N. López, D. Sciannamblo, M. Spizzico, V. Spizzico, R. Tinelli
{"title":"Intrinsic Vulnerability Assessment of a Confined Carbonatic Aquifer: the Brindisi Plain Case (Southern Italy)","authors":"N. López, D. Sciannamblo, M. Spizzico, V. Spizzico, R. Tinelli","doi":"10.2174/1874829500801010009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1874829500801010009","url":null,"abstract":"Apulia, in the absence of surface water, is one of the Italian regions which satisfy their water requirements by drawing large quantities (over 40%) of its water from underground resources. The large amounts drawn from these re- sources in the last few years due to increasing human activity on the territory has determined a general and inevitable re- duction of the quality of the underground water resources although they circulate in hydrogeological and geostructural en- vironments characterised by a low intrinsic vulnerability. This is particularly true in the Brindisi Plain: a large portion of territory between the Serre Salentine and the Adriatic Sea. The area examined is characterised by the existence of two dis- tinct hydrogeological environments one overlying the other; in the underlying one, made up of Mesozoic carbonate depos- its, there is a groundwater body of significant size which satisfies about 30% of the requirements; in the one overlying this, made up of Quaternary calcarenite-sandy deposits, there is a groundwater body of reasonable local importance. For each aquifer, the study evaluated the intrinsic vulnerability using a parametric model, SINTACS, standardised for Italy and modified by the authors in order to adapt it to the particular characteristics of the examined zone. The information ob- tained in this way was then compared with the quality of the waters circulating in these aquifers. The investigations showed the generally good quality of the waters circulating in the carbonate aquifer and the presence of pollution by ni- trates in the vicinity of some wells. By analysing the maps drawn up and from the information collected in situ, it was possible to ascertain that widespread forms of underground water pollution can be blamed on the poor execution of drilled wells and on the lack of suitable management criteria of the groundwater bodies.","PeriodicalId":344616,"journal":{"name":"The Open Environmental Engineering Journal","volume":"42 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-11-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132193608","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Dimensions of Environmental Engineering","authors":"Birgitta Dresp","doi":"10.2174/1874829500801010001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1874829500801010001","url":null,"abstract":"The impact of human activity on the biosphere has produced a global society context in which scarcity of natu- ral resources and risks to ecological health such as air pollution and water contamination call for new solutions that help sustain the development of human society and all life on earth. This review article begins by recalling the historical and philosophical context from which contemporary environmental engineering has arisen as a science and domain of techno- logical development. Examples that deal with some of the core issues and challenges currently faced by the field, such as problems of scale and complexity, are then discussed. It is emphasized that the sustainability of the built environment de- pends on innovative architecture and building designs for optimal use and recycling of resources. To evaluate problems related to global climate change, storms, floods, earthquakes, landslides and other environmental risks, the behaviour of the natural environment needs to be taken into account. Understanding the complex interactions between the built envi- ronment and the natural environment is essential in promoting the economic use of energy and waste reduction. Finally, the key role of environmental engineering within models of sustainable economic development is brought forward.","PeriodicalId":344616,"journal":{"name":"The Open Environmental Engineering Journal","volume":"39 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130766646","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}