Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and geochemical analysis dataset to delimit subsurface affected areas by livestock pig slurry ponds

The electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) technique was employed with the support of geochemical analyses to delimit the affected surface area by slurry pig ponds. Data were taken in three selected slurry ponds located in Fuente Álamo municipality, Murcia region (SE Spain), to obtain electrical resistivity value-based 2D sections and 3D blocks. All ERT-based survey data were obtained in September 2020 using a SuperSting R8 resistivity meter from Advanced Geosciences Inc. and using the dipole-dipole array consisting of a total of twenty-eight electrodes. The soil samples were taken from drilling core sampling by boreholes at each slurry pond, and physical-chemical analyses of soil samples were obtained using standard laboratory testing methods. Electrical resistivity values and physical-chemical analysis data obtained from soil samples were contrasted, whose comparison showed a correlation between profiles-based electrical resistivity, laboratory-based electrical conductivity (EC) data, and nitrate (N-NO3-) content from soil samples. The statistical analysis was run by SPSS Statistics v.23 software (IBM, Neconductivity York, NY, USA) to establish the non-parametric Spearman correlation. The dataset establishes a reliable methodology and provides insight and information to delimit the affected subsurface area by pig slurry. Data contained within this publication are presented concurrently with Capa-Camacho et al. 2022 [1].This work was supported by the research grant 21583/FPI/21. Fundación Séneca. Región de Murcia (Spain), and the Sustainable Use, Management, and Reclamation of Soil and Water research group

Environmental Monitoring of Pig Slurry Ponds Using Geochemical and Geoelectrical Techniques

The efficient management of slurry, which is a by-product rich in nutrients derived from feces, urine, cleaning water, and animal waste that stands out for its high concentration of nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, is of vital importance, highlighting the importance of slurry management in storage ponds, which. The Murcia–Spain region has an important number of pig farms. Hence, infrastructures dedicated to managing by-products are necessary to prevent environmental pollution and eutrophication of groundwater. The aim of a recent study was to evaluate the relationship between electrical values and geochemical parameters of pig slurry stored in a pond using ERT and geochemical analysis. In addition, the study was designed to monitor the pond to determine the geochemical characteristics of the slurry and to assess the risk of lateral contamination. The study results indicate a noticeable decrease in electrical resistivity values at 0.4 and 1.6 m depth in surveys 1 and 2. The reduction ranges from 50 to 100 percent. This paper presents a new method for monitoring slurry ponds using electrical resistivity tomography. This non-invasive method provides detailed information on the distribution and characteristics of the fluids, as well as a clear picture of the electrical resistivity of the subsurface