C O N T E N T S - Physical Land Resources - Vrije Universiteit Brussel

SHAHEEN SamiNitrate Pollution and Groundwater Modelling of Wastewater Plant in Rafah Area,Gaza Strip, PalestinePromotor: F. De SmedtGroundwater is the sole source of drinking water in the Gaza strip. Nitrate pollution togroundwater has become a progressively serious problem to the whole life system inthe area. Gaza Strip is facing a series of wastewater and sanitation-related problems:large-scale discharge of untreated wastewater, leaking of collected wastewater fromsewer systems and cesspits, water treatment plants that do not function or functiononly poorly and uncontrolled reuse of untreated wastewater by the irrigation sector.This is causing many diseases related to contaminated drinking water. Rafah areaconstitutes the southern part of Gaza strip, and considered as the most area affected bythe nitrate pollution. The source is mainly the waste water plant site which was builtmore than 20 years ago. Nitrate concentration in the groundwater in Rafah area rangefrom 32-200 ppm as NO-3 component. The results show that simulation using VisualModflow model, and MT3D transport model approach in Rafah groundwater aquiferscan improve planning and management policies and can give better decision for aquiferutilization, and treatment of nitrate pollution upon an appropriate prediction.THI THUY NguyenApplication of Stable Isotope Geochemistry in the Study of the Evolution ofPaleoclimate and Environment, Case Study in Son La, VietnamPromotors: E. Keppens & S. VerheydenSpeleothems are now regarded as important archives of paleoclimate and environment.The calcite stalagmite was taken from the Ta Chinh cave, Son La, Vietnam. This regionis one of the famous karstic areas in Vietnam. The stable isotope composition in thespeleothem provided signals of changing climate and environment during theInterglacial and the Glacial periods. The absolute age dating revealed discontinuousgrowing of the stalagmite during three periods: from 132 to 130ka BP, from 109 to 108ka BP and from 39 to 35ka BP. There were at least 2 hiatuses during the deposition ofstalagmites. Generally, the growth rate of the stalagmite was faster in warm climatecondition (the Interglacial period) than in the cold one (the Glacial period). In other- 34 -