Investigating groundwater movement and pathogen transport in sandstone aquifers using intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy

Excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy is a natural organic matter characterisation method that can be used to rapidly assess the fluorophoric nature of environmental material. In this study the fluorescence properties of groundwaters from two UK sandstone aquifers were investigated using EEM fluorescence spectroscopy, and results copared with microbial data. Two study sites were chosen,one in the Penrith Sandstone of Cumbria and one in the Sherwood Sandstone of South Yorkshire. Both aquifers are regionally important sources of public water supply and have contrasting hydrogeological settings: the Penrith Sandstone example being characterised by largely intergranular flow and the Sherwood Sandstone site having localised rapid routing to depth along fractures and marl bands. •Fluorescence spectroscopy was found to be a valuable tool to help understand the source and nature of organic carbon in groundwater systems •It may be possible to use in conjunction with or as a proxy for other methods e.g. CFCs/microbiology to investigate groundwater movement and pollution •This relatively simple and rapid method has potential as a screening tool for microbial groundwater contamination in the UK and overseas