: Groundwater salinization can be natural and anthropogenic in origin, although it often results from a combination of both, especially in low-lying coastal regions that are hydraulically controlled. This study proposes a method to assess the origin of salinity using environmental tracers in porewater, like Cl- and Br-, combined with depositional facies associations detected in sediment cores. Such integrated approach was tested in a target area south of the Venice Lagoon (Italy), where groundwater salinization is triggered by multiple mechanisms due to the complexity of the hydro-geomorphological environment. Batch tests were performed on sediment core samples from boreholes to quantify major anions and total inorganic N. Cl- and Br- porewater concentrations coupled with sedimentary facies association provided insights into the origin of groundwater salinity from a variety of sources, including past and present seawater intrusion, agricultural leaching, and evaporites. The strengths and limitations of the integrated approach are discussed to provide a pathway for improving water resource management and planning measures to prevent groundwater salinization in coastal areas.
Salinity origin in the coastal aquifer of the Southern Venice lowland / Alessandrino, Luigi; Gaiolini, Mattia; Cellone, Francisco Aldo; Colombani, Nicolò; Mastrocicco, Micòl; Cosma, Marta; Da Lio, Cristina; Donnici, Sandra; Tosi, Luigi. - In: SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT. - ISSN 0048-9697. - ELETTRONICO. - 905:(2023), p. 167058.167058. [10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167058]
Salinity origin in the coastal aquifer of the Southern Venice lowland
Alessandrino, LuigiPrimo
Writing – Original Draft Preparation
;Gaiolini, MattiaSecondo
Formal Analysis
;Colombani, Nicolò
Conceptualization
;
2023-01-01
Abstract
: Groundwater salinization can be natural and anthropogenic in origin, although it often results from a combination of both, especially in low-lying coastal regions that are hydraulically controlled. This study proposes a method to assess the origin of salinity using environmental tracers in porewater, like Cl- and Br-, combined with depositional facies associations detected in sediment cores. Such integrated approach was tested in a target area south of the Venice Lagoon (Italy), where groundwater salinization is triggered by multiple mechanisms due to the complexity of the hydro-geomorphological environment. Batch tests were performed on sediment core samples from boreholes to quantify major anions and total inorganic N. Cl- and Br- porewater concentrations coupled with sedimentary facies association provided insights into the origin of groundwater salinity from a variety of sources, including past and present seawater intrusion, agricultural leaching, and evaporites. The strengths and limitations of the integrated approach are discussed to provide a pathway for improving water resource management and planning measures to prevent groundwater salinization in coastal areas.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.