As regards groundwater contamination monitoring, we offer a wide range of geophysical methods, mainly including geoelectrical and conductivity methods; these methods belong to the category of applied geophysics geoelectrical methods: their common feature is the formation of a resistivity imaging (eg. interpretation of geological conformation and relationships between water and the porous medium on the basis of the distribution of the conductivity).
The VLF (Very Low Frequency) is EM method measuring the secondary fields generated by conductive bodies in the ground.
The georadar method, otherwise known as GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar), belongs to a class of electromagnetic geophysical methods.
These methods are dedicated to the monitoring of contaminants distribution and migration on the basis of the correlation between aqueous solutions mineralization and their resistivity (conductivity).
The waste stored in landfills are exposed to atmospheric agents and sometimes to groundwater leaching; the contact between the mass of waste and the water is a potential cause of phenomena of leaching, solubilization and transport of contaminants to the aquifers, thus able to alter the natural hydrochemical framework: these phenomena can be studied by observing changes in electrical conductivity distribution in hydrogeological framework.
The need for protection of groundwater resources is now well known. However, the work undertaken so far in this area has not been well planned; due to the lack of a legal instrument to address this issue. Work is currently underway across the European Union to harmonise; the rights and obligations of Member States to protect and monitor water resources.
More on groundwater protection in Europe can be found in the new groundwater directive and the consolidation of the eu regulatory structure
