Search results for "LCA"
showing 10 items of 1995 documents
The impact of natural and anthropogenic factors on groundwater quality in an active volcanic/geothermal system under semi-arid climatic conditions: T…
2017
Abstract A comprehensive hydrogeochemical study of the cold and thermal groundwaters of the presently quiescent volcanic system at Methana was undertaken that involved collecting 71 natural water samples. Methana is a peninsula in Peloponnesus, Greece whose arid climate and hydrological situation is similar to that of the nearby small islands of the Aegean Sea. Similarly, the chemical and isotopic compositions of its water are dominated by the mixing of seawater with meteoric water both through direct intrusion and meteoric recharge. However, the simple mixing trends at Methana are modified by water–rock interaction processes, enhanced by the dissolution of endogenous CO2, which lead to str…
One-Dimensional Transient Analysis of Rainfall Infiltration in Unsaturated Volcanic Ash
2015
The paper presents a one-dimensional hydro-mechanical analysis of rainfall infiltration in a loose volcanic ash and the utilisation of a factor of safety for the implementation of an early-warning system. Three different rainy seasons with different rainfall patterns were analysed . The analysis aims to understand the influence of the antecedent rainfall on the wetting front, the pore-water pressures and the factor of safety. The analysis was carried out in the context of a Master project of the first author at the Laboratory for Soil Mechanics of EPFL.
Influence of volcanic activity on the quality of water collected in roof water catchment systems at Stromboli Island (Italy)
2013
Abstract With the aim of detailing the interaction between volcanic emissions and water harvesting by Roof Water Catchment Systems (RWCSs), the present work illustrates the results of a study carried out at Stromboli Island, a small but densely populated active volcanic area in the South of Italy. Concentrations of major and trace elements determined in RWCS waters and sediments revealed clear clues of a contamination with gases and suspended particles of volcanic origin, even if the values of those contaminants considered by the World Health Organization as dangerous for human health are always below the Maximum Admitted Concentration (MAC). In particular, cistern water showed a compositio…
Hydrogeochemistry and Water Balance in the Coastal Wetland Area of “Biviere di Gela,” Sicily, Italy
2006
In the study area physical and chemical factors control the composition of surface and groundwaters, which in turn determine the water quality of the "Biviere di Gela" lake. These factors combine to create diverse water types which change their compositional character spatially as rainfall infiltrates the soil zone, moves down a topographically defined flow path, and interacts with bedrock minerals. Low-salinity waters, which represent the initial stage of underground circulation, start dissolving calcium carbonate from the local rocks. The progressive increase in salinity, characterized by substantially higher Ca, SO4, Na and Cl concentrations, suggests that dissolution of CaSO4 and NaCl i…
Atmospheric dispersion of volcanic CO 2 at Vulcano island
2001
Abstract Intensive carbon dioxide emanations occur throughout the island of Vulcano (Aeolian Archipelago, north of Sicily, Italy). The main sources of CO 2 on the island are the hot fumaroles (∼500°C) of the northern ridge of the La Fossa crater, the fumaroles of the Baia di Levante and the emission areas spread out both on the slopes of the cone and in the nearby plain. The carbon dioxide from the soil can be considered as being emitted at air temperature. In this work, CO 2 concentrations in the air over the island are estimated by means of two numerical codes. This paper takes advantage of the parallel knowledge gained from a previously written paper for SO 2 emissions from the La Fossa …
The role of the aquifer in soil CO2 degassing in volcanic peripheral areas: A case study of Stromboli Island (Italy)
2017
Abstract The peripheral area of Stromboli Island, Italy, named “Scari”, was continuously studied between January 2009 and December 2010. Data on soil CO 2 flux and the partial pressure of CO 2 (pCO 2 ) in equilibrium with the thermal aquifer linked to the magmatic system are presented. Soil CO 2 fluxes range from 20 to 370 g m − 2 d − 1 and have been strongly affected by soil temperature variations. Soil CO 2 flux data were filtered with respect to the soil temperature and the calculated values, called “residuals”, were considered to detect changes induced by the magmatic system. The pCO 2 values change in a wide range from 0.03 to 0.6 (atm), showing rapid variations. The results of this s…
Post-fire hydrological response and suspended sediment transport of a terraced Mediterranean catchment
2017
In July 2013, a wildfire severely affected the western part of the island of Mallorca (Spain). During the first three post-fire hydrological years, when the window of disturbance tends to be more open, the hydrological and sediment delivery processes and dynamics were assessed in a representative catchment intensively shaped by terracing that covered 37% of its surface area. A nested approach was applied with two gauging stations (covering 1.2 km2 and 4.8 km2) built in September 2013 that took continuous measurements of rainfall, water and sediment yield. Average Suspended Sediment Concentration (1,503 mg l-1) and the maximum peak (33,618 mg l-1) were two orders of magnitude higher than tho…
Evaluation of the environmental impact of volcanic emissions from the chemistry of rainwater: Mount Etna area (Sicily)
2001
Abstract The S, halogen and NO 3 contents of rainwater samples from the Etnean area were studied in order to define the environmental impact of plume emissions on the local environment. Samples, collected on a network of 11 bulk rain gauges, show significant variability in anion content, which can be ascribed to different meteorological and environmental conditions at each sampling site and to a variable distance from the different source areas. Data analysis suggests that S, F, Cl and Br are mainly magma-derived, whereas NO 3 mainly originates from anthropogenic sources. Samples collected from sites close to craters display considerable temporal variability, with increased anion concentrat…
Total (fumarolic + diffuse soil) CO2 output from Furnas volcano
2015
Furnas volcano, in São Miguel island (Azores), being the surface expression of rising hydrothermal steam, is the site of intense carbon dioxide (CO2) release by diffuse degassing and fumaroles. While the diffusive CO2 output has long (since the early 1990s) been characterized by soil CO2 surveys, no information is presently available on the fumarolic CO2 output. Here, we performed (in August 2014) a study in which soil CO2 degassing survey was combined for the first time with the measurement of the fumarolic CO2 flux. The results were achieved by using a GasFinder 2.0 tunable diode laser. Our measurements were performed in two degassing sites at Furnas volcano (Furnas Lake and Furnas Villag…
Natural and anthropogenic factors affecting groundwater quality of an active volcano (Mt. Etna, Italy)
2003
Abstract New geochemical data on dissolved major and minor constituents in 276 groundwater samples from Etna aquifers reveal the main processes responsible for their geochemical evolution and mineralisation. This topic is of particular interest in the light of the progressive depletion of water resources and groundwater quality in the area. Multivariate statistical analysis reveal 3 sources of solutes: (a) the leaching of the host basalt, driven by the dissolution of magma-derived CO2; (b) mixing processes with saline brines rising from the sedimentary basement below Etna; (c) contamination from agricultural and urban wastewaters. The last process, highlighted by increased concentrations of…