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Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment for Organic Compounds: Fuzzy Multicriteria Approach for Mexico City

Environmental Management volume 37, pages 410–421 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

This study was based on a groundwater vulnerability assessment approach implemented for the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA). The approach is based on a fuzzy multicriteria procedure integrated in a geographic information system. The approach combined the potential contaminant sources with the permeability of geological materials. Initially, contaminant sources were ranked by experts through the Analytic Hierarchy Process. An aggregated contaminant sources map layer was obtained through the simple additive weighting method, using a scalar multiplication of criteria weights and binary maps showing the location of each source. A permeability map layer was obtained through the reclassification of a geology map using the respective hydraulic conductivity values, followed by a linear normalization of these values against a compatible scale. A fuzzy logic procedure was then applied to transform and combine the two map layers, resulting in a groundwater vulnerability map layer of five classes: very low, low, moderate, high, and very high. Results provided a more coherent assessment of the policy-making priorities considered when discussing the vulnerability of groundwater to organic compounds. The very high and high vulnerability areas covered a relatively small area (71 km2 or 1.5% of the total study area), allowing the identification of the more critical locations. The advantage of a fuzzy logic procedure is that it enables the best possible use to be made of the information available regarding groundwater vulnerability in the MCMA.

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Acknowledgments

We thank F. Mooser, J. M. Lesser, M. Mazari, C. Siebe, M. Maass, J. L. Palacio, M. A. Ortiz, and A. Zarco as well as the three anonymous reviewers for their invaluable contributions to the development of this article. This research was supported by DGAPA–UNAM, through project IN-225399. We also thank the Institutional Program of the Environment and Security at the Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo.

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Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Tercer Circuito Exterior Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, México, D.F., México

    Marisa Mazari-Hiriart

  2. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, Carmen Coyoacán, 04110, México D.F., México

    Gustavo Cruz-bello

  3. Programa Universitario de Medio Ambiente Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Circuito Exterior Ciudad Universitaria , Coyoacán, 04510, México, D.F., México

    Luis A. Bojórquez-tapia & Lourdes Juárez-Marusich

  4. Dirección General de Política Ambiental e Integración Regional y Sectorial, Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, Tialpan, 14210, México, D.F., México

    Georgina Alcantar-lópez

  5. Departamento de Recursos Naturales, Instituto de Geofísica Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Circuito Exterior Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, México, D.F., México

    Luis E. Marín

  6. Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo San Bartolo Atepehuacan, 07730, México, D.F., México

    Ernesto Soto-Galera

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  1. Marisa Mazari-Hiriart
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  2. Gustavo Cruz-bello
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Correspondence to Marisa Mazari-Hiriart.

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Mazari-Hiriart, M., Cruz-bello, G., Bojórquez-tapia, L.A. et al. Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment for Organic Compounds: Fuzzy Multicriteria Approach for Mexico City. Environmental Management 37, 410–421 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-005-0059-8

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Keywords

  • Analytic hierarchy process
  • Aquifer
  • Contamination
  • Geographic information System
  • Organic compounds
  • Megacity