CHAPADA DO ARARIPE GROUNDWATER HYDROGEOCHEMICAL MODELING

• Grant number: 24/01628-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 07, 2025
• End date: August 06, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geology
• Principal Investigator: Didier Gastmans
• Grantee: Nicolas Quintan Bernardo
• Supervisor: Orlando Mauricio Quiroz Londoño
• Host Institution: Centro de Estudos Ambientais (CEA). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Argentina
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/09354-1 - GROUNDWATER HYDROGEOCHEMICAL ASSESSMENT FROM CHAPADA DO ARARIPE, BP.IC

Abstract

The Chapada do Araripe, located in the southern region of the state of Ceará, Brazil, is an area of great archaeological, ecological, geological, and paleontological relevance, arousing academic and scientific interest due to its unique characteristics. The region has a high population density and faces significant demands to sustain regional development. In this context, the use of groundwater emerges as a viable option to meet local water needs. However, comprehensive studies are crucial to determine the age and quality of the groundwater, ensuring its sustainable and conscious extraction while safeguarding the water security of the region and preventing contamination that could compromise its utilization. The project funded by FAPESP is carried out within the framework of a broader initiative established in collaboration among UNESP, COGERH, and FUNEP. The primary objective of this collaborative project is the monitoring of the isotopic composition of groundwater collected in two prominent hydrogeological provinces in the state of Ceará, namely, the Araripe Basin and the Potiguar Basin. As a part of this large project, the undergraduate research project has a purpose to evaluate the hydrogeochemical characteristics from Araripe Basin aquifers, because hydrogeochemical studies play a crucial role in this context, enabling the understanding of the interaction processes between groundwater and the aquifer rocks. and playing a fundamental role in the proper management of water resources.