Assessment of Nitrate in Wells and Springs in the North Central Ethiopian Highlands
| Autor: | Mamaru A. Moges, Dessalegn C. Dagnew, Seifu A. Tilahun, Tammo S. Steenhuis, Adugnaw T. Akale |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2018 |
| Předmět: |
Denitrification
lcsh:Hydraulic engineering 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences United Nations Sub-Saharan Geography Planning and Development Water supply Ethiopian highlands 010501 environmental sciences Aquatic Science engineering.material 01 natural sciences Biochemistry water quality chemistry.chemical_compound lcsh:Water supply for domestic and industrial purposes Nitrate potable water nitrate lcsh:TC1-978 Grazing groundwater Africa drinking water 0105 earth and related environmental sciences Water Science and Technology lcsh:TD201-500 business.industry Agronomy chemistry Agriculture engineering Environmental science Fertilizer Water quality business Groundwater |
| Zdroj: | Water; Volume 10; Issue 4; Pages: 476 Water, Vol 10, Iss 4, p 476 (2018) |
| ISSN: | 2073-4441 |
| DOI: | 10.3390/w10040476 |
| Popis: | Under the auspices of the UN Millennium Development Goals, access to safe drinking water in the developing world, including the Ethiopian highlands, has improved greatly. However, in many cases, it is not known how safe the water is. With the intensification of agriculture and increasing applications of fertilizers, high levels of nitrate are a concern. The objective of this study is to assess the nitrate levels in drinking water supply systems. To assess nitrate levels, we sampled 213 water supply points in a 4880 km2 area in the northwest Ethiopian highlands. The results show that the average concentration was below the World Health Organization (WHO) health standard of 10 mg N-NO3/L. The average concentration in wells was 3.3 mg N-NO3/L and in springs was 1.8 mg N-NO3/L. Only in three wells, that were in agricultural cropped areas, was the WHO standard exceeded. Wells in the agricultural fields had an average nitrate concentration of 3.6 mg N-NO3/L, which was almost twice that on grazing land and four times that in upland wells. Spatially, the groundwater nitrate concentrations were greater in the moderately sloped parts of the study area where agriculture was intensive and denitrification limited. Thus, although current nitrate levels are safe, in the future, the nitrate concentration could exceed the WHO health standard when fertilizer use increases. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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