Ocena stopnia wrażliwości warstw wodonośnych w przypadku przypadkowego zanieczyszczenia produktami ropopochodnymi

Abstrakt

Adequate management and protection of underground water resources is a desideratum of the current period of evolution as consumption, requirements and degree of impurity of fresh water is increasing with the development of human society. Also, the limited nature of continental fresh water resources requires additional protection measures for current resources, so the understanding and objective assessment of aquifers’ vulnerability degree in case of accidental pollution, represents the basis of environmental policies developed for the purpose of sustainable development of human communities. The study of the vulnerability degree of environmental factors and ecosystems that directly or indirectly interact with groundwater resources was carried out by analyzing groundwater quality indicators (BTEX) based on the vulnerability intervals established according to national legislation in force. The aquifers’ vulnerability degree the was evaluated for 3 possible scenarios of accidental pollution with petroleum products for a well field located in the south of Romania. The effects of BTEX compounds on ecosystems that directly or indirectly interact with groundwater were evaluated according to synergistic effects of xenobiotics, manifested at ecological niche level. The aim of the vulnerability degree study is for it to function as an analytical tool to identify areas vulnerable to pollution phenomenon and to develop the best measures to limit the phenomenon of contaminants’ transfer to other underground water bodies. Aquifers and ecosystems’ degree of vulnerability to external pressures is an integrated component of the environmental or ecotoxicological risk assessment process associated with the phenomenon of accidental pollution that may have effects on the quality of water stored in aquifers. Results of the conducted research are of interest for engineers and researchers who study the hydrological and hydrodynamic phenomena of underground water in order to develop and apply the best measures to reduce the impact caused by economic activities.