Null-space Monte Carlo particle tracking to assess groundwater PCE (Tetrachloroethene) diffuse pollution in north-eastern Milan functional urban area

Alberti, Luca; Colombo, L.; Formentin, Giovanni

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.11.253

Cited by 37 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…European Environment Agency framed policies regarding management of groundwater and to recognize point source pollutants as the primary initiative for the remediation. However, in many urbanized regions, pollutant plumes formed by single point sources commonly synchronize with prevalent pollution originated from diverse point sources [8]. The proper attention should be given to prevent and control the groundwater contamination in order to avoid expensive remediation, because groundwater contamination is invisible, complex and has prolonged effects.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Groundwater quality evaluation of Shiraz City, Iran using multivariate and geostatistical techniques

Alamdar¹,

Kumar

Moghtaderi³

et al. 2019

SN Appl. Sci.

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Groundwater is vital water resource for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes in Shiraz City, Iran. Management of groundwater with respect to quality and quantity is decisive subject in order to accomplish the increasing requirements for water. In the present paper, evaluation of groundwater parameters, viz., pH, electrical conductivity (EC), major cations (K + , Na + , Ca 2+ and Mg 2+), major anions (Cl − and HCO 3 −), NO 3 − , SO 4 2− , total dissolved solids (TDS), alkalinity, hardness, sodium absorption ratio (SAR) and Na% were done from Shiraz City, Iran. Consequently, 80 groundwater samples were collected from different sites in June 2017. The results of different parameters were compared with the standard guideline prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for drinking and public health purposes. From the results, it was concluded that 62.5% samples exceeded for EC values, 12.5% samples for Na + , 30% samples for Ca 2+ , 97.5% samples for Mg 2+ and TDS, 28.7% samples for Cl − , and 40% samples for SO 4 2− contents as recommended by WHO. The Na% values ranged from 5.25 to 38.59, whereas SAR values varied from 0.21 to 6.64 meq/L. Results of Na% and SAR indicated that groundwater is good for irrigation and domestic purposes. The results of MGI and BEI showed that 83.75% sampling sites showed shallow meteoric percolation type and Na + SO 4 type with less than one value respectively. Multivariate statistical analysis (cluster analysis and principal component analysis) and spatial maps showed that both anthropogenic activities such as cement factory, gas power plant, Rishmark factory and vegetable Oil Company, and natural processes like rock weathering are responsible for the contents of groundwater parameters.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Groundwater quality evaluation of Shiraz City, Iran using multivariate and geostatistical techniques

Alamdar¹,

Kumar

Moghtaderi³

et al. 2019

SN Appl. Sci.

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“…Source locations and flow pathways will also be more poorly constrained compared to a PT‐Monte‐Carlo based framework (Enzenhoefer et al ). While PT based on a single flow simulation can be used as an initial screening tool, our study, together with previous work (Tonkin and Doherty ; Herckenrath et al ; Enzenhoefer et al ; Meyer et al ; Alberti et al ; Frind and Molson ; among others), highlights that model results and hence water resource management decisions should not be based on only one model realization; rather, an uncertainty analysis should be carried out to provide simulations within the range of all likely system states, including uncertainties in the hydraulic K distribution, which can then be used to identify potential source zones and pathways to water supply wells. Pathline density distributions, here created following a simple post‐processing step applied to the flow field, can provide probability information maps beyond classical deterministic PT approaches.…”

Section: Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 93%

Pathline Density Distributions in a Null‐Space Monte Carlo Approach to Assess Groundwater Pathways

Moeck¹,

Molson

Schirmer

2019

Groundwater

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A null‐space Monte‐Carlo (NSMC) approach was applied to account for uncertainty in the calibration of the hydraulic conductivity (K) field for a three‐dimensional groundwater flow model of a major water supply system in Switzerland. The approach generates different parameter realizations of the K field using the pilot point methodology. Subsequently, particle tracking (PT) was applied to each calibrated model, and the resulting particles are interpreted as the spatial pathline density distribution of multiple sources. The adopted approach offers advantages over classical PT which does not provide a means for treating uncertainty originating from the incomplete description of subsurface heterogeneity. Uncertainty in the K field is shown to strongly influence the spatial pathline distribution. Pathline spreading is particularly evident in locations where the information content of the head observations does not sufficiently constrain the estimated parameters. Despite the predictive uncertainty, the pumped drinking water at the study site is most likely dominated by artificially‐infiltrated groundwater originating from the local infiltration canals. The model suggests that within the well field, the central pumping wells could be extracting regional groundwater, although the probability is relatively low. Nevertheless, a rigorous uncertainty assessment is still required since only a few realizations resulted in flow paths that support the field observations. Model results should therefore not be based on only one model realization; rather, an uncertainty analysis should be carried out to provide a sufficiently large suite of equally probable simulations that include all potential sources and pathways.

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“…Highly parametrised methods associated with Null-Space Monte Carlo (NSMC) analysis applied to the groundwater modelling (Tonkin and Doherty 2009;Herckenrath et al 2011;Anderson et al 2015;Alberti et al 2018) could provide better insights about the uncertainty associated with the model predictions, enabling the model to fit the observed data with a stochastic distribution of parameters. Nevertheless, given the limited extension of the 2D model domain, its simplified and relatively known geometry, and its vertical dimension, the classical manual regularisation of parameters was performed through hydraulic conductivity zones definition.…”

Section: Numerical Methods and Processingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simplified two-dimensional modelling to constrain the deep groundwater contribution in a complex mineral water mixing area, Riardo Plain, southern Italy

Viaroli

Lotti²,

Mastrorillo

et al. 2019

Hydrogeol J

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Complex hydrogeological systems require detailed knowledge of aquifer dynamics to ensure appropriate and sustainable management of the groundwater resource. The Riardo Plain aquifer, southern Italy, is a strategic resource for conjunctive uses; nevertheless, the conceptual model still suffers some uncertainties due to the presence of a deep lateral inflow through the carbonate basement. Therefore, the realisation of a 3D numerical model at catchment scale needs preliminary tests to constrain the possible additional inflow rate, which is at the moment only estimated through the results of the groundwater budget calculation. A 2D section of the mixing area was modelled using FEFLOW in order to test the hypothesis of a combined recharge. Seven versions of the same model were calibrated over an increasing number of adjustable parameters according to their sensitivity. The most efficient model version was identified according to the calculated information criteria and the sum of squared-weighted residuals. In the second phase of the work, nine model scenarios characterised by different deep inflow rates were calibrated and validated according to the same procedure of the first model, in order to identify the range of possible acceptable solutions. The most likely deep inflow rate is 34 ± 4% of the total recharge, corresponding to an estimated deep inflow of 415 ± 50 L/s in the Riardo Plain aquifer through the carbonate basement. This methodological approach will be the basis of following numerical 3D numerical models of the Riardo Plain and can be a valuable tool in conceptualising similar mineral water areas.

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Null-space Monte Carlo particle tracking to assess groundwater PCE (Tetrachloroethene) diffuse pollution in north-eastern Milan functional urban area

Cited by 37 publications

References 34 publications

Groundwater quality evaluation of Shiraz City, Iran using multivariate and geostatistical techniques

Groundwater quality evaluation of Shiraz City, Iran using multivariate and geostatistical techniques

Pathline Density Distributions in a Null‐Space Monte Carlo Approach to Assess Groundwater Pathways

Simplified two-dimensional modelling to constrain the deep groundwater contribution in a complex mineral water mixing area, Riardo Plain, southern Italy

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