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A Grey Water Footprint Assessment of Groundwater Chemical Pollution: Case Study in Salento (Southern Italy)

Author

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  • Pier Paolo Miglietta

    (Department of Economics and Management, University of Salento, Prov. le Lecce-Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy)

  • Pierluigi Toma

    (Department of Economics and Management, University of Salento, Prov. le Lecce-Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy)

  • Francesco Paolo Fanizzi

    (Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Prov. le Lecce-Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy
    Consorzio Interuniversitario di Ricerca in Chimica dei Metalli nei Sistemi Biologici, via Celso Ulpiani 27, 70125 Bari, Italy)

  • Antonella De Donno

    (Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Prov. le Lecce-Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy)

  • Benedetta Coluccia

    (Department of Economics and Management, University of Salento, Prov. le Lecce-Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy)

  • Danilo Migoni

    (Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Prov. le Lecce-Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy
    Consorzio Interuniversitario di Ricerca in Chimica dei Metalli nei Sistemi Biologici, via Celso Ulpiani 27, 70125 Bari, Italy)

  • Francesco Bagordo

    (Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Prov. le Lecce-Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy)

  • Francesca Serio

    (Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Prov. le Lecce-Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy)

Abstract

The worsening of groundwater quality is a huge problem for some regions, especially where a karst aquifer system is the most important water resource because of the deficiency of a well-developed superficial water supply. In this study the chemical quality of a deep aquifer of the Salento peninsula (Southern Italy), where a shallow aquifer and an extensive deep aquifer are exploited as a source of drinking water and irrigation water, was monitored. The indicator used to assess the sustainability of pollution produce by human activities is the “grey water footprint” (GWF) which measures the amount of water required to assimilate a polluting load produced from anthropic activity. The GWF, calculated for each chemical parameter, shows a widespread contamination by Mercury (Hg), Vanadium (V) and Ammonium (NH 4 + ) with concentrations above the limits (Lgs. D. 31/2001). The high Mercury and Vanadium concentrations may thus be associated with anthropic pressures on the aquifer, while Ammonium derives mainly from fertilizers used in agriculture. The situation that emerged involves reflections on the continuous human pressure on natural resources. Therefore, the management of groundwater quality requires a multidisciplinary approach focused on identifying the measures necessary to protect our water resources.

Suggested Citation

  • Pier Paolo Miglietta & Pierluigi Toma & Francesco Paolo Fanizzi & Antonella De Donno & Benedetta Coluccia & Danilo Migoni & Francesco Bagordo & Francesca Serio, 2017. "A Grey Water Footprint Assessment of Groundwater Chemical Pollution: Case Study in Salento (Southern Italy)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-10, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:5:p:799-:d:98226
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Arjen Y. Hoekstra, 2017. "Water Footprint Assessment: Evolvement of a New Research Field," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 31(10), pages 3061-3081, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pier Paolo Miglietta & Domenico Morrone & Federica De Leo, 2018. "The Water Footprint Assessment of Electricity Production: An Overview of the Economic-Water-Energy Nexus in Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-14, January.
    2. Francesca Serio & Lucia Martella & Giovanni Imbriani & Adele Idolo & Francesco Bagordo & Antonella De Donno, 2021. "The Water Safety Plan Approach: Application to Small Drinking-Water Systems—Case Studies in Salento (South Italy)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-21, April.
    3. Pier Paolo Miglietta & Domenico Morrone, 2018. "Managing Water Sustainability: Virtual Water Flows and Economic Water Productivity Assessment of the Wine Trade between Italy and the Balkans," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-19, February.
    4. Adam Khalifa Mohamed & Dan Liu & Kai Song & Mohamed A. A. Mohamed & Elsiddig Aldaw & Basheer A. Elubid, 2019. "Hydrochemical Analysis and Fuzzy Logic Method for Evaluation of Groundwater Quality in the North Chengdu Plain, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-21, January.
    5. Naoum Tsolakis & Jagjit Singh Srai & Eirini Aivazidou, 2018. "Blue Water Footprint Management in a UK Poultry Supply Chain under Environmental Regulatory Constraints," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-13, February.
    6. Kai Zhang & Shunjie Wang & Shuyu Liu & Kunlun Liu & Jiayu Yan & Xuejia Li, 2022. "Water Environment Quality Evaluation and Pollutant Source Analysis in Tuojiang River Basin, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-17, July.
    7. Yanna Yang & Wenlai Xu & Jinyao Chen & Qiang Chen & Zhicheng Pan, 2018. "Hydrochemical Characteristics and Groundwater Quality Assessment in the Diluvial Fan of Gaoqiao, Emei Mountain, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-14, November.
    8. Adele Idolo & Tiziana Grassi & Francesco Bagordo & Alessandra Panico & Mattia De Giorgi & Francesca Serio & Marcello Guido & Prisco Piscitelli & Giovanni De Filippis & Annamaria Raho & Antonella De Do, 2018. "Micronuclei in Exfoliated Buccal Cells of Children Living in a Cluster Area of Salento (Southern Italy) with a High Incidence of Lung Cancer: The IMP.AIR Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-15, August.
    9. Chen Yue & Yong Qian & Feng Liu & Xiangxiang Cui & Suhua Meng, 2023. "Analysis of Ningxia Hui Autonomous District’s Gray Water Footprint from the Perspective of Water Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-18, August.
    10. Isabella Gambino & Francesco Bagordo & Benedetta Coluccia & Tiziana Grassi & Giovanni De Filippis & Prisco Piscitelli & Biagio Galante & Federica De Leo, 2020. "PET-Bottled Water Consumption in View of a Circular Economy: The Case Study of Salento (South Italy)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-13, September.
    11. Diego Voccia & Giacomo Mortella & Federico Ferrari & Maria Chiara Fontanella & Marco Trevisan & Lucrezia Lamastra, 2022. "The Anthropic Pressure on the Grey Water Footprint: The Case of the Vulnerable Areas of the Emilia-Romagna Region in Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-13, December.
    12. Gang Liu & Weiqian Wang & Kevin W. Li, 2019. "Water Footprint Allocation under Equity and Efficiency Considerations: A Case Study of the Yangtze River Economic Belt in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-24, March.
    13. Giovanni De Filippis & Prisco Piscitelli & Idelberto Francesco Castorini & Anna Maria Raho & Adele Idolo & Nicola Ungaro & Filomena Lacarbonara & Erminia Sgaramella & Vito Laghezza & Donatella Chionna, 2020. "Water Quality Assessment: A Quali-Quantitative Method for Evaluation of Environmental Pressures Potentially Impacting on Groundwater, Developed under the M.I.N.O.Re. Project," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-14, March.

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