Publications

2020
a b a c d c d e Lamine Boumaiza a, ⁎ RCTDJWFHEGKKC. Identifying groundwater degradation sources in a Mediterranean coastalarea experiencing significant multi-origin stresses. Science of the Total Environment [Internet]. 2020. Publisher's VersionAbstract

Abstract

This study investigates the multiple contamination sources of a coastal Mediterranean aquifer in northeastern
Algeria that is bordered by two rivers and neighboring densely populated areas. Hydrogeochemical and isotopic
groundwater characterization is carried out, including the analyses of major elements, water stable isotopes δ2HH2O
and δ18O-H2O, and stable isotopes of nitrate δ15N-NO3 and δ18O-NO3, and then integrated into the history of
land use over the study area. Groundwater nitrate concentrations ranging from 1.6 to 235 mg/L with a median
value of 69 mg/L are evidence of the degradation of groundwater quality induced by anthropogenic sources.
The combined of δ15N-NO3 and δ18O-NO3 ratios showed that nitrate in groundwater is attributable to (i) the uncontrolled
development of inadequate private sanitation systems over the study area, and (ii) the unsafe application
of animal manure to fertilize crops. Very active saltwater intrusion is confirmed by several
hydrogeochemical indicators. Interestingly, the intrusion mechanism appears to be more complex than a direct
intrusion fromtheMediterranean Sea. During the high-water period, saltwater intrusion may also originate from
the two rivers bordering the aquifer, via upstream migration of seawater through the river mouths. The heavier
ratios in δ2H-H2O and δ18O-H2O of surface water collected from the rivers suggest that water from the Mediterranean
Sea is mixingwithwater in the rivers.Multi-source contamination not only contributes to complex chemical
reactionswithin the aquifer, but also contributes, via the cumulative effect of the various sources, to affecting large parts of the study area. The present study may serve as a warning to the effect that historical land-use practices
may exert seriously deleterious impacts on groundwater quality and greatly limit conditions for the sustainable
management of Mediterranean coastal areas.

et al DT. Groundwater modelling of the Tebessa-Morsott alluvial aquifer(northeastern Algeria): A geostatistical approach. Groundwater for Sustainable Development [Internet]. 2020. Publisher's Version paper_gsd_drias_t_et_al_2020.pdf