Inorganic Pollutants into Groundwater: From Geochemistry to Treatment

Geochemical approaches, including geochemical characterization and/or geochemical modelling of the environment of interest, represent a strong tool to predict the groundwater evolution as well as the release and fate of contaminants into peculiar geological setting [1-4]. Groundwater bodies in specific geologic environments for human activities (i.e., mines, geoparks and nature reserves, agricultural, residential, or industrial areas) have to be investigated in order to ensure a safe management of working, living, and tourist spaces, as well as to ensure the monitoring and protection of water resources and human health [5-9]. Geochemical characterization includes several practices of sampling and analysis types (i.e., analyses of major and trace of inorganic/organic compounds, isotopic and radiometric investigations), whereas geochemical modelling employs several softwares to predict the migration of pollutants in groundwaters [10]. These pollutants can reach high levels into groundwaters which are used for drinking or irrigation purposes worldwide, becoming hazardous for ecosystems and human health [11-16], mostly in developing countries [17]. Their mobility depends on several parameters, first of all the conditions of geochemical environment. Knowledge of natural or anthropogenic factors responsible for water contamination can be useful to develop efficient water remediation systems able to improve the living standards in the investigated environment, optimizing the decontamination process during the application on site [18-21] and achieving the standards of quality established by the World Health Organization (WHO) [22]. Several treatment technologies, both conventional and advanced, were employed to water decontamination, and among them, the membrane processes were considered valid remediation technologies for their multiple benefits [23-26].