Application of a Fuzzy Logic Based Methodology to Validate the Hydrochemical Characterization and Determining Seasonal Influence of a Watershed Affected by Acid Mine Drainage

Jose M. Davila, Aguasanta M. Sarmiento, Javier Aroba, Juan C. Fortes, Jose A. Grande, Maria Santisteban, Francisco Cordoba, Mercedes Leiva and Ana T. Luís
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Jose M. Davila: Department of Water, Mining and Environment, Scientific and Technological Center of Huelva, University of Huelva, 21007 Huelva, Spain
Aguasanta M. Sarmiento: Department of Water, Mining and Environment, Scientific and Technological Center of Huelva, University of Huelva, 21007 Huelva, Spain
Javier Aroba: Department of Information Technologies, Higher Technical School of Engineering, University of Huelva, 21071 Huelva, Spain
Juan C. Fortes: Department of Water, Mining and Environment, Scientific and Technological Center of Huelva, University of Huelva, 21007 Huelva, Spain
Jose A. Grande: Department of Water, Mining and Environment, Scientific and Technological Center of Huelva, University of Huelva, 21007 Huelva, Spain
Maria Santisteban: Department of Water, Mining and Environment, Scientific and Technological Center of Huelva, University of Huelva, 21007 Huelva, Spain
Francisco Cordoba: Department of Integrated Sciences, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Huelva, 21007 Huelva, Spain
Mercedes Leiva: Department of Integrated Sciences, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Huelva, 21007 Huelva, Spain
Ana T. Luís: Department of Water, Mining and Environment, Scientific and Technological Center of Huelva, University of Huelva, 21007 Huelva, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 9, 1-15

Abstract: The Odiel River Basin, located in the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB), is heavily affected by acid mine drainage (AMD), which occurs when pyritic minerals from sulfide mining areas are exposed to atmospheric, hydrological or biological weathering. This paper presents a hydrochemical characterization of parameters in the Odiel River Basin by means of Fuzzy Logic and data mining methodologies to determine the seasonal influence of AMD in polluted waters that have not been used before for a basin in this environmental area. This technique was proven to be effective, providing results that could not be achieved by using classic statistics, because it allows us to characterize the different parameters separately and also their relationships in waters affected by AMD in a qualitative manner based on the antecedents and according to the conditions (rules) imposed by the consequents (in this case, the Fe(II) and accumulated rainfall over 30 days). Thus, it was possible to confirm that hydrochemistry is greatly affected by seasonal changes, with a higher pH in the wet season (up to 8.59) compared to 2.12, the minimum pH value reached in the dry season. Accordingly, higher concentrations of most of the metals were observed in the dry season (e.g., up to 4000 mg/L of Fe (II)), with the exception of the values found after the first rains that occur in the early fall. With the use of the Fuzzy Logic technique, it was observed that, during the wet season, lixiviates with a higher Fe content have higher metal concentrations, and in the dry season, the behavior is the opposite.

Keywords: Odiel River Basin; seasonal influence; Iberian Pyrite Belt; metal concentrations; acidity; polluted water (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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