Groundwater Safety and Availability Index (GSAI) and its association with salinity indicators

IF 8.2 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Science of the Total Environment Pub Date : 2025-03-06 DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179019

Justyna Kubicz , Paweł Lochyński , Joanna A. Kamińska

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Abstract

This study assesses the quality of groundwater in the Odra River Basin in Poland, focussing on environmental health risks, temporal variability, and their association with salinity indices. A new indicator, the Groundwater Safety and Availability Index (GSAI), was developed to evaluate groundwater resources by integrating health risk and resource quantity factors, providing a novel tool for ranking water resources and informing environmental and administrative decision-making. Groundwater samples were collected between 2005 and 2021 and analysed in accordance with national standards. The results demonstrate an improvement in groundwater quality over time, indicated by a reduction in Health Index (HI) values, particularly in Lower Silesia, Lubusz, and Silesia. Significant correlations were found between HI and NO₃⁻ (τ-Kendall = 0.40) and arsenic (τ-Kendall = 0.55). GSAI values varied across regions, with West Pomerania showing the highest groundwater safety and availability, while Silesia had the lowest. Elevated concentrations of contaminants such as arsenic and nitrates were found to significantly impact water safety, particularly during hydrogeological droughts. These findings support the need for region-specific management strategies to ensure sustainable groundwater use and mitigate health risks, with the GSAI serving as a valuable tool for policymakers and environmental planners.

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来源期刊

Science of the Total Environment 环境科学-环境科学

CiteScore

17.60

自引率

10.20%

发文量

8726

审稿时长

2.4 months

期刊介绍： The Science of the Total Environment is an international journal dedicated to scientific research on the environment and its interaction with humanity. It covers a wide range of disciplines and seeks to publish innovative, hypothesis-driven, and impactful research that explores the entire environment, including the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and anthroposphere. The journal's updated Aims & Scope emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary environmental research with broad impact. Priority is given to studies that advance fundamental understanding and explore the interconnectedness of multiple environmental spheres. Field studies are preferred, while laboratory experiments must demonstrate significant methodological advancements or mechanistic insights with direct relevance to the environment.