Hydrochemical, isotopic and microbiota characterization of telese mineral waters (Southern Italy)

Alfonso Corniello,Marco Trifuoggi,Fabio Marzaioli,Elena Del Gaudio,Luisa Stellato,Maria Toscanesi,Marina Iorio,Carmela Del Giudice,Giovanni Forte,Marco Guida,Antonella Giarra,Federica Carraturo

doi:10.1007/s10653-021-00806-4

Abstract

The study deals with the analyses of springs and wells at the base of Montepugliano Hill that represents the SE edge of the wide carbonate Matese massif (Campania, southern Italy). At the base of the hill, from west to east and for almost one kilometre, cold springs HCO3-Ca type (Grassano springs, ~ 4.5 m3/s; TDS: about 0.45 g/L) pass to hypothermal, HCO3-Ca type, sulphurous and CO2-rich springs (~ 1 m3/s with TDS > 1 g/L). Some of the latter are widely used in Telese Spa and Centro Relax Spa. Chemical and isotopic analyses carried out for this study support the hypothesis that all these waters (mineral and non-mineral) have the same catchment area, which is located in the Matese massif. As regards the sulphurous springs, they receive both meteoric waters infiltration and uprising of deeper waters rich in endogenous CO2 and H2S gases through important faults systems. Far from these faults, the chemistry of groundwater is scarcely (or not at all) affected by these deep fluid enrichment processes. This scheme is very significant; in fact, when very important groundwater resources are present, it is possible to use both mineral waters in Spa and, in areas far from the faults, those not yet mineralized. Finally, at Montepugliano Hill, in the final stage of the flow path, groundwater is also affected by change in the microbiome: this could provide a basis for comparison between various mineral waters.

Highlights

In Italy, there are about 480 Spas and the annual budget, considering their related activities exceeds 1.5 billion euros (MEF 2017, 2018)
Fiorillo et al (2019) have proposed a hydraulic model, in the MODFLOW environment, of the groundwater flow from the Matese ridge towards Montepugliano Hill; the model shows that: (a) Montepugliano constitutes a ‘‘drain’’ for the groundwater flow; (b) the value of the hydraulic conductivity (K) of the carbonate aquifer providing the best model calibration is 0.001 m/s; (c) groundwater flow is horizontal from Matese massif to Montepugliano Hill and shows an upwelling phenomenon at Montepugliano
This discharge higher than mineral waters is probably due: (a) to the presence of faults that act as drains for groundwater (Fig. 1) and (b) to the local lower altitude of the not very permeable alluvial deposits that surround the hill in the south

Summary

Introduction

In Italy, there are about 480 Spas (distributed in 20 Regions) and the annual budget, considering their related activities (hotels, restaurants, trade, etc.) exceeds 1.5 billion euros (MEF 2017, 2018). Campania Region hosts more than 27% of the Italian Spas (MEF 2017, 2018) and most of them (about 120) are located in the volcanic areas W of the city of Naples (Campi Flegrei) and on the Island of Ischia (Distretto Idrografico 2010). The assessment of the hydrogeological setting hosting mineral and thermal waters is very complex as it involves the location and definition of the catchment limits (recharge area), its extension, mineralization processes, presence of faults, etc. For many hydrothermal areas in Campania Region (e.g. Castellammare di Stabia, Scrajo, Mondragone), a good level of knowledge over time has been acquired (Piscopo et al 1999; Corniello et al 2013, 2018; Cuoco et al 2014, 2017; Allocca et al 2018), which is a prerequisite for a correct and sustainable management of the groundwater resources

Results

Discussion

Conclusion