This seminar is part of the Tuesday Seminar Series organized by the Center for Hydrogeology and Geothermics (CHYN) at the University of Neuchâtel. We are pleased to welcome Dr. Elisabetta Preziosi from the National Research Council, Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA), who will discuss approaches to distinguish anthropogenic contributions to groundwater contamination from geogenic sources.

Abstract
Anthropogenic pressures have affected groundwater quality worldwide for decades through agricultural practices, industrial activities, landfills, and other human interventions, resulting in both diffuse and point-source contamination. To comply with national and EU regulations, groundwater quality is routinely monitored and compared with regulatory standards and threshold values. For regulated geogenic parameters, the definition of site-specific Natural Background Levels (NBLs) is essential for the correct interpretation of monitoring data. NBLs represent the boundary between natural geochemical processes and anthropogenic impacts and help avoid false positives and inappropriate remediation actions. This issue is particularly relevant for naturally occurring elements such as arsenic (As), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn), which can be mobilized into groundwater by biogeochemical processes, especially under anoxic conditions. These processes may be enhanced by increased organic carbon availability associated with industrial activities, landfill leachate, or methane generation and migration from landfill sites. In this seminar, case studies from central Italy, including landfill-affected and polluted sites, will be presented to illustrate multidisciplinary approaches integrating hydrochemical, isotopic, and microbiological data, with the aim of distinguishing between natural and anthropogenic contributions to groundwater contamination.