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Water
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Assessment and Monitoring of Groundwater Quality
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Assessment and Monitoring of Groundwater Quality

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Hydrogeology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2023) | Viewed by 4412

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Sreenivasulu Chadalavada

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Engineering, The University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia
Interests: hydrology and water resources engineering; water treatment technologies; surface water and groundwater interactions; optimization and simulation techniques; groundwater flow and pollutant transport; saltwater intrusion; flood modelling; impact of climate change on water resources

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are inviting authors to contribute articles to this Special Issue on the topic of “Assessment and Monitoring of Groundwater Quality”. Groundwater is a very important water resource which is currently facing many challenges in terms of pollution caused by natural and anthropogenic sources and faster depletion due to over-dependence. The quality of this precious water resource is currently under threat in many parts of the world due to improper disposal of waste substances into subsurfaces, farm practices involving pesticides, and nutrients which potentially affect the quality of groundwater. There is a great necessity to explore innovative and effective methods which help in the assessment and monitoring of groundwater quality. Given that our access to groundwater is more limited when compared to surface water, there are always challenges in effectively monitoring and assessing groundwater quality. It is a general practice to install groundwater bore wells for monitoring groundwater quality, and there is a need for exploring mathematical methods and geospatial techniques to optimally delineate groundwater contamination with minimal observation data. The seasonal changes in the groundwater table and surface water also influences the quality of groundwater. There is a greater need for improved understanding and an interdisciplinary approach to come up with efficient methods to assess and monitor the quality of groundwater. We encourage authors to use innovative methods and modeling techniques in the following areas to help monitor and assess the groundwater quality for sustainable use.

  1. Factors affecting the groundwater quality;
  2. Interfactions of surface water and groundwater and their role in groundwater quality monitoring;
  3. Applications of GIS and remote sensing in groundwater quality monitoring;
  4. Climate change and extreme weather events;
  5. Groundwater flow and pollutant transport modeling;
  6. The role of machine learning and artificial intelligence in groundwater quality monitoring;
  7. Optimal monitoring network design for monitoring groundwater quality;
  8. Emerging contaminants and groundwater quality;
  9. Saltwater intrusion.

Dr. Sreenivasulu Chadalavada
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • groundwater flow modelling
  • saltwater intrusion
  • optimization
  • artificial intelligence
  • hydrology
  • monitoring network
  • contamination
  • aquifer
  • climate change

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 9416 KiB  
Article
Integrated Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution and Human Health Risks in Waters from a Former Iron Mining Site: A Case Study of the Canton of Bangeli, Togo
by Bouwèdèo Toi Bissang, Antonio J. Aragón-Barroso, Gnon Baba, Jesús González-López and Francisco Osorio
Water 2024, 16(3), 471; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16030471 - 31 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1135
Abstract
Drinking water requires excellent physico-chemical quality. It must therefore not contain any substance which is harmful, or which may harm the health of the consumer. The drinking water supply of Bangeli canton (Togo) is provided by ground water and surface water which have [...] Read more.
Drinking water requires excellent physico-chemical quality. It must therefore not contain any substance which is harmful, or which may harm the health of the consumer. The drinking water supply of Bangeli canton (Togo) is provided by ground water and surface water which have been polluted by several industrial discharges as a result of Togo’s intensive industrialization in the last few decades. In order to contribute to the control of drinking water in this locality, our study focused on the state of metal pollution in the waters of this canton. To assess the spatiotemporal evolution of the metallic contamination in Bangeli waters, surface and groundwater samples were taken during dry and rainy seasons in the last three years. This comparative study will allow for a more in-depth assessment of the study area. These samples were analysed by ICP-MS for heavy metals such as Fe, Pb, Cr, Zn, Cu, Co, As, Mn, Sb, Ni, and Cd. The mean values obtained for these metals from groundwater are, respectively, 1144.87; 2.53; 3.42; 3.63; 6.49; 0.69; 143.76; 160.03; 5.67; and 0.036 µg/L. Except for Fe, Sb, and Mn, all the other metals have values below WHO guidelines. The heavy metal pollution index (HPI) applied to these waters gave values between 31.49 and 307.51, with 88.66% of samples below the limit value (100). Health risk assessment factors, including average daily doses, hazard quotient, carcinogenic risks, and hazard index indices, were computed for children and adults. Finally, the HPI index of Fe and Sb in both child and adult cases showed a value greater than the safe limits, which causes harmful health hazards and potential non-carcinogenic health risks to humans. However, carcinogenic risk for Cr, Cd, Pb, and As is less than the limit value (10−4), indicating that there is no risk of cancer. The interpretation of PCA results made it possible to understand that mining has contributed to the pollution of some water resources in Bangeli, and cluster analysis (CA) applied to the data showed that the sampling points can be grouped into four groups, which were primarily formed by extravagant concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, and Sr. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessment and Monitoring of Groundwater Quality)
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20 pages, 6835 KiB  
Article
Relation of Hydrogeology and Contaminant Sources to Drinking Water Quality in Southern Kazakhstan
by Zhanna Tleuova, Daniel D. Snow, Murat Mukhamedzhanov and Aray Ermenbay
Water 2023, 15(24), 4240; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15244240 - 11 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1091
Abstract
Southern Kazakhstan is one of the fastest-growing regions of this country and continued development depends on a sustainable supply of freshwater for multiple purposes. Groundwater in Southern Kazakhstan occurs in a wide variety of hydrogeological conditions with varying levels of quality and vulnerability [...] Read more.
Southern Kazakhstan is one of the fastest-growing regions of this country and continued development depends on a sustainable supply of freshwater for multiple purposes. Groundwater in Southern Kazakhstan occurs in a wide variety of hydrogeological conditions with varying levels of quality and vulnerability to contamination. The aim of this paper is to investigate the present groundwater quality through sampling and laboratory analysis of source water from public supply wells, compare results to hydrogeology and known contaminant sources, and indicate where future protections may be needed. Protection from surface-borne contaminants is mainly determined by the thickness of the vadose zone, depth of the groundwater level, presence, thickness and composition of aquifers, and mobility of pollutants. Forty-five wells were sampled, yielding 106 samples of groundwater presently used for drinking water, which were evaluated to investigate the occurrence of potential pollutants and hydrogeology of the region. Of the samples collected, 46 samples were used for analysis of inorganic water chemistry, 30 for individual indicators including metals, and 31 samples for determination of petroleum products. A contaminant inventory database and geospatial database aided the interpretation of the results and allowed the prediction of future water issues. Kazakhstan’s maximum permissible concentrations (MPCs) for metals were exceeded in areas associated with industrial enterprises, while fluoride and nitrate were more closely associated with mining and agricultural sources. Groundwater quality is dependent on hydrogeology and environmental contaminants resulting from historical land uses and must be regularly monitored for drinking water safety. Petroleum hydrocarbons were not detected in any of the drinking water sources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessment and Monitoring of Groundwater Quality)
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17 pages, 6243 KiB  
Article
Addressing Nitrate Contamination in Groundwater: The Importance of Spatial and Temporal Understandings and Interpolation Methods
by Mojtaba Zaresefat, Saeedeh Hosseini and Mohyeddin Ahrari Roudi
Water 2023, 15(24), 4220; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15244220 - 07 Dec 2023
Viewed by 987
Abstract
Iranian water security is threatened by groundwater (GW) degradation. The excessive use of GW for agriculture in Iran is degrading these resources. Livestock waste disposal and sewage irrigation are also major contributors. Nitrate (NO3) contamination in GW is a growing global [...] Read more.
Iranian water security is threatened by groundwater (GW) degradation. The excessive use of GW for agriculture in Iran is degrading these resources. Livestock waste disposal and sewage irrigation are also major contributors. Nitrate (NO3) contamination in GW is a growing global concern, posing serious health and environmental risks. Soil can easily leach NO3 into GW, causing long-term contamination. Understanding the temporal and spatial patterns of NO3 pollution is vital in protecting human health and establishing safe drinking water limits. Choosing an appropriate interpolation method is crucial for creating a reliable spatial variability map, which is essential for environmental research and decision-making. This study used 85 GW samples collected over four periods to create interpolated maps and examine the spatial variability of NO3 levels. Spatial interpolation methods were performed using the geostatistical tool within ArcGIS Software. The results showed that Empirical Bayesian Kriging (EBK) was the most effective of the five evaluated interpolation methods, although the performance of each method varied depending on the period sampled. Therefore, the choice of interpolation method should be tailored to the study’s specific needs and the characteristics of the data being interpolated. The EBK method produced interpolation maps that illustrated the spatial distribution of NO3 concentrations, both within and exceeding the recommended guidelines. Interpolation methods can assist in creating spatial maps of NO3 concentrations, identifying pollution sources, and developing targeted management strategies. These maps demonstrate the potential impact of human activities on the observed patterns. A thorough understanding of Iran’s current GW quality is very important and valuable for management and policymakers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessment and Monitoring of Groundwater Quality)
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22 pages, 6846 KiB  
Article
Groundwater Flow Model along a Vertical Profile of the Sardas Landfill in Sabiñánigo, Huesca, Spain
by Javier Samper, Brais Sobral, Bruno Pisani, Acacia Naves, Joaquín Guadaño, Jorge Gómez and Jesús Fernández
Water 2023, 15(19), 3457; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15193457 - 30 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 849
Abstract
Lindane (a harmful contaminant) was produced in Sabiñánigo (Huesca, Spain) and deposited at the Sardas landfill. This site contains a large mass of pollutants, which have an extremely large contamination potential of the Ebre River. The site has undergone numerous human interventions that [...] Read more.
Lindane (a harmful contaminant) was produced in Sabiñánigo (Huesca, Spain) and deposited at the Sardas landfill. This site contains a large mass of pollutants, which have an extremely large contamination potential of the Ebre River. The site has undergone numerous human interventions that have modified the natural conditions. The site exhibits complex hydrogeological patterns and has been monitored systematically for a long period of time, and a large amount of geological, hydrological, and hydrogeological data are available. Here, a 2D finite element groundwater flow model along a vertical profile heading east–west along the thalweg of the former gully is presented. The main goal is modelling groundwater flow through the landfill, the Gállego River alluvial aquifer, and its interactions with the Sabiñánigo reservoir. The numerical model confirms the prevailing conceptual hydrogeological model of the site. The main results include: (1) Groundwater flows into the landfill mainly along perimeter ditches, which do not properly drain the surface and subsurface runoff (13.84 m3/d) and from the underlying marly rock (8.84 m3/d); (2) The total landfill leachate outflow towards the alluvial floodplain underneath the front slurry wall through a shallow marl layer is equal to 17 m3/d; (3) The oscillations of the Sabiñánigo reservoir water level produce a tidal effect that results in periodic changes of the hydraulic gradient between the alluvial gravels and the reservoir; (4) Groundwater flows generally from the alluvial aquifer towards the reservoir in an average E–W direction with an average Darcy velocity equal to 5 cm/d. The flow direction, however, changes to W–E when the reservoir level rises suddenly and; (5) The hydrodynamic parameters of the alluvial silts and reservoir silting sediments are crucial in determining the influence radius of the inversion of groundwater flow direction when the reservoir level rises suddenly. Model results enhance the confidence of the conceptual model, provide the basis for detailed specific models of the landfill and the alluvial aquifer, and highlight the importance of considering the tidal effect of the reservoir level oscillations. They also provide valuable information for managing the landfill and its impact on the surrounding groundwater system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessment and Monitoring of Groundwater Quality)
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