{"title":"Mitigating nitrate contamination in groundwater: A comprehensive review of in-situ approaches","authors":"Preetismita Borah , Gongutri Borah , Arindam Malakar","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101406","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Groundwater nitrate contamination remains a critical global environmental and public health challenge, driven primarily by agricultural activities, industrial discharges, and urbanization. This review paper comprehensively analyze in-situ approaches for mitigating nitrate contamination, including bioremediation, permeable reactive barriers, and advanced catalytic techniques. It highlights the evolution of these methods, focusing on their effectiveness, scalability, and sustainability. While significant advancements have been made, critical gaps persist in addressing long-term efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and adaptability to diverse hydrogeological settings. Emerging trends, such as the application of bioengineered microorganisms, nanomaterials, and data-driven optimization strategies, are explored for their potential to overcome these challenges. The paper also emphasizes the influence of regulatory frameworks, climate change, and technological innovation on developing sustainable nitrate mitigation strategies. Future research should integrate multidisciplinary approaches to develop robust, site-specific solutions, using advanced monitoring technologies for real-time contaminant tracking and refining eco-friendly materials for enhanced reactivity and durability. This review aims to provide a roadmap for advancing the design and implementation of innovative, in-situ nitrate mitigation techniques by synthesizing current knowledge and identifying future priorities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 101406"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352801X25000037","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Groundwater nitrate contamination remains a critical global environmental and public health challenge, driven primarily by agricultural activities, industrial discharges, and urbanization. This review paper comprehensively analyze in-situ approaches for mitigating nitrate contamination, including bioremediation, permeable reactive barriers, and advanced catalytic techniques. It highlights the evolution of these methods, focusing on their effectiveness, scalability, and sustainability. While significant advancements have been made, critical gaps persist in addressing long-term efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and adaptability to diverse hydrogeological settings. Emerging trends, such as the application of bioengineered microorganisms, nanomaterials, and data-driven optimization strategies, are explored for their potential to overcome these challenges. The paper also emphasizes the influence of regulatory frameworks, climate change, and technological innovation on developing sustainable nitrate mitigation strategies. Future research should integrate multidisciplinary approaches to develop robust, site-specific solutions, using advanced monitoring technologies for real-time contaminant tracking and refining eco-friendly materials for enhanced reactivity and durability. This review aims to provide a roadmap for advancing the design and implementation of innovative, in-situ nitrate mitigation techniques by synthesizing current knowledge and identifying future priorities.
期刊介绍:
Groundwater for Sustainable Development is directed to different stakeholders and professionals, including government and non-governmental organizations, international funding agencies, universities, public water institutions, public health and other public/private sector professionals, and other relevant institutions. It is aimed at professionals, academics and students in the fields of disciplines such as: groundwater and its connection to surface hydrology and environment, soil sciences, engineering, ecology, microbiology, atmospheric sciences, analytical chemistry, hydro-engineering, water technology, environmental ethics, economics, public health, policy, as well as social sciences, legal disciplines, or any other area connected with water issues. The objectives of this journal are to facilitate: • The improvement of effective and sustainable management of water resources across the globe. • The improvement of human access to groundwater resources in adequate quantity and good quality. • The meeting of the increasing demand for drinking and irrigation water needed for food security to contribute to a social and economically sound human development. • The creation of a global inter- and multidisciplinary platform and forum to improve our understanding of groundwater resources and to advocate their effective and sustainable management and protection against contamination. • Interdisciplinary information exchange and to stimulate scientific research in the fields of groundwater related sciences and social and health sciences required to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals for sustainable development.