Prof. Daniel Hunkeler, University of Neuchatel (CH), Switzerland

Date: Thursday 22 Jan 2026, 10 am, SARDI Plant Research Centre Auditorium

Title: Safeguarding groundwater quality in landscapes under intense land use

Abstract: In the context of climate change, groundwater is becoming an increasingly important resource due to its reliable availability. However, both groundwater quantity and quality are under growing pressure. A particular concern is the frequent detection of mobile organic micropollutants originating from agricultural and urban areas. The long-term fate of these substances remains poorly understood, with notable discrepancies between predictions based on laboratory studies and observations in the field. Substances expected to degrade rapidly may persist in soils or appear in groundwater, whereas compounds considered persistent in the subsurface may still degrade over long timescales relevant to groundwater, albeit at rates that are difficult to quantify.

This presentation provides an overview of organic micropollutants in groundwater, with a focus on Switzerland, and examines the factors controlling their input to and transport through aquifers, particularly in the case of pesticides. Furthermore, the potential of compound-specific multi-element isotope analysis to provide new insights into micropollutant fate in soils and the subsurface will be discussed, including methodological challenges and findings from field investigations. Finally, implications for policies aimed at safeguarding groundwater quality over the long term will be explored.

Bio: Daniel Hunkeler is a professor at the Centre for Hydrogeology and Geothermics (CHYN) at the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, where he directs the Hydrochemistry and Contaminants Laboratory. His research focuses on the key controls of microbial and chemical groundwater quality, with particular emphasis on the interactions at soil–groundwater and groundwater–surface water interfaces.

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