Evaluation of Ground Water Pollution Potential by Employing the AQUIPRO Method and Verification and Validation of the Method through the Distribution of Nitrate Concentration

Subject Areas : Article frome a thesis

Saeideh Samani ¹ , Asghar Asghari Moghaddam ²

1 - دکتری هیدروژئولوژی، گروه علوم زمین دانشگاه تبریز، تبریز، ایران
2 - دکتری هیدروژئولوژی، استاد گروه علوم زمین دانشگاه تبریز، تبریز ، ایران

Received: 2014-12-17 Accepted : 2017-10-28 Published : 2017-08-23

Keywords: Pollution potential, leaching of chemical fertilizers, AQUIPRO method,

Abstract :

The AQUIPRO method was used to assess aquifer vulnerability using the operating water well logs. The AQUIPRO model is a parameter/factor weighting system for rating the pollution potential of aquifers. This method  uses the water depth in well, as well as the clay and partial clay thickness in a well, to generate pollution potential scores. In this model, aquifer protection increases as the AQUIPRO vulnerability scores increase and ground water pollution potential decreases. Logs of 30 wells with chemical analyses of nitrate concentrations in these wells were used to determine the ground water pollution potential of Ajabshir Aquifer, East Azerbaijan. Theoretically, low AQUIPRO pollution potential scores should have more frequent occurrences of ground water contamination events than areas with high AQUIPRO scores with similar land-use, well construction, and well densities. The relative AQUIPRO scores were compared with the nitrate concentration in ground water. The results indicated that wells containing more nitrate showed a decrease of AQUIPRO vulnerability scores. The average nitrate-N concentrations within each relative AQUIPRO vulnerability scores category were also compared. The results indicated that as the relative AQUIPRO (R2 = 0.97) vulnerability scores increase, the mean nitrate concentrations also increase. Accordingly, comparison of the AQUIPRO method with the distribution of nitrate, and comparison of average nitrate concentrations in the every classification and relative AQUIPRO vulnerability scores confirmed the accuracy and validity of the method in the region.

References:

1)        سامانی، س. ن، کلانتری. م ح، رحیمی. 1390. آلودگی آبهای زیرزمینی دشت اوان به نیترات و بررسی توان و منشا آلایندگی آن. مجله حفاظت منابع آب و خاک.

2)       Aller, L. T, Bennet. J. H, Leher. R. J, Petty., and  G, Hackett. 1987. DRASTIC: A standardized system for evaluating groundwater pollution potential using hydrogeological settings. Technical Report 600/2-87-035, EPA.

3)       Al-Adamat, R A N. I. D. L, Foster., and S. M. J, Baban. 2003. Groundwater vulnerability and risk mapping for the Basaltic aquifer of the Azraq basin of Jordan using GIS, Remote sensing and DRASTIC. Appl Geog, 23:303–324.

4)       4-Alley, W. M. 1993. Regional ground-water quality: John Wiley & Sons.

5)       5-APHA. 1976. Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater 14ed. APHA Am Pub Health Assoc.

6)       6-Chowdhury, S. H. A. E, Kehew., and R. N, Passero. 2003. Correlation between nitrate contamination and ground water pollution potential. Ground water, 41: 735-745.‏

7)       7- Civita, M. 1994. Le carte della vulnerabilita` degli acquiferi all’inquinamento. Teoria & practica (Aquifer vulnerability maps to pollution) (in Italian). Bologna: Pitagora Ed.

8)        8-Civita, M., and C, De-Regibus. 1995. Sperimentazione di alcune metodologie per la valutazione della vulnerabilita` degli aquiferi (in Italian). Bologna: Quaderni di Geologia Applicata, Pitagora Ed.

9)       9-Doerfliger, N. P. Y, Jeannin., and F, Zwahlen. 1999. Water vulnerability assessment in karst environments: A new method of defining protection areas using a multi-attribute approach and GIS tools (EPIK method). Environ Geol, 39:165–176.

10)   10-Fetter, C. W., and Jr .C, Fetter. 1999. Contaminant hydrogeology (Vol. 500): Prentice Hall USA.

11)   11- Foster, S. D. 1987. Fundamental concepts in aquifer vulnerability, pollution risk and protection strategy. In: H. G., W.V, van (Eds), Waegeningh, The Hague. Vulnerability of soil and groundwater to pollution, 38:69–86.

12)   12- Freeze, R A., and J.A, Cherry. 1977. Groundwater: Prentice-Hall.

13)   13-Iranian Institute of Industrial Research. 1997. Physical and chemicalcharacteristics of drinking water. P:13. (in Farsi)

14)   14-Keeney, D. 1986. Nitrate in ground water-agricultural contribution and control. Paper presented at the Proc. Conf. on Agric. Impacts on Ground Water, Omaha, NE.

15)   15- Kim, Y J., and S.Y, Hamm. 1999. Assessment of the potential for groundwater contamination using the DRASTIC/EGIS technique, Cheongju area, South Korea. J. Hydroge, 7:227–235.

16)   16- Lee, S. 2003. Evaluation of waste disposal site using the DRASTIC system in southern Korea. Environ Geo, 44: 654–664.

17)   17-Pawar, N J., and I.J, Shaikh. 1995. Nitrate pollution of ground waters from shallow basaltic aquifers, Deccan Trap Hydrologic Province, India. Environ Geo, 25: 197-204.

18)   18- Pssero, R N. 1990. AQUIPRO. Kalamazoo. Michigan: Western Michigan University.

19)   19- Piscopo, G. 2001. Groundwater  vulnerability map, explanatory notes, Castlereagh Catchment. Parramatta NSW: Australia NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation.

20)   20-Rupert, M. G. 2001. Calibration of the mapping method. Groundwater, 39:625-630.

21)   21- Tedaldi, D. J., and R.C, Loehr. 1992. Effects of waste water irrigation on aqueous geochemistry near Paris, Texas. Ground Water, 30: 709-719.

22)   22- Tesoriero, A.J. E.L, Inkpen., and  F.D, Voss. 1998. Assessing ground-water vulnerability using logistic regression. Proc Source Water Assess Protec 98 Conference, Dallas, TX; 157– 65.

23)   23- U.S. Environmental Protection Agancy. 1993. A review of methodes for assessing aquifer sensivity and ground water vulnerability to pesticide contamination. EPA-813-R-93002

24)   24- U.S. EPA. 1995. Drinking water standards. U.S. EPA.

25)   25-Van-Stempvoort, D. L, Evert., and  L,  Wassenaar. 1993. Aquifer vulnerability index: A GIS compatible method for groundwater vulnerability mapping. Can Water Resourc J, 18: 25–37.

26)   26-vrba, J. and A, Zoporozec. 1994.Guidebook on mapping groundwater vulnerability. Int cont to Hydrogeo. Verlag Heinz Heise GmbH and Co. KG.

27)   27-Worrall, F., and T, Besien .2004. The vulnerability of groundwater to pesticide contamination estimated directly from observations of presence or absence in wells. J. Hydrol 303: 92-107.