Groundwater for Sustainable Development最新文献

{"title":"Assessing groundwater quality and solute sources in highly anthropized areas. The case of Abuja Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria","authors":"M. Etuk ,&nbsp;V. Re ,&nbsp;S. Viaroli ,&nbsp;B. Raco ,&nbsp;O. Igwe","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101425","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101425","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Abuja Federal Capital Territory is an example of a heavily anthropized aquifer, where natural water-rock interaction processes are masked by human pollution. As a result, the characterization of natural processes is particularly difficult, especially to disentangle the natural from the anthropogenic signature. Two surveys were conducted in the rainy and dry season in 2021 and 2022 using an integrated geochemical, statistical, and isotopic approach. Results show that groundwater samples are affected by mixing processes between water with a Ca-HCO₃ facies (associated to natural water-rock interaction processes) and contaminated waters. The latter can be observed in some wells with a shift to NO₃-dominant facies in the rainy season. The stable isotopes of the water molecule (δ¹⁸O and δ²H) suggest the presence of multiple recharge zones and strong seasonal variability. The shifts in groundwater isotopic composition suggest secondary evaporation in the rainy season and limited local precipitation influence during the dry season, with a possible domination of deep aquifer contributions.</div><div>The frequency distribution of tritium (³H) in 2021 confirms the limited impact of local precipitation during the dry season (median 0.8 <span>TU</span>), further supporting the dominance of deep aquifer contributions to groundwater flow. The influence of rainwater infiltration is observed as a main contribution to the remobilization of contaminants (of agricultural and domestic origin) stocked in the unsaturated zone, rather than a dilution effect. This results in a progressive increase of NO₃⁻ concentration in the rainy season (reaching 433 mg/L), highlighting the need for a more complete characterization to support a wiser sustainable environmental management in an area subject to increasing anthropogenic pressure and prone to significant population growth.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101425"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143479895","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":"Radon concentration in water sources and its associated cancer risks to the populace of Ede, South Western Nigeria","authors":"O.O. Akindipe ,&nbsp;I.R. Akomolafe ,&nbsp;E.J. Adepehin ,&nbsp;D.M. Okewole ,&nbsp;C.J. Olowookere ,&nbsp;A.A. Aremu ,&nbsp;B.B. Oguntola ,&nbsp;U.E. Vincent","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101423","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101423","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An estimated two billion people do not have access to portable and clean drinking water due to diverse pollutants present in water, including Radon (²²²Rn). For this reason, the World Health Organisation (WHO) designated clean water and sanitation as goal <span><math><mi>♯</mi></math></span>6 in its 2030 sustainable development (SDG) agenda. This work aimed to measure the concentrations of radon in various water sources at Redeemer’s University campus, Ede, and its environment, and to estimate the associated radiological health hazard. Thirty five (35) boreholes, surface water and hand-dug well water were sampled and analysed for (²²²Rn) content, and its health risk estimated using the annual effective dose (AED) and the excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR). (²²²Rn) distributions in borehole water samples, ranged from 0.51 ± 0.40 to 36.25 ± 2.80 Bq<span><math><msup><mrow><mi>l</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></math></span>. For the hand-dug well, it ranged from 1.75 ± 1.00 to 5.91 ± 0.20 Bq<span><math><msup><mrow><mi>l</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></math></span>, and for the stream water, it was 0.106 ± 0.1 Bql⁻¹. The mean radon concentration in surface water, borehole water, and hand-dug well sources were 0.106 ± 0.1 Bq<span><math><msup><mrow><mi>l</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></math></span>, 15.35 ± 9.73 Bq<span><math><msup><mrow><mi>l</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></math></span> and 4.25 ± 1.72 Bq<span><math><msup><mrow><mi>l</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></math></span>, respectively. The measured values in all the water samples was distributed between 0.106 Bq<span><math><msup><mrow><mi>l</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></math></span> and 36.250 Bq<span><math><msup><mrow><mi>l</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></math></span>, the average value was 13.330 Bq<span><math><msup><mrow><mi>l</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></math></span>. The mean AED from inhalation and ingestion of (²²²Rn) gas was 39.259 <span><math><mi>μ</mi></math></span>Svy⁻¹. Total AED received from all water sources was estimated to be less than 100 <span><math><mi>μ</mi></math></span>Svy⁻¹, which is the WHO and European Union (EU) Commission recommended value. The estimated ELCR showed probabilities of 1 ± 1, 30 ± 12 and 108 ± 70 cases per a million people developing cancer from exposure to radon from surface water, hand-dug wells, and borehole water sources, respectively, which were within the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) reference limit. This implies that, at present the entire community is safe from any radiologically linked health effects that could arise from exposure to radon gas from water sources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101423"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143454544","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":"Risk assessment of not meeting environmental objectives related to protection of human health and groundwater quality: The tiered approach in the context of the EU water framework directive","authors":"Zoran Nakić,&nbsp;Dario Perković,&nbsp;Zoran Kovač,&nbsp;Borna-Ivan Balaž","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101428","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101428","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper presents the tiered approach to risk assessment, aiming to recognize groundwater bodies for which it can be unequivocally defined, with an established confidence level, whether they are at risk of not meeting environmental objectives of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) related to the protection of drinking water protected areas and groundwater itself. As an upgrade of the risk screening tools derived in the context of the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) of the WFD, the robust and comprehensive approach to risk assessment extensively addresses data uncertainty and confidence assessment. If a risk assessment is conducted with low confidence, further data collection on pressures, chemical status and hydrogeological characteristics is carried out, which lasts until data are of sufficient quality to make a reliable prediction in outcomes. The tiered approach is combined with the confidence assessment focusing the research to areas of high uncertainty and low degree of confidence. To test this approach, groundwater chemical data from the groundwater body (GWB), which is typical for the Pannonian region of Croatia, were used. The Tier 1 semi-quantitative risk screening resulted in development of the GIS-based risk map for the selected GWB. The Tier 2, monitoring-based risk assessment, was carried out by applying: a) relevant criteria to conduct trend analysis and to characterize the risk of deterioration of GWB chemical status and b) risk-based classification tests, in combination with the confidence assessment of tests results. Results of the assessment of risk of not meeting the “implement measures to reverse trends” and the “prevent GWB status deterioration” objectives for the selected GWB did not reveal an existence of environmentally significant trends and an exceedance of risk-based quality standards and threshold values with arithmetic and/or spatial means of targeted substances. The risk-based classification tests results confirmed no significant risk of not meeting good GWB chemical status related to the protection of human health and groundwater. All results demonstrate that proposed approach to risk assessment is straightforward and operational for use if a high-quality data derive from a high-resolution conceptual model of a GWB.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101428"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143474061","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":"Assessing the effects of ENSO-induced climate variability on shallow coastal groundwater reserves of north Patagonia, Argentina","authors":"Mattia Gaiolini ,&nbsp;Rosario Acosta ,&nbsp;Eleonora Carol ,&nbsp;Nicolò Colombani","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101427","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101427","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, a statistical correlation analysis, integrating climatic indices and numerically calculated hydrological datasets, was used to assess the impact of climate patterns and meteorological variability (identified by ONI and SPEI, respectively) on a coastal aquifer in a semi-arid area of Patagonia. To estimate aquifer groundwater levels and flows changes over the 56 years period (1967–2022) under analysis, a 3D numerical flow model was implemented, calibrated against observed piezometric heads and validated using remote sensing data from the GRACE mission. Results highlighted the role of meteoric recharge and evapotranspiration in shaping the water budget, highly affecting the piezometric fluctuation over the simulation. The statistical correlation showed a weak positive association between GW levels and both ONI and SPEI, indicating that climate and meteorological variability are exerting a slight but noticeable influence on groundwater dynamics. Moreover, an increasing seawater inflow from the ocean and tidal channels was observed due to decreasing meteoric recharge and this climate change-driven shift in water exchange dynamics could potentially increase salinization risk in the low-lying areas of this coastal aquifer. The developed methodology could help a proper water resource management in a coastal region where groundwater is the only source of supply for residents, providing useful information for studying groundwater resources in other coastal areas of Patagonia and the world that face similar water problems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101427"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143454545","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Groundwater vulnerability assessment using modified DRASTIC method with integrated hydrological model","authors":"Chanchai Petpongpan,&nbsp;Chaiwat Ekkawatpanit,&nbsp;Duangrudee Kositgittiwong","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101416","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101416","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Since groundwater is a finite resource, assessing its vulnerability to pollution is crucial for sustainable management. Contamination poses a significant threat, potentially degrading both the quality and quantity of available groundwater. To enhance the efficiency of this vital tool in subsurface water management, this study aims to propose the approach integrating index-based vulnerability assessment (DRASTIC-L) with fully coupled surface water-groundwater model (SWAT-MODFLOW). Various thematic layers regarding hydrogeological characteristics and land use of the Yom and Nan River basins are analyzed and overlaid to calculate the weighted index as well as identify vulnerability classes. DRASTIC-L components (depth to water table, recharge, and hydraulic conductivity) are directly simulated by SWAT-MODFLOW, instead of using interpolated observation data. As a result, the high consistency between simulated river discharges and groundwater levels with observed data implies a high degree of accuracy in the vulnerability parameters obtained from the model. DRASTIC-L index ranges from 61 to 221, classifying the study area into four vulnerability categories: low (&lt;100), moderate (100–140), high (140–200), and very high (&gt;200). 15.8% of the watershed exhibits low susceptibility, while moderate susceptibility characterizes 36.9%. Notably, 42.4% of the area falls within the highly susceptible category, highlighting potential contamination risks. Very highly susceptible zones comprise a smaller portion (4.7%) of the watershed. Moreover, Nitrate concentration data shows spatial congruence with areas designated as highly vulnerable. By providing a more accurate characterization of aquifer vulnerability, this approach can inform decision-makers in developing targeted and efficient plans to protect both groundwater quantity and quality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101416"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143474062","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":"An ensemble machine learning approach for predicting groundwater storage for sustainable management of water resources","authors":"Mohammed Sakib Uddin ,&nbsp;Bijoy Mitra ,&nbsp;Khaled Mahmud ,&nbsp;Syed Masiur Rahman ,&nbsp;Shakhawat Chowdhury ,&nbsp;Muhammad Muhitur Rahman","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101417","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101417","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Predicting groundwater storage (GWS) is essential for sustainable water resource management, especially in regions with water scarcity. This study proposes an ensemble machine learning (EML) approach (i.e., Bagging, XGBoost, and CatBoost) leveraging the Landsat-derived parameters to forecast GWS due to the limited availability of field observations. This modeling framework captures complex relationships between socioeconomic and environmental variables and groundwater storage in Chittagong City. Multiple indices, including the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), normalized difference built-up index (NDBI), modified normalized difference water index (MNDWI), and urban heat island (UHI), were utilized in the models. A digital elevation model (DEM), nighttime light (NTL), and nearest distance to water bodies from streamline data were used to investigate their impact on GWS. The empirical Bayesian kriging (EBK) method was used to downscale the GWS and NTL data. The outputs of the models were evaluated using statistical indicators such as the coefficient of determination (R²), root mean square error (RMSE), and Willmott's indicator of agreement (WIA). The Bagging and CatBoost models had higher R² and lower RMSE values (R² &gt; 0.965, RMSE &lt;1.604 mm) during the summer, while the XGBoost and CatBoost models performed better (R² &gt; 0.966, RMSE &lt;1.686 mm) in the winter. The results demonstrated that the utilization of Landsat metrics had the potential to serve as the predictive factors for estimating GWS. The proposed modeling framework can be used to predict GWS in regions with limited data, which will help policymakers, urban planners, and environmental organizations develop sustainable groundwater management strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101417"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143430339","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":"Zambezi River Basin aquifer systems: Opportunities and challenges in using freely available data sources and groundwater flow modelling for spatial exploratory analysis","authors":"Kawawa Banda ,&nbsp;Ezio Crestaz ,&nbsp;Roman Seliger ,&nbsp;Haile Mengistu ,&nbsp;James Sauramba ,&nbsp;Marciano Saraiva","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101421","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101421","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A groundwater flow model was implemented over the Zambezi River Basin using the state-of-the-art DHI-WASY finite element code Feflow. The analysis was based upon different freely available datasets that include a hydrologically consistent digital elevation model from HYDROSHEDS, the BGS (British Geological Survey) quantitative hydrogeological maps, and the regional hydrogeological SADC-GMI database. The model implementation was aimed at: (i) to identify and analyse challenges and limitations (data scarcity, accuracy of regional datasets, impact of geological, tectonic and hydrogeological complexity on model reliability) in applying groundwater flow modelling at basin scale; (ii) to perform an exploratory spatial analysis with reference to the magnitude and spatial distribution of effective recharge, aquifers’ properties and interlinks between surface water and aquifer systems (surface water – groundwater interactions). High uncertainty is generally associated with the estimation of hydrological and hydrogeological parameters, whose high spatial variability is not necessarily captured by the regional data products. This study evaluates how integrating freely available datasets (such as the DEM, BGS maps) influences model accuracy and uncertainty, particularly in terms of parameter estimation. The findings illustrates that, despite the limitations, freely available datasets can still effectively be used to develop a groundwater model that captures regional piezometric trends and provides insights into spatial variability. This demonstrates the potential for using such models in similar data-scarce regions. The modeling approach is expected to provide valuable quantitative insights into groundwater trends and variability, helping to identify key areas of uncertainty and guiding future data collection and model refinement efforts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101421"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143430338","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":"Pyrethroids in groundwater near the Citarum River: Insights into ecological and health risks","authors":"Nurul Fahimah ,&nbsp;Indah Rachmatiah Siti Salami ,&nbsp;Mariska Margaret Pitoi ,&nbsp;Dwina Roosmini ,&nbsp;Diana Rahayuning Wulan ,&nbsp;Katharina Oginawati ,&nbsp;Haryo Mubiarto ,&nbsp;Oman Rohman","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101422","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101422","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>While pyrethroid presence in rivers in Indonesia, particularly the Citarum River, has been reported, no studies have documented its occurrence in groundwater. This study is the first to report pyrethroid contamination in groundwater in Indonesia. We examine the distribution of pyrethroid concentrations in groundwater near the Citarum River in relation to distance from the river and evaluate the associated ecological and health risks. Of the nine pyrethroids tested, five were detected in Citarum River samples, and all were found in groundwater well samples, exceeding the maximum permissible concentration. Allethrin and β-cyfluthrin were detected in all water samples at concentrations of 101–264 ng/L and 12–58 ng/L, respectively. Although allethrin concentrations decreased with increasing distance from the river and increased with decreasing elevation, no significant correlation was found between distance, elevation, and allethrin concentrations. No distinct pattern was observed for β-cyfluthrin in river and groundwater samples. Additionally, neither allethrin nor β-cyfluthrin showed a significant correlation with proximity to agricultural areas, indicating that contamination sources may not be solely related to agricultural activities. Ecological risk assessment revealed that pyrethroid contamination poses a significant ecological threat to the Citarum River (Total Risk Quotient (TRQ) ≥ 1). However, total non-carcinogenic risk levels for pyrethroids in all groundwater samples were below 1, indicating no non-cancer health risks. These findings highlight the need for further research on pyrethroid dynamics and land-use interactions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101422"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143445378","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":"Implications of multi-decadal land use changes on groundwater regime in tropical coastal regions","authors":"Ananya Muduli,&nbsp;Pallavi Banerjee Chattopadhyay","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101419","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101419","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present study investigates Odisha's coastal regions, analyzing Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) changes from 2009 to 2023 and their impact on land surface temperature (LST) and groundwater quality index (GWI) under increasing anthropogenic pressures. The findings revealed a 6.6% rise in built-up areas, a 25.6% increase in agricultural land, and a 4.2% decline in vegetation, with Kappa accuracies exceeding 80%. These changes corresponded to a 1.5 °C rise in mean LST. Hydrogeochemical analysis of 257 groundwater samples from Scenario 1 (2016–2017) and Scenario 2 (2022–2023) showed significant changes in water chemistry. Piper and Chadha diagrams indicated a transition from Na⁺-Cl⁻ to mixed Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺-Cl⁻ and Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺-HCO₃⁻ facies, reflecting a shift from saline to mixed water types and freshwater recharge. Despite this trend, scatter plots and molar ratios identified multiple contamination sources, particularly from anthropogenic activities. The GWI revealed that approximately 50% of the region falls into “poor” to “unsuitable” categories for drinking water, attributed to high levels of K⁺, Na⁺, and Cl⁻ in Scenario 1 and K⁺, HCO₃⁻, Na⁺, pH, and TH in Scenario 2, supported by ANOVA analysis. The increasing strong correlation between K⁺ and GWI further confirms the rise in agricultural activity. Gibbs diagram highlights rock-water interaction as the primary factor, with evaporation as secondary. The Ca²⁺ vs. SO₄²⁻ scatter plot highlighted carbonate weathering, contributing to increased groundwater hardness. TDS vs. TH correlation (&gt;0.77) indicated worsening groundwater quality, with more samples transitioning to \"very hard\" and \"brackish\" categories. In contrast, strong correlations between TDS and Na⁺, Cl⁻ (&gt;0.8) further confirmed increased salinity. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed positive GWI and negative LULC loadings, linking urbanization and agricultural expansion to groundwater quality degradation. This study proposes sustainable water management (SDGs) strategies to fulfill SDGs 3, 6, and 11 enhancing coastal water resilience and public health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101419"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143430340","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":"Assessment of potentially harmful elements in surface and groundwater from the granito-gneissic aquiferous formations in Bertoua city and environs, East Region, Cameroon, Central Africa: Effects on human health","authors":"Sharon Ntube Ngwese ,&nbsp;Hassina Mouri ,&nbsp;Richard Ayuk II. Akoachere ,&nbsp;Jennifer McKinley ,&nbsp;Carla Candeias","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101420","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101420","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study of Bertoua city and its environs, in the East Region of Cameroon (4.46–4.6° N, 13.64–13.8° E) was to assess potentially harmful elements in surface and groundwater sources and their potential health risks, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3, ensuring good health and SDG 6, ensuring clean water and sanitation. Thirty water samples were analysed for the presence of major ions: Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, SO₄²⁻, HCO₃⁻, N0₃^-, and Cl⁻ using ion chromatography (IC) during both the wet and dry seasons, and PHEs including Al, Si, Se, Fe, Cr, Co, and Cu using inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) during the dry season. Results indicated high NO₃⁻ and Al above the permissible limits set by the World Health Organization. In groundwater, NO₃⁻ concentrations ranged from 0 to 643.5 mg/L in the wet season and 0–705.4 mg/L in the dry season, while Al concentrations ranged from 0.02 to 1.79 mg/L: both above the World Health Organization limit. In surface water, NO₃⁻ concentrations ranged from 152.71 to 188 mg/L in the wet season and 143.3–166.5 mg/L in the dry season, while Al concentrations ranged from 0.004 to 0.12 mg/L both above the same drinking water standard. The water types were Na⁺-K⁺-SO₄^2-, Ca²⁺-HCO₃^-, Ca²⁺-SO₄^2- and Ca²⁺-Cl^-, with simple dissolution and ion exchange responsible for them. Rock weathering was the dominant hydrogeochemical process controlling groundwater chemistry with minimal influence from atmospheric precipitation. Contamination inputs were from anthropogenic and geogenic sources. Calculated HQ_oral for males, females and children were greater than one (HQ_oral &gt; 1) for NO₃⁻, Al, Se, and Fe with children having higher values compared to the other demographic age groups due to a larger body-size-to-volume ratio. The HQ_dermal values were low and below the safe limit of 1 for all demographic groups, indicating no health risks to the population from dermal exposure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101420"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143419505","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}