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Groundwater is essential to maintain surface aquatic ecosystems during severe droughts, and provides a safe and sustainable resource for human demand, particularly in Mediterranean areas. Aquifers are affected by different types of impacts caused by of human activities, such as pollution caused by agricultural and livestock activities, and discharges of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and sewage leakage; as well as, groundwater overexploitation that affects stream discharge or increases seawater encroachment in coastal areas. This study evaluates the occurrence of nutrients and emerging contaminants, specifically pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs), in groundwater and surface water as tracers of human activities in the Onyar River Basin (NE Spain). In particular, we analyze the effects of pollution sources and its exploitation on PhACs concentration and stygofauna distribution in the Quaternary and Neogene sedimentary aquifers. Two sampling campaigns were conducted in June-July 2021 (when the highest aquifer exploitation for irrigation occurs) and in February 2023 (before the irrigation season), including 12–14 wells and 5 sampling stream points. Physicochemical parameters were measured in situ and water samples were taken to analyze major ions, nutrients, and PhACs. Stygofauna samples were obtained by filtering at 500 L of pumped groundwater or using a specific net (50 μm mesh sieve), and organisms were fixed with 100% ethanol. Stygofauna was identified under a microscope (×100) at the highest possible taxonomic level. Results show that the distribution of most PhACs is consistent with the hydrogeological flow field, including the stream-aquifer behavior, and the distribution of pollution sources. Such consistency points out the effect of human factors on PhACs occurrence. Nevertheless, stygofauna show a “patchy” distribution, more related to the local aquifer characteristics and the usual exploitation regime of the sampled well, and it does not reveal a straightforward influence of the pollution sources identified by chemical data.

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Analyzing the Effects of Human Pressures on Emerging Contaminants Occurrence and Stygofauna Distribution in Groundwater Ecosystems

  • 会议论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年

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  • Anna Menció,
  • Marc Bisbe,
  • Nonito Ros-Berja,
  • Meritxell Gros,
  • Josep Mas-Pla

摘要

Groundwater is essential to maintain surface aquatic ecosystems during severe droughts, and provides a safe and sustainable resource for human demand, particularly in Mediterranean areas. Aquifers are affected by different types of impacts caused by of human activities, such as pollution caused by agricultural and livestock activities, and discharges of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and sewage leakage; as well as, groundwater overexploitation that affects stream discharge or increases seawater encroachment in coastal areas. This study evaluates the occurrence of nutrients and emerging contaminants, specifically pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs), in groundwater and surface water as tracers of human activities in the Onyar River Basin (NE Spain). In particular, we analyze the effects of pollution sources and its exploitation on PhACs concentration and stygofauna distribution in the Quaternary and Neogene sedimentary aquifers. Two sampling campaigns were conducted in June-July 2021 (when the highest aquifer exploitation for irrigation occurs) and in February 2023 (before the irrigation season), including 12–14 wells and 5 sampling stream points. Physicochemical parameters were measured in situ and water samples were taken to analyze major ions, nutrients, and PhACs. Stygofauna samples were obtained by filtering at 500 L of pumped groundwater or using a specific net (50 μm mesh sieve), and organisms were fixed with 100% ethanol. Stygofauna was identified under a microscope (×100) at the highest possible taxonomic level. Results show that the distribution of most PhACs is consistent with the hydrogeological flow field, including the stream-aquifer behavior, and the distribution of pollution sources. Such consistency points out the effect of human factors on PhACs occurrence. Nevertheless, stygofauna show a “patchy” distribution, more related to the local aquifer characteristics and the usual exploitation regime of the sampled well, and it does not reveal a straightforward influence of the pollution sources identified by chemical data.