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Green and Non-Invasive Technology for Sustainable Development of Groundwater and Geohydrology

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainability in Geographic Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2025 | Viewed by 188

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Earth Science, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
Interests: hydrogeophysics; hydrogeology; 3D modeling tools; groundwater remediation; water quality modeling
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

The sustainable management of groundwater resources and subsurface environments is a critical global challenge, especially in the face of increasing water demand, climate change, and land-use pressures. Traditional exploration and monitoring techniques often involve invasive and resource-intensive approaches that may not align with sustainability goals. In this context, the development and application of green, non-invasive technologies offer a promising alternative. These methods, particularly geophysical, remote, and hydrogeophysical tools, allow for the efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally sensitive exploration of subsurface conditions. They facilitate a better understanding of groundwater systems, soil structures, and potential contamination sources, without disrupting natural ecosystems or human infrastructure. This research area is increasingly vital for integrating environmental protection, technological innovation, and responsible resource management. 

This Special Issue aims to highlight cutting-edge research and review studies that focus on the design, application, and advancement of green, non-invasive technologies for the sustainable development of groundwater systems and geohydrology. We invite contributions that explore both the theoretical and applied aspects of these technologies across various contexts, such as environmental monitoring, water resource management, and geotechnical engineering. The Special Issue aligns strongly with the aims of Sustainability, particularly in promoting interdisciplinary approaches which foster sustainable development, environmental integrity, and technological innovation. 

We invite submissions that reflect a diverse range of topics within the field, including but not limited to the following:       

  • Hydrogeophysical and hydrogeological modeling that integrates spatial and temporal data for subsurface characterization;         
  • Non-invasive techniques for groundwater exploration and monitoring;         
  • Sustainable applications of digital and remote sensing tools in hydrogeology and geotechnical engineering;         
  • Environmental geophysics for pollution detection and remediation planning;        
  • Soil and aquifer property mapping using electrical, electromagnetic, seismic, or GPR methods;        
  • Integrated modeling approaches for water resource management, ecosystem protection, and georisk reduction;         
  • Case studies on green technology applications in land-use planning, sustainable engineering, and remediation strategies. 

By advancing non-invasive approaches, we can not only improve the accuracy and efficiency of subsurface investigations but also minimize anthropic footprints, reduce costs, and support long-term sustainability goals. 

We welcome original research articles, technical notes, and comprehensive review papers. Submissions that offer novel methodologies, interdisciplinary perspectives, or real-world applications are especially encouraged. 

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions to this Special Issue.

Dr. Paolo Ciampi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • hydrogeophysics
  • groundwater monitoring
  • sustainable geohydrology
  • environmental geophysics
  • subsurface characterization
  • digital modeling
  • green and non-invasive technology
  • aquifer mapping
  • soil and water management
  • remote sensing

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

21 pages, 3497 KiB  
Review
Review of Effective Porosity in Sandstone Aquifers: Insights for Representation of Contaminant Transport
by Prodeo Yao Agbotui, Farnam Firouzbehi and Giacomo Medici
Sustainability 2025, 17(14), 6469; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17146469 - 15 Jul 2025
Viewed by 73
Abstract
Assessment of contaminant dispersal in sandstones requires hydraulic characterization with a combination of datasets that span from the core plugs to wellbores and up to the field scale as the matrix and fractures are both hydraulically conductive. Characterizing the hydraulic properties of the [...] Read more.
Assessment of contaminant dispersal in sandstones requires hydraulic characterization with a combination of datasets that span from the core plugs to wellbores and up to the field scale as the matrix and fractures are both hydraulically conductive. Characterizing the hydraulic properties of the matrix is fundamental because contaminants diffuse into the fractured porous blocks. Fractures are highly conductive, and the determination of the number of hydraulically active rock discontinuities makes discrete fracture network models of solute transport reliable. Recent advances (e.g., active line source temperature logs) in hydro-geophysics have allowed the detection of 40% of hydraulically active fractures in a lithified sandstone. Tracer testing has revealed high (~10−4–10−2 ms−1) flow velocities and low (~10−2–10−4) effective porosities. Contaminants can therefore move rapidly in the subsurface. The petrophysical characterization of the plugs extracted from the cores, in combination with borehole hydro-geophysics, allows the characterization of either matrix or fracture porosity, but the volume of sandstone characterized is low. Tracer tests cannot quantify matrix or fracture porosity, but the observation scale is larger and covers the minimum representative volume. Hence, the combination of petrophysics, borehole hydro-geophysics, and tracer testing is encouraged for the sustainable management of solute transport in dual porosity sandstones. Full article
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