Sewage static system influence on the concentrations of nitrogen compounds in unconfined aquifers

Abstract

This research aimed to investigate the relation between sanitary situation and groundwater quality, using the concentration of nitrogenous compounds. The aquifer studied is unconfined and situated in the periurban zone of Fortaleza (NE Brazil). Through the Geographic Information System (GIS), a relational database was created using data from the IBGE demographic census (2011), to analyze numbers of households linked to septic tanks or rudimentary cesspit. The groundwater quality was evaluated based on nitrogen compounds (N-NH3+; NO2-; N-NO3-), pH, and total dissolved solids (TDS). The highest concentrations of nitrates are found in areas with a higher density of septic tanks and rudimentary cesspit. Furthermore, nitrate was more present in water table above 6.6 m, mainly in the interfluvial zones, which have a high oxidation potential. The results contribute to the loss of contamination, based on the number of households with septic tanks and rudimentary cesspit, in unconfined aquifers, which were more vulnerable to ontamination, mainly in peripheric expansions areas in the cities, where the deficit in sewage services tends to be high.