Scientific Quarterly Journal of Geosciences

Scientific Quarterly Journal of Geosciences

Nitrate pollution level in shallow and deep aquifers underlying Kerman city and the associated health risk assessment

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors
Ahmad Abbasnejad
Behnam Abbasnejad
Mahdieh Eshaghi
Hoda Bavi
Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
10.22071/gsj.2025.529551.2205
Abstract
Considering nitrate is one of the most useful indicators of water pollution, this paper deals with nitrate pollution in the surficial and deep aquifers underlying Kerman city and its health risk assessment. This matter is of importance from the point of management and using groundwater. For this purpose, 32 samples were taken from water wells in the city and suburbs, two cases of them were duplicates. Sample taking and delivery to the lab was performed considering all necessary regulations. In this study, in addition to nitrate, levels of pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and water temperature were determined, and the relevant maps were prepared using Arc GIS software. In the scatter plot of NO3-EC, two separate trends were observed for surficial and deep aquifers. These trends were interpreted as the level of nitrate in these separate aquifers. Accordingly, the surficial aquifer is polluted with respect to nitrate, mainly as a result of recharge from sewage disposal wells. Its maximum NO3- level reaches 101.5 mg/L, but the deep aquifer, which is isolated from the surficial one by a thicker than 50m compact clay-marl layer, is almost not polluted in the city environment, and nitrate concentration in it is rather constantly around 10 mg/L. The health risk assessment identified that three wells within the shallow aquifer exhibited health risks surpassing acceptable limits, with children experiencing a higher degree of vulnerability than adults. It is recommended that for drinking purposes only the deep aquifer is extracted, and for green space irrigation only the shallow aquifer be extracted. It is recommended that completion of water wells be undertaken so that mixing between the two aquifers is prevented.
Keywords
Nitrate pollution
Urban groundwater
Correlation analysis
Aquifer
Sewage

Subjects

 
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Scientific Quarterly Journal of Geosciences
Volume 35, Issue 4 - Serial Number 138
Winter 2025, vol. 35, Issue 4, Serial no. 138
Autumn 2025
Pages 103-116