scholarly journals An Assessment of Groundwater Contamination Risk with Radon Based on Clustering and Structural Models

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Martins ◽  
Alcides Pereira ◽  
Alcino Oliveira ◽  
António Fernandes ◽  
Luís Filipe Sanches Fernandes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Contamination ◽  
Turnover Time ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Main Role ◽  
Agglomerative Clustering ◽  
Local Flow ◽  
Rock Interaction ◽  
Contamination Risk ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Effective Transfer

There is currently some controversy in the scientific community regarding the efficiency of the water–rock interaction process in the contamination of radon in groundwater. In this study, some difficulties were found in the sampling phase. Many of the water collection points are used for human consumption. As such, some municipalities did not want to collaborate. When this natural contaminant is undetectable to the human sense and may cause pulmonary neoplasms in the long term, it is difficult to obtain collaboration from the municipalities concerned. To overcome this controversy, it is important to understand that geogenic, climatic, hydrological, and topographic features may contribute to the effective transfer of radon from rocks to groundwater. In brief, this new approach combines the radon transfer from the geological substrate to the groundwater circulation through hierarchic agglomerative clustering (HAC) and partial least squares-path modeling (PLS-PM) methods. The results show that some lithologies with higher radon production may not always contribute to noticeable groundwater contamination. In this group, the high-fracturing density confirms the recharge efficiency, and the physical-chemical properties of the hydraulic environment (electric conductivity) plays the main role of radon unavailability in the water intended for human consumption. Besides, the hydraulic turnover time of the springs can be considered an excellent radiological indicator in groundwater. In the absence of an anomalous radioactive source near the surface, it means that the high-turnover time of the springs leads to a low-radon concentration in the water. Besides linking high-risk areas with a short period required to free local flow discharges, this study exposes the virtues of a new perspective of a groundwater contamination risk modeling.

scholarly journals Using intrinsic vulnerability and anthropogenic impacts to evaluate and compare groundwater risk potential at northwestern and western coastal aquifers of Sri Lanka through coupling DRASTIC and GIS approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ratha Phok ◽  
Nandalal Kosgallana Duwage Wasantha ◽  
Weerakoon Sumana Bandara ◽  
Pitawala Herath Mudiyanselage Thalapitiye Ge ◽  
Dharmagunawardhane Hingure Arachchilage
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Groundwater Contamination ◽  
Anthropogenic Impacts ◽  
Shallow Groundwater ◽  
Monitoring Network ◽  
Groundwater Vulnerability ◽  
Moderate Risk ◽  
Pollution Risk ◽  
Intrinsic Vulnerability ◽  
Contamination Risk

AbstractGroundwater vulnerability assessment has become a crucial step in successfully protecting groundwater against pollution. An attempt of this study has been made to evaluate groundwater contamination risk using intrinsic vulnerability and land-uses in Vanathavillu, Kalpitiya and Katana area in Sri Lanka, using coupled DRASTIC with GIS as feasible methodology. The findings reveal that the groundwater in the areas under study falls under very low to high contamination risk. The higher risk of contamination has been identified in most of the Kalpitiya (about 82%) with the moderate along the beach in the west and next to Puttalam lagoon in the northeast and southeast. This is mainly due to pollution risk inherent with intense vegetable cultivation, over pumping, shallow groundwater tables and permeable sandy soil. Vanathavillu is under very low to moderate contamination risk, in which the moderate risk (about 13%) has especially been found the center, central southwest and west of the area. The relative less deep groundwater tables, possible seepage from the underlying limestone aquifer and less permeable red earth soil could be cause for the moderate risk in the area. Furthermore, results show that the Katana has low to moderately high groundwater contamination risk. Nitrate has a good agreement with the different pollution risk classes and that nitrate can be used as an indicator of aquifer degradation inherent with land-use activities in the coastal areas. Groundwater quality monitoring network should be set up to minimize the anthropogenic acts, particularly in high and moderate contamination risk zones.

scholarly journals Probabilistic indicators for soil and groundwater contamination risk assessment

2020 ◽  
Vol 115 ◽  
pp. 106424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniele la Cecilia ◽  
Giovanni M. Porta ◽  
Fiona H.M. Tang ◽  
Monica Riva ◽  
Federico Maggi
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Groundwater Contamination ◽  
Contamination Risk

scholarly journals Perspectives on Sustainable Development in the Context of Public Health Issues

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-39
Author(s):  
Ioana-Codruta Racz
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Iodine Deficiency ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
The Body ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Main Role ◽  
Northern Asia ◽  
Good Nutrition

Abstract Health is an integral part of sustainable development, a process that can’t be materialized if there is a high prevalence of diseases, a high percentage of those is due to environmental factors. An important component of health is the healthy nutrition, especially of children and pregnant women. Iodine is an essential micronutrient for a good nutrition that covers the physiological needs of the body, iodine deficiency having important consequences for mother and fetus, then for children, especially in the first years of life. The main role of iodine in the body is due to his importance for synthesis of thyroid hormones involved in growth and development of psychic and somatic body, starting with intrauterine life. Iodine deficiency was, and still is, a public health problem, globally the most affected countries are in Central Africa, central South America and northern Asia. Europe iodine deficiency is relatively lower. Multiple interventions were made to improve and even eradicate iodine deficiency disorders, in particular through the universal iodization of salt for human consumption, but must be supported in continuing efforts because this issue is not fully resolved to this day.

scholarly journals APPROACH ON DETECTION OF SITUATION OF POTENTIAL RISK TO HEALTH, RELATED TO WATER QUALITY: AN EXAMPLE

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (29) ◽  
pp. 123-135
Author(s):  
S. DOVIDAUSKAS ◽  
I. A. OKADA ◽  
M. H. IHA ◽  
Á G. CAVALLINI ◽  
M. A. DE OLIVEIRA
Keyword(s):  
Water Supply ◽  
Groundwater Contamination ◽  
Potential Risk ◽  
Nitrate Contamination ◽  
Nitrate Group ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Public Water Supply ◽  
Microbiological Parameters ◽  
Confirmatory Tests ◽  
Health Related

This work describes the approach of a situation of potential risk to health due to nitrate contamination in water intended for human consumption, found in a study conducted in 88 municipalities in the Northeast region of the State of São Paulo (Brazil). 4,347 public water supply samples were analysed for 21 physico-chemical and 2 microbiological parameters. A municipality was distinguished from the others with regard to higher nitrate levels, while the principal components analysis showed that it belonged to a group of 14 municipalities (nitrate group). The Sanitary Surveillance Group was then contacted and, after confirmatory tests in new public water supply samples, analyses were performed on water samples from 16 wells in the county. The groundwater contamination was found, and technical meetings were held. One of the deliberations was the repetition of water analyses of the 16 wells. Consolidated results showed that the 5 wells had nitrate levels above the maximum value permitted by legislation. To mitigate nitrate groundwater contamination of that municipality actions are being taken as a result of 3 technical meetings already held. The other municipalities of the nitrate group are being monitored.

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