Article
citation information:
Beqaj, B., Çobani, E. Groundwater quality and
risk of pollution from natural, human and urban transport activities in the
Drini basin. Scientific Journal of
Silesian University of Technology. Series Transport. 2021, 111, 05-13. ISSN: 0209-3324. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20858/sjsutst.2021.111.1.
Blerina BEQAJ[1],
Entela ÇOBANI[2]
GROUNDWATER
QUALITY AND RISK OF POLLUTION FROM NATURAL, HUMAN AND URBAN TRANSPORT
ACTIVITIES IN THE DRINI BASIN
Summary. Groundwater quality
study was conducted in the Drini basin situated in the northern part of the
Albanian territory. The objective of this study was to identify the quality of
groundwater in four different well-defined monitoring sites. Groundwater is
vital for the population and is considered to be subject to continuous
exploitation with high growth intensity, and permanent risk of pollution from
natural and human activities. Contamination of groundwater occurs when
synthetic products such as gasoline, oil, road salts and chemicals get into the
groundwater and return it unsafe and unfit for human use. Groundwater
monitoring was carried out according to a network, which aimed to include
mainly the most intensive areas of exploitation and distribution in the
aquifer. Samples were collected in two different months of June and October in
four monitoring drilling sites and were analysed for those key indicators
defined by the rules and procedures for the drafting and implementation of the
national programme of environmental monitoring in Albania. The study results
reveal that geological formation, human activities as well as environmental
conditions affect groundwater quality. Complete chemical analysis revealed
that the groundwater in this area results in medium hardness, has good
physico-chemical properties, local pollution is encountered, and there is no
massive pollution of the basin. They are waters with low mineralisation.
Further, they are neutral waters, which meet the allowed norm for drinking
water. The pollution displayed is occasional, as the presence of NH4+
and NO2- are isolated cases, manifested mainly by the
non-application of areas of strictness and sanitary protection around the drill
and the small cover of the subaxillary layer. The analysis performed for
microelements shows that the content of some heavy metals is below the maximum
allowed amount; this demands serious future attention to the density of the
network and the monitoring frequency in this basin. The risk of pollution in
the Drini basin is high due to the small protective cover, especially in the
source of Dobrac. Intensive exploitation can lead to the mixing of fresh water
with water with high mineralisation. The concentration of Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, Cd,
Na+, K+ and Cl− in the water samples known as the major pollutants from
the urban transport sector, has shown that the values are within the water
quality standard. The low concentration of these pollutants was due to the
distance of the drilling sites from the roads in these areas.
Keywords: groundwater quality, pollution, human activity,
urban transport
1. INTRODUCTION
Groundwater
is vital for the population and is considered to be subject to continuous
exploitation with high growth intensity, and a permanent risk of pollution from
natural and human activities. The pollution of groundwater is of major concern,
first, because of increasing utilisation for human needs, and second, because
of the ill effects of increased industrial activity. Groundwater is believed to
be comparatively cleaner and free from pollution than surface water. However,
prolonged discharge of industrial effluents, domestic sewage and solid waste
dump cause it to become polluted, creating health problems [1]. Untreated waste
from septic tanks and toxic chemicals from underground storage tanks and leaky
landfills may contaminate groundwater. Studies of variations in major ions help
to identify the chemical processes and interaction between soil and water that
are responsible for the changes in groundwater quality regarding space and
time.
Materials
situated on the land's surface can move through the soil to reach groundwater.
Pesticides and fertilisers frequently used in agriculture can find their way
into groundwater supplies over time. Even road salt, toxic substances from
mining sites, and used motor oil in the transport sector may also seep into groundwater.
Road salts are used during winter on highways to prevent cars from slipping.
When the ice melts, the salt washes off the streets and eventually ends up in
the nearest water bodies. Since groundwater is a part of the hydrological
cycle, contaminants in other parts of the cycle, such as the atmosphere or
bodies of surface water, may eventually be transferred into the groundwater
supplies.
Earon et al. [2] demonstrated that the metals Fe, Al, Zn,
Mn, Pb, Ni, Cr, Cd and the ions Ca2+, SO42−,
K+, Na+, Mg2+, NO3−,
and Cl− in groundwater are significantly related to road
transportation, decreasing exponentially as the distance from the roadside
increases. In addition, many monitoring studies have demonstrated that Pb, Cu,
Cr, Cd and Zn pollution are severe in diverse roadside environments [3].
The
importance of groundwater recharge on seasonal variation in the major-ion
concentration of groundwater is reported in previous studies [4]. Anthropogenic
activities like population explosion, industrial growth, inputs of fertiliser,
pesticides, and irrigation have been crucial factors for determining the
quality of groundwater. Numerous publications have reported that urban
development and agricultural activities directly or indirectly affect
groundwater quality [5-14].
Groundwater
chemistry, in turn, depends some factors, such as general geology, degree of
chemical weathering of various rock types, quality of recharge water and inputs
from sources other than water-rock interaction. Such factors and their
interactions result in a complex groundwater quality [15-18].
Groundwater
regime is characterised by the change in time and space of their quantity and
quality and is expressed through the set of indicators of quantitative and
qualitative changes such as temperature, flows, hydraulic slope, flow velocity
and chemical composition.
The
determination of the groundwater quality was done in the aquifer of the Drini
basin both for its water reserves and for its practical importance, that is,
for the supply of drinking and technological water. The purpose of monitoring
is to preserve the reserves from exploitation, protection of existing water
sources, as well as to assess the causes of groundwater pollution. Groundwater
monitoring was carried out according to a network aimed to include mainly the
most intensive areas of exploitation and distribution in the aquifer. Complete
chemical analysis were conducted in four monitoring drilling sites and the
measurement was done with a quantum probe of some indicators such as pH, oxygen
content, etc.
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
Groundwater samples were collected
in four monitoring drilling sites in selected stations of the Drini Basin. The monitoring key
indicators defined by the rules and procedures for the drafting and
implementation of the national programme of environmental monitoring in Albania
are hardness (german degree), pH, alkalinity, acidity, content of nitrates,
electrical conductivity (ECw), heavy metal content, areas with high salinity,
areas sensitive to pollution in volume, degree of exposure of the population to
polluted groundwater, total salinity (TDS), exceedances of the quality norms of
indicators.
Monitoring drilling network,
sampling frequency, types and number of analysis are presented in Table 1 below.
Tab. 1.
Monitoring drilling network,
sampling frequency, types and number of analysis
|
Monitoring drilling
network |
Sampling frequency |
Type of analysis obtained |
Number of analysis |
Sampling period |
|
|
Drini Basin |
4 |
2 |
Chemical microelements |
8, 2 |
June - October |
In four monitoring sites,
groundwater samples were taken in two different months, starting from June
until October. Sampling and analytical determinations of the above parameters
were performed according to the Albanian standard (STASH 3904-88) methods, at
the analytical laboratory of the Albanian geological service. Interpretation of
the data obtained from the laboratory is performed based on the criteria of
Albanian standards given as follows (Table 2).
Tab. 2.
Indicators for water quality and
their determining method
(according to Albanian Standards-STASH 3904-88)
|
Indicators |
Method of determining |
Unit measure |
STASH 3904-88 |
|
pH |
Quanta probe |
- log (H+) |
6.5-8.5 |
|
Potassium (K+) |
Atomic absorption spectroscopy |
mg/l |
10-12 |
|
Sodium (Na+) |
Method with atomic absorber |
mg/l |
20-100 |
|
Calcium (Ca2+) |
EDTA titration method |
mg/l |
75-200 |
|
Magnesium (Mg2+) |
Complexonometry method with EDTA titration |
mg/l |
20-50 |
|
Fe2+3 |
Spectrophotometric determination |
mg/l |
0.05-0.3 |
|
NH4+ |
DEVARDA alloy with distillation method |
mg/l |
nl-0.05 |
|
Bicarbonate(HCO3-) |
Volumetric method |
mg/l |
|
|
Carbonate (CO32-) |
Volumetric method |
mg/l |
|
|
Chloride (cl) |
Volumetric method with Mohri salt |
mg/l |
25-200 |
|
Sulphate (SO4) |
Gravimetric method with barium chloride |
mg/l |
25-250 |
|
NO3- |
Method with DEVARDA alloy with distillation |
mg/l |
25-50 |
|
NO2- |
Method with DEVARDA alloy with distillation |
mg/l |
nl-0.05 |
|
Dry residue |
Gravimetric method by drying at 105°C |
mg/l |
500-1000 |
|
Total Hardness |
Defined as the sum of the Ca2+ and Mg2+ concentrations |
°german |
10-25 (30) |
|
Temperature |
Quanta probe |
°C |
8-15 (20) |
|
Dissolved oxygen |
Quanta probe |
|
> 8 |
|
ECw |
Quanta probe |
μS/cm |
400-2500 |
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Mineralisation values range
from 221.465-341.885 mg/l (freshwater classified according to mineralisation), however, acceptable deviations from the
minimum general mineralisation values of 0.17-0.2 g/l (drilling in the old
bed of the Kir River) have also been observed. This is due to the presence of
strong groundwater activity in the river.
The waters of the Drini basin are carbonate
waters.
Overall strength ranges from 7.73-11.76 german
degrees. Water is within the norm (STASH norm 10-20 german degrees, maximum
allowed content 25 german degrees). Groundwater results in medium hardness.
The general mineralisation is in the range of 221.465-341.885 mg/l and within the norm of the
Albanian standard (up to 1 gr/l).
NH4+ content is not met
(STASH rate is not allowed, maximum allowed content is 0.05 mg/l, EU norm [19]
maximum allowed content is 0.1 mg / l).
Nitrate content (NO3-) is
1.285-10.585 mg/l, which is within the allowed norm (STASH rate 25-50 mg/l, EU
25-50 mg/l).
Tab. 3.
Complete
chemical analysis results for
the collected underground water samples
Tab. 4.
Results of analysis for microelements
|
Monitoring site |
|
Ni |
Mn |
Zn |
Pb |
Cu |
Co |
Cr |
Cd |
|
Site 4: Dobrac |
June |
0.001 |
0.002 |
0.007 |
0.003 |
0.002 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Site 4: Dobrac |
October |
0 |
0.003 |
0.001 |
0.001 |
0.001 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
STASH 3904-88 |
|
nl-0.05 |
0.02-0.05 |
0.1-5 |
nl-0.05 |
0.1-1.5 |
|
nl-0.05 |
nl-0.005 |
Fig. 1. Graphical representation of
the Drini basin chemistry analysis
Fig. 2. Graphical representation of
the Drini Basin microelements analysis for
two monitoring periods
The pH of the waters varies in the values
7.44-7.94, these values are within the norm (6.5-8.5, maximum allowed 5 and
9.5, EU 6.5-8.5). Thus, groundwater is weakly alkaline.
The risk of pollution in this basin is high due
to the small protective cover, especially in the source area of Dobrac.
Intensive exploitation can lead to the mixing of fresh water with water with
high mineralisation. NH4+ content reaching
the amount of 0.1 mg/l in Dobrac monitoring site (STASH rate is not allowed,
maximum allowed content is 0.05 mg/l, EU norm, maximum allowed content is 0.1
mg/l).
Chemical analysis shows the nitrite content, around
the values 0-0.05 mg/l, and in some cases, these values exceed the norm. The
content of nitrites in drinking water is not allowed while the maximum allowed
content according to the Albanian standard is 0.05 mg/l (EU rate is 0.1 mg/l).
The waters of the Drini basin are carbonate waters.
The total mineralisation is in the range of 221.465-341.885 mg/l within the norm of the Albanian
standard (up to 1 gr/l). They are fresh water with total mineralisation < 1 gr/l.
Many studies have demonstrated that Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, Cd, Na+, K+
and Cl− are indicators of roadside contaminated environments. Physical and
chemical parameters such as Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Ni, pH, TDS, Ca2+,
Mg2+, Na+, K+, SO42−,
Cl−, HCO3−, and NO3−
were equally tested in groundwater samples to evaluate the impact of the
transportation sector on groundwater environments. Only the drilling site of
Dobrac contains Pb, Cu, Zn, Mn, Ni microelements. The concentration of such
elements in the groundwater samples shows that the values were within the norm
of the Albanian quality standards, thus they are within the water quality standard. The
low concentration of these pollutants was due to the distance of the drilling
from the roads in these areas.
4. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summarily,
the Drini basin groundwater has good physico-chemical properties.
Although local pollution was encountered, there was no massive pollution of it.
They are waters with low mineralisation-sweet. They are neutral waters,
which meet the allowed norm for drinking water.
The
pollution displayed is occasional, as the presence of NH4+
and NO2- are isolated cases, manifested mainly by the
non-application of areas of strictness and sanitary protection around the drill
and the small cover of the subaxillary layer. The risk of pollution in the Drini
basin is high due to the small protective cover, especially in the source of
Dobrac. Intensive exploitation can lead to the mixing of fresh water with water
with high mineralisation.
The analysis
performed for microelements shows that the content of some heavy metals is
below the maximum allowed amount, thus, demands for crucial future attention to
the density of the network and the monitoring frequency in this basin.
Furthermore,
it is recommended to implement areas of strictness and sanitary protection
around the drilling sites for the protection of groundwater from surface
pollution.
In some of
the pumping stations used for the supply of drinking water to the population in
the monitored ponds, the areas of strictness and sanitary protection are not
applied; therefore, attention should be given to the protection of the
groundwater from possible massive pollution from local ones encountered during
monitoring.
The
concentration of Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, Cd, Na+, K+ and Cl−
in the groundwater samples has shown that the values were within the norm of
the Albanian quality standards, thus, they are within the water quality
standard. The low concentration of these pollutants was due to the distance of
the drilling sites from the roads in these areas.
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Received 27.02.2021; accepted in revised form 01.05.2021
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