Evolution of groundwater nitrate concentration in the northern region of Natal, Northeast Brazil
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24849/j.geot.2014.131.04Keywords:
Nitrate contamination, Groundwater, Urban waterAbstract
In the northern region of Natal, about one third of the drinking water for human consumption is obtained from tubular wells. However, the process of urbanization without sanitary infrastructure has produced an additional input of nitrate to groundwater. Based upon a groundwater nitrate concentration dataset (December/2003 – July/2009), this paper delimited areas with nitrate values above the limit allowed by environmental legislation. The data were interpreted with support of isovalue maps, obtained through a simple kriging interpolation method. The results showed the occurrence of nitrate plumes surrounding interdunal lagoons and seasonal fluctuations of nitrate concentration related to the rainfall cycle. Furthermore, the intense exploitation of groundwater by tubular wells has induced dispersion of nitrate and suggests that the nitrate load may be transported into the estuary of Potengi.
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