Aquifer pollution vulnerability in the Sorrento peninsula, southern Italy, evaluated by sintacs method

Abstract

A groundwater contamination vulnerability map of the aquifers of the Sorrentine peninsula, Italy, has been produced using a Geographical Information System (GIS). The parametric method SINTACS has been applied in this prevalently karstic area. This method allows a detailed definition of vulnerability, providing a specific set of weights for karstic, fissured and porous hydrogeological environments. The final map shows the influence of the morphological and lithological setting on the contamination vulnerability assessment.

Keywords

• vulnerability assessment
• SINTACS
• groundwater contamination
• GIS
• karst
• Sorrento peninsula
• mineral springs