Investigation of groundwater vulnerability to nitrate contamination employing genetic algorithm and fuzzy logic in the Gümüşhacıköy-Merzifon plain (Amasya, Türkiye)
Acta Geophysica, cilt.74, sa.5, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 74 Sayı: 5
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s11600-026-01994-2
- Dergi Adı: Acta Geophysica
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Aerospace Database, Compendex, Geobase, INSPEC, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Natural Science Collection (ProQuest), Earth, Atmospheric, & Aquatic Science Collection (ProQuest), Materials Science & Engineering Collection (ProQuest), Technology Collection (ProQuest)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Aquifer, DRASTIC, Larsen fuzzy logic, Mamdani fuzzy logic, Sugeno fuzzy logic, Türkiye
- Karadeniz Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Vulnerability assessment and vulnerability maps provide an essential predictive approach for decision-makers in groundwater quality management. The Gümüşhacıköy-Merzifon plain, located in the central part of northern Türkiye which is considered as one of the significant plains in the region, is susceptible to nitrate pollution, which makes vulnerability assessment crucial. The current study applied the original and optimized DRASTIC methods, utilizing genetic algorithm (GA) and fuzzy logic (FL), to study the areas exposed to contamination. The Fuzzy method was enforced in three ways: Larsen Fuzzy Logic (LFL), Sugeno Fuzzy Logic (SFL), and Mamdani Fuzzy Logic (MFL). Nitrate concentration data, along with their correlation index with vulnerability, were utilized to assess the validity of the proposed methodologies. The outcomes revealed that the optimized DRASTIC using the SFL method had a higher correlation with nitrate and provided more accepted results in comparison with the other methods. According to the GA model, water depth (D), hydraulic conductivity (C), and the vadose zone (I) had the highest impact on groundwater vulnerability, in the order listed. The optimized map created with the SFL method revealed that the Gümüşhacıköy-Merzifon plain exhibited vulnerability levels of 18% classified as very low, 23% as low, 12% as medium, 25% as high, and 22% as very high, respectively.