A methodological approach for the identification of sulphate sources in the Portoscuso area (south-western Sardinia)

Several detrimental effects due to intense industrial activities affect the groundwater of the Portoscuso area (SW Sardinia, Italy) such that the Italian Government has designed the whole territory as a contaminated site of national interest (D.M., March 12, 2003). Groundwater pollution is a crucial environmental issue in this area, where a volcanic ignimbrite succession up to 500 m thick outcrops, locally covered by sand deposits of variable thickness. Groundwater upgradient to the industrial district shows sulphate concentrations exceeding the background value of 450 mg/L calculated for the area (Vecchio et al., 2011). In order to verify the origin of sulphate, multidisciplinary investigations were carried out on the geochemical features and stable isotope ratios in groundwater.