Aquifer Vulnerability Zoning, an Indicator of Atmospheric Polluntants Input? Vanadium in the Salamanca Aquifer, Mexico.

Aquifer vulnerability assessments can be incorporated in groundwater contamination studies. Atmospheric pollutants as vanadium, V, can reach aquifers after soil deposition if the system is vulnerable. Vanadium concentrations were detected in soil and groundwater in Salamanca Mexico. V origin is related mainly to particulate emissions from a thermoelectric plant that is using fuel oil number 6 with high V content. To determine the V origin in groundwater, a soil and groundwater monitoring was carried out. A SINTACS vulnerability zoning was done. Vanadium in soil, emissions and groundwater is well correlated. The V input is associated to aquifer vulnerable zones.