Controlling factors and occurrence of inorganic and organic compounds in groundwater of urban and industrial areas

A relatively extensive survey of groundwater contaminants is performed in urban and industrial contexts, at the regional scale (Walloon Region of Belgium), outside spots of contamination related to contaminated sites. More specifically, the most detected inorganic trace elements and organic contaminants are identified and their levels of occurrence are described statistically. Mechanisms that can explain their occurrence in groundwater are discussed.
From a more pragmatic point of view, the data set has been also used to derive upper limits of pollutant background concentrations to be used in decision-making related to the management of contaminated groundwater in urban and industrial environments.
The results presented are based on 243 samples from 8 sectors located in different geological contexts and different urban and industrial contexts. Each groundwater sample was analyzed for 19 inorganic trace elements, 61 organic micro-pollutants and 10 major and minor elements. Five physico-chemical parameters were measured in the field, at the time of sampling to determine the environmental conditions prevailing in groundwater. For comparison, existing groundwater analyses in natural context, available for the entire Walloon Region, were compiled from several databases.
Cumulative distribution function plots allow comparing the distributions of inorganic trace elements in urban and industrial sectors to those obtained at the scale of the entire Walloon region. Cumulative distribution function plots are also used to compare the distribution of the inorganic trace elements in the different lithologies, in urban and industrial contexts.
The composition of groundwater is altered in urban and industrial sectors with increased concentrations for most inorganic trace elements and organic contaminants. Anthropogenic influence is not limited to inputs of pollutants but also to alterations of subsurface environmental conditions, in particular redox conditions, resulting in the mobilization of pollutants. The influence of lithology is also marked in the data set.