Multivariate assessment of groundwater contamination levels associated with saline intrusion processes in Mediterranean coastal aquifers

Groundwater in Mediterranean coastal aquifers supplies a large part of the demand for freshwater but is increasingly threatened by seawater intrusion and anthropogenic pollution. During the springs of 2023 and 2024, six coastal carbonate aquifers in Mallorca were sampled to assess the present-day sp...

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Autores: Álvarez-Alonso, R., Robledo Ardila, P. A., Deudero, Salud, Melo-Aguilar, C. A., Alomar, C., Micheo, F., Durán, J. J., Pérez Solsona, Sandra, Árcega Cabrera, F., Martínez Pérez, M. J.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/419775
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/419775
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105029868619
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Sustainability management
Coastal aquifers
Contamination
Hydrochemistry
Microbiological groundwater indicators
Seawater intrusion
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/9
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/12
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/6
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/3
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/11
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
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spelling Multivariate assessment of groundwater contamination levels associated with saline intrusion processes in Mediterranean coastal aquifersÁlvarez-Alonso, R.Robledo Ardila, P. A.Deudero, SaludMelo-Aguilar, C. A.Alomar, C.Micheo, F.Durán, J. J.Pérez Solsona, SandraÁrcega Cabrera, F.Martínez Pérez, M. J.Sustainability managementCoastal aquifersContaminationHydrochemistryMicrobiological groundwater indicatorsSeawater intrusionhttp://metadata.un.org/sdg/9http://metadata.un.org/sdg/12http://metadata.un.org/sdg/6http://metadata.un.org/sdg/3http://metadata.un.org/sdg/11Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all agesEnsure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for allBuild resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovationMake cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainableEnsure sustainable consumption and production patternsGroundwater in Mediterranean coastal aquifers supplies a large part of the demand for freshwater but is increasingly threatened by seawater intrusion and anthropogenic pollution. During the springs of 2023 and 2024, six coastal carbonate aquifers in Mallorca were sampled to assess the present-day spatial and vertical variability of salinization and pollution. Hydrochemistry showed elevated Cl- (2140-18,800 mg/L), Na+ (1317-10,983 mg/L) and SO₄2- (440-2890 mg/L), with high electrical conductivity (7480-53,850 μS/cm in 2023 and 16,200-42,000 μS/cm in 2024). Nutrients (NO₃-, NH₄+, PO₄3-, NO₂-) and fecal indicators (Escherichia coli, Enterococci) were detected. Vertical profiles showed salinity increases with depth (except at Drac de Santanyí). The ƒsea index indicated marine intrusion in >96% of samples. Modified Piper indices (GQIPiper(mix), GQIPiper(dom)) and GQISWI values (28-56 in 2023; 32-51 in 2024) pointed to dominant to mixed NaCl facies. PCA and hierarchical clustering revealed marked hydrochemical heterogeneity among sites, with differences between 2023 and 2024 and site-specific anomalies associated with freshwater inputs and anthropogenic pressure. Overall, the results document widespread brackish to saline groundwater conditions and the co-occurrence of microbiological contamination in Mallorca's coastal aquifers, highlighting their high vulnerability to salinization and water-quality degradation. This work presents a data-driven, site-specific conceptual model of the marine intrusion system in Mediterranean coastal aquifers, characterized by a laterally extensive brackish zone overlying saline groundwater and a limited or locally absent freshwater lens near the coast. These findings underscore the need for integrated groundwater management, including salinity monitoring, regulation of abstraction, and improved wastewater treatment, to mitigate ecological and public-health risks in Mediterranean coastal aquifer systems.This research is part of the funding of the PROTEO Project 2998/202 funded by the National Parks Autonomous Agency (OAPN).Peer reviewedElsevierConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]202620262026info:eu-repo/semantics/articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501Publisher's versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/10261/419775https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105029868619reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSICinstname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)InglésThe underlying dataset has been published as supplementary material of the article in the publisher platform at DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2026.104877https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2026.104877Síinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:digital.csic.es:10261/4197752026-05-22T06:33:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Multivariate assessment of groundwater contamination levels associated with saline intrusion processes in Mediterranean coastal aquifers
title Multivariate assessment of groundwater contamination levels associated with saline intrusion processes in Mediterranean coastal aquifers
spellingShingle Multivariate assessment of groundwater contamination levels associated with saline intrusion processes in Mediterranean coastal aquifers
Álvarez-Alonso, R.
Sustainability management
Coastal aquifers
Contamination
Hydrochemistry
Microbiological groundwater indicators
Seawater intrusion
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/9
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/12
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/6
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/3
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/11
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
title_short Multivariate assessment of groundwater contamination levels associated with saline intrusion processes in Mediterranean coastal aquifers
title_full Multivariate assessment of groundwater contamination levels associated with saline intrusion processes in Mediterranean coastal aquifers
title_fullStr Multivariate assessment of groundwater contamination levels associated with saline intrusion processes in Mediterranean coastal aquifers
title_full_unstemmed Multivariate assessment of groundwater contamination levels associated with saline intrusion processes in Mediterranean coastal aquifers
title_sort Multivariate assessment of groundwater contamination levels associated with saline intrusion processes in Mediterranean coastal aquifers
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Álvarez-Alonso, R.
Robledo Ardila, P. A.
Deudero, Salud
Melo-Aguilar, C. A.
Alomar, C.
Micheo, F.
Durán, J. J.
Pérez Solsona, Sandra
Árcega Cabrera, F.
Martínez Pérez, M. J.
author Álvarez-Alonso, R.
author_facet Álvarez-Alonso, R.
Robledo Ardila, P. A.
Deudero, Salud
Melo-Aguilar, C. A.
Alomar, C.
Micheo, F.
Durán, J. J.
Pérez Solsona, Sandra
Árcega Cabrera, F.
Martínez Pérez, M. J.
author_role author
author2 Robledo Ardila, P. A.
Deudero, Salud
Melo-Aguilar, C. A.
Alomar, C.
Micheo, F.
Durán, J. J.
Pérez Solsona, Sandra
Árcega Cabrera, F.
Martínez Pérez, M. J.
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Sustainability management
Coastal aquifers
Contamination
Hydrochemistry
Microbiological groundwater indicators
Seawater intrusion
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/9
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/12
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/6
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/3
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/11
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
topic Sustainability management
Coastal aquifers
Contamination
Hydrochemistry
Microbiological groundwater indicators
Seawater intrusion
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/9
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/12
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/6
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/3
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/11
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
description Groundwater in Mediterranean coastal aquifers supplies a large part of the demand for freshwater but is increasingly threatened by seawater intrusion and anthropogenic pollution. During the springs of 2023 and 2024, six coastal carbonate aquifers in Mallorca were sampled to assess the present-day spatial and vertical variability of salinization and pollution. Hydrochemistry showed elevated Cl- (2140-18,800 mg/L), Na+ (1317-10,983 mg/L) and SO₄2- (440-2890 mg/L), with high electrical conductivity (7480-53,850 μS/cm in 2023 and 16,200-42,000 μS/cm in 2024). Nutrients (NO₃-, NH₄+, PO₄3-, NO₂-) and fecal indicators (Escherichia coli, Enterococci) were detected. Vertical profiles showed salinity increases with depth (except at Drac de Santanyí). The ƒsea index indicated marine intrusion in >96% of samples. Modified Piper indices (GQIPiper(mix), GQIPiper(dom)) and GQISWI values (28-56 in 2023; 32-51 in 2024) pointed to dominant to mixed NaCl facies. PCA and hierarchical clustering revealed marked hydrochemical heterogeneity among sites, with differences between 2023 and 2024 and site-specific anomalies associated with freshwater inputs and anthropogenic pressure. Overall, the results document widespread brackish to saline groundwater conditions and the co-occurrence of microbiological contamination in Mallorca's coastal aquifers, highlighting their high vulnerability to salinization and water-quality degradation. This work presents a data-driven, site-specific conceptual model of the marine intrusion system in Mediterranean coastal aquifers, characterized by a laterally extensive brackish zone overlying saline groundwater and a limited or locally absent freshwater lens near the coast. These findings underscore the need for integrated groundwater management, including salinity monitoring, regulation of abstraction, and improved wastewater treatment, to mitigate ecological and public-health risks in Mediterranean coastal aquifer systems.
publishDate 2026
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2026
2026
2026
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
Publisher's version
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10261/419775
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105029868619
url http://hdl.handle.net/10261/419775
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105029868619
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv The underlying dataset has been published as supplementary material of the article in the publisher platform at DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2026.104877
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2026.104877
Sí
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
instname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
instname_str Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
reponame_str DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
collection DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
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repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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