Abstract
High nitrate concentration of fresh groundwater of a coastal karstic aquifer, not far from the Apulian regional capital (Southern Italy), caused public concern and alarm from the authorities. The attention of local communities focused on the effect of a group of landfills, the use of which started from 1975, using improved technological and safety devices to reduce groundwater pollution risks.
This chapter describes a simple approach based on the spatial and temporal variability of groundwater nitrate concentration (GNC) able to answer to public concern, circumscribing the main source of contamination, discussing of natural background values and spatial/temporal variability of GNC. For this purpose, a wide spatial and temporal range of data were discussed from 2006 to 2018. A regional survey of 2006–2007 was used to define background values or almost natural values of groundwater nitrate concentration (GNC). In the landfill sector, a monthly time series from 2007 to 2013 showed the GNC seasonality and the relationships with rainfall, and the periodical surveys of 2014–2018 showed the geochemical groundwater characteristics and the spatial variability of GNC, in both cases at the detailed scale of the study area.
The results show the source is diffuse and should be related to the intensive agriculture activities in the area. The results correspond perfectly with the results obtained using a multimethodological complex and expensive approach based on the use of several parameters, including nitrogen isotopes.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Ancona V, Uricchio V, Lopez N, Caniglia G, Ripa S (2010) Attività di monitoraggio dei nutrienti nelle acque e nei suoli pugliesi a supporto delle strategie gestionali per la riduzione e razionalizzazione del consumo dei fertilizzanti. Ital J Agrometeorol 3:61–66
Appelo CAJ, Postma D (1996) Geochemistry, groundwater and pollution, 4th corrected print. Balkema/Brookfield, Rotterdam
Burow KR, Nolan BT, Rupert MG, Dubrovsky NM (2010) Nitrate in groundwater of the United States, 1991−2003. Environ Sci Technol 44:4988–4997. https://doi.org/10.1021/es100546y
Cossu R, Zuffianò LE, Limoni PP, De Giorgio G, Pizzardini P, Miano T, Mondelli D, Garavaglia R, Carella C, Polemio M (2018) How can the role of leachate on nitrate concentration and groundwater quality be clarified? An approach for landfills in operation (southern Italy). Waste Manag 77:156–165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2018.05.014
Cotecchia V, Grassi D, Polemio M (2005) Carbonate aquifers in Apulia and seawater intrusion. G Geol Appl 1:219–231. https://doi.org/10.1474/GGA.2005-01.0-22.0022
Custodio E, Llamas MR (1996) Hydrologia subterranea. Omega, Barcelona
Dubrovsky NM, Burow KR, Clark GM, Gronberg JM, Hamilton PA, Hitt KJ, Mueller DK, Munn MD, Nolan BT, Puckett LJ, Ruper MG, Short TM, Spahr NE, Sprague LA, Wilber WG (2010) The quality of our Nation’s waters—nutrients in the Nation’s streams and groundwater, 1992–2004: (No. 1350.). US Geological Survey Circular, Reston
Heaton THE (1986) Isotopic studies of nitrogen pollution in the hydrosphere and atmosphere: a review. Chem Geol Isot Geosci Sect 59:87–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/0168-9622(86)90059-X
Lucon TN, Costa AT, Galvão P, Leite MGP (2018) Natural background levels and seasonal influence on groundwater chemistry of the Upper São Francisco karst region, MG. Brazil Braz J Geol 48:867–879. https://doi.org/10.1590/2317-4889201820180071
Mor S, Ravindra K, Dahiya RP, Chandra A (2006) Leachate characterization and assessment of groundwater pollution near municipal solid waste landfill site. Environ Monit Assess 118:435–456. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-006-1505-7
Parrone D, Ghergo S, Preziosi E (2019) A multi-method approach for the assessment of natural background levels in groundwater. Sci Total Environ 659:884–894. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.12.350
Pieri P, Festa V, Moretti M, Tropeano M (1997) Quaternary tectonic activity of the Murge area (Apulian foreland – southern Italy). Ann Geofis 40(5):1395–1404
Polemio M (2005) Seawater intrusion and groundwater quality in the southern Italy region of Apulia: a multi-methodological approach to the protection. In: Maraga F, Arattano M (eds) Progress in surface and subsurface water studies at the plot and Small Basin scale, technical documents in hydrology, UNESCO, IHP, Paris, pp 171–178
Polemio M (2016) Monitoring and Management of Karstic Coastal Groundwater in a changing environment (southern Italy): a review of a regional experience. Water 8(4):1–16. https://doi.org/10.3390/w8040148
Polemio M, Limoni PP (2006) Groundwater pollution and risks for the coastal environment (southeastern Italy). In: Sivapalan M, Wagener T, Uhlenbrook S, Zehe E, Lakshmi V, Liang X, Tachikawa Y, Kumar P (eds) Predictions in ungauged basins: promise and progress. IAHS Publications, Wallingford, pp 477–486
Polemio M, Dragone V, Limoni PP (2009) Monitoring and methods to analyse the groundwater quality degradation risk in coastal karstic aquifers (Apulia, southern Italy). Environ Earth Sci Former Environ Geol 58:299–312. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-008-1582-8
Serio F, Miglietta PP, Lamastra L, Ficocelli S, Intini F, De Leo F, De Donno A (2018) Groundwater nitrate contamination and agricultural land use: a grey water footprint perspective in southern Apulia region (Italy). Sci Total Environ 645:1425–1431. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.07.241
Sheikhy Narany T, Aris AZ, Sefie A, Keesstra S (2017) Detecting and predicting the impact of land use changes on groundwater quality, a case study in northern Kelantan. Malaysia Sci Total Environ 599–600:844–853. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.04.171
Strebel O, Duynisveld WHM, Böttcher J (1989) Nitrate pollution of groundwater in Western Europe. Agric Ecosyst Environ 26:189–214. https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-8809(89)90013-3
Thorburn PJ, Biggs JS, Weier KL, Keating BA (2003) Nitrate in groundwaters of intensive agricultural areas in coastal northeastern Australia. Agric Ecosyst Environ 94:49–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-8809(02)00018-X
WHO (2011) Nitrate and nitrite in drinking-water, Background document for development of WHO Guidelines for drinking-water quality
Zuffianò LE, Basso A, Casarano D, Dragone V, Limoni PP, Romanazzi A, Santaloia F, Polemio M (2016) Coastal hydrogeological system of Mar Piccolo (Taranto, Italy). Environ Sci Pollut Res 23:12502–12514. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4932-6
Zuffianò LE, Limoni PP, De Giorgio G, Polemio M (2018) Data to clarify the landfill role in the case of groundwater quality degradation (southern Italy). Data Brief 20:1489–1499. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2018.08.201
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by ‘Società Progetto Gestione Bari Cinque Srl’.
Author Contributions
Authors’ contribution should be considered equal.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Zuffianò, L.E., Limoni, P.P., De Giorgio, G., Polemio, M. (2020). Natural Groundwater Background Levels of Nitrate and Landfill Effects (Apulia, Southern Italy). In: De Maio, M., Tiwari, A. (eds) Applied Geology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43953-8_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43953-8_4
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-43952-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-43953-8
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)