Aquifer Vulnerability Assessment to Petroleum Contaminants Based on Fuzzy Variable Set Theory and Geographic Information System

It is a common environmental and hydro-geological problem that groundwater system is contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons. An important step of pollution control and treatment is aquifer vulnerability assessment. In this paper, a karst fissure groundwater system where a refinery located above is taken as research object. Firstly, we analysis and determine principal factors impacting aquifer vulnerability to petroleum contaminants. These factors are used as evaluating indexes in the assessment. Secondly, with the consideration of uncertain and spatial attributes in assessment, a fuzzy vulnerability assessment method is proposed based on fuzzy variable set theory and geographic information system (GIS). Using the models and method, we finally obtained the assessment results map of aquifer vulnerability and it shows that the models and methodology are reasonable and feasible.