TY - JOUR
T1 - Fate and transport of pathogens in a fractured aquifer in the Salento area, Italy
AU - Masciopinto, Costantino
AU - La Mantia, Rosanna
AU - Chrysikopoulos, Constantinos V.
PY - 2008/1
Y1 - 2008/1
N2 - This study investigates the fate and transport of pathogens introduced by artificial groundwater recharge at the Nardò fractured aquifer in the Salento area, Italy. Wastewater effluents from a municipal treatment plant with known pathogen concentrations were injected into a sinkhole and the migration of pathogens in the fractured aquifer was monitored at six sampling wells. The fate of pathogens was quantified by a mathematical model describing colloid transport in a set of three-dimensional, parallel fractures with spatially variable aperture. The number of parallel fractures and their average fracture aperture were determined from appropriate field pumping and tracer tests. The aperture spatial distribution was described by an experimental semivariogram developed from available field data obtained from two tracer tests and 34 pumping tests. The experimental results suggest that for the municipal wastewater injected into the Nardò aquifer the required most conservative set back distance for drinking wells should be over 8000 m.
AB - This study investigates the fate and transport of pathogens introduced by artificial groundwater recharge at the Nardò fractured aquifer in the Salento area, Italy. Wastewater effluents from a municipal treatment plant with known pathogen concentrations were injected into a sinkhole and the migration of pathogens in the fractured aquifer was monitored at six sampling wells. The fate of pathogens was quantified by a mathematical model describing colloid transport in a set of three-dimensional, parallel fractures with spatially variable aperture. The number of parallel fractures and their average fracture aperture were determined from appropriate field pumping and tracer tests. The aperture spatial distribution was described by an experimental semivariogram developed from available field data obtained from two tracer tests and 34 pumping tests. The experimental results suggest that for the municipal wastewater injected into the Nardò aquifer the required most conservative set back distance for drinking wells should be over 8000 m.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=39749184049&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1029/2006WR005643
DO - 10.1029/2006WR005643
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:39749184049
SN - 0043-1397
VL - 44
JO - Water Resources Research
JF - Water Resources Research
IS - 1
M1 - W01404
ER -
