Author(s): Alicia Sanz-Prat; J. Jaime Gomez-Hernandez
Linked Author(s): Jaime Gómez-Hernández
Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: Motivation The effects on human health and environmental systems resulting from anthropogenic contamination (e. g., emerging organic contaminants, heavy metals, microplastics) in soil and aquifers are still unknown, especially when their presence in nature may last up to decades due to complex reactive processes along their transport in groundwater as solved-precipitated compounds. Under uncertain scenarios driven by Climate Change, such mechanisms may be affected by forecasted lower water table levels and higher temperature ranges in the groundwater. Current official estimations establish in over 2500 million of potentially contaminated sites distributed throughout Europe, wherein source identification and delineation of the affected area may have socio-economic and legal implications. In this context, the protection of the environmental, social, and economic services of the natural resources is identified as of vital importance in the Sustainable Development Goals SDG6- Clean water and sanitation, and SDG15- Life on land. However, when a contaminant event is detected, consequent decisions rely on commonly sparse databases to define the status of soil and aquatic ecosystems. Despite constrained model assumptions and demanding computational time, hydrogeology stochastic inverse models (SIM) are considered excellent methodologies to extract consistent and valued input parameter information from non-sampled areas by analyzing predictive responses of the system in comparison with actual observed responses. The Forensic Hydrogeology project (FORENSHYD) attempts to contribute with a next step toward pioneer technologies yielding reliable reactive compound simulations will enhance the efficiency of water management administrations.
Year: 2022