Salinity variations in the water resources fed by the Etnean volcanic aquifers (Sicily, Italy): natural vs. anthropogenic causes

• Published in: Environmental monitoring and assessment Vol. 173; no. 1-4; pp. 431 - 446
• Main Authors: D'Alessandro, Walter, Bellomo, Sergio, Bonfanti, Pietro, Brusca, Lorenzo, Longo, Manfredi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands 01.02.2011; Springer Netherlands; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Anthropogenic factors; Applied sciences; Aquifers; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Chemistry; Coasts; Drinking water; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Management; Environmental monitoring; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Exact sciences and technology; Groundwater; Groundwater monitoring; hydrochemistry; Italy; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Over-abstraction; Overexploitation; Pollution; Precipitation; Salinity; Salinization; Sen's slope estimator; Sicily; Studies; Trends; Volcanoes; Water chemistry; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water quality; Water resources; Water shortages; Water supply; Water Supply - analysis; Italy; Europe; Sicily; Italy, Sicilia; Salinization; Groundwater monitoring; Sen’s slope estimator; Hydrochemistry; Over-abstraction; Natural origin pollution; Drinking water; Sen's slope estimator; Aquifers; Salinity; Surveillance; Water quality; Geogenic factor; Water resources; Ground water; Anthropogenic factor
• ISSN: 0167-6369; 1573-2959
• DOI: 10.1007/s10661-010-1397-4

In this paper, in an attempt to reveal possible changes connected to natural or anthropogenic causes, the main results of hydrogeochemical monitoring carried out at Mount Etna are evaluated. We report on the salinity contents of the groundwaters that flow in fractured volcanics, which make up the flanks of the volcano. These waters, analyzed for major ion chemistry, were sampled regularly from 1994 to 2004. Basing on nonparametric Sen's slope estimator, time series of groundwater composition reveal that the salinity of most of the Etnean aquifers increased by 0.5% to 3.5% each year during this period. This change in the water chemistry is clearly referable to the overexploitation of the aquifers. This increasing trend needs to be inverted urgently; otherwise, it will cause a shortage of water in the near future, because the maximum admissible concentration of salinity for drinking water will be exceeded.