
| title_sort | importance of incorporating denitrification in the assessment of groundwater vulnerability |
| topic | denitrification LOS indices specific vulnerability assessment nitrate leaching groundwater pollution |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/7/2328 |
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