{"id":64,"date":"2023-11-15T15:16:18","date_gmt":"2023-11-15T15:16:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/diffuse-pollution\/"},"modified":"2026-03-04T16:12:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T16:12:09","slug":"diffuse-pollution","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/diffuse-pollution\/","title":{"rendered":"Diffuse pollution"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t\t<section class=\"hero-section hero-section-with-social\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero-info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1>Diffuse pollution<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"social-wrap social-wrap-inline-them\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sea-background-f\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>Share this article<\/span><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/diffuse-pollution\/\"><span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span class=\"hidden\">Facebook<\/span><\/span><\/a><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Diffuse%20pollution&#038;url=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/diffuse-pollution\/\"><span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span class=\"hidden\">Twitter<\/span><\/span><\/a><a   onclick=\"javascript:void( (function() {var e=document.createElement('script' );e.setAttribute('type','text\/javascript' );e.setAttribute('charset','UTF-8' );e.setAttribute('src','\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinmarklet.js?r='+Math.random()*99999999);document.body.appendChild(e)})());\"  href=\"javascript:void(0);\"><span class=\"icon-pinterest\"><span class=\"hidden\">Pinterest<\/span><\/span><\/a><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/wa.me?text=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/diffuse-pollution\/\"><span class=\"icon-whatsapp\"><span class=\"hidden\">WhatsApp<\/span><\/span><\/a><a   href=\"mailto:?subject=Diffuse%20pollution&#038;body=Investigating%20pollution%20that%20comes%20from%20widespread%20activities%20in%20current%20and%20past%20environments.%20(https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/diffuse-pollution\/)\"><span class=\"icon-mail\"><span class=\"hidden\">Email<\/span><\/span><\/a><a href=\"#\" data-copy=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/diffuse-pollution\/\" class=\"copy-url-on-click\"><span class=\"icon-link\"><span class=\"hidden\">Copy Link<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-bgs-blocks-content-container content-section\"><div class=\"container\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-12\">\n<p>Groundwater is vulnerable to pollutants that leach from the land surface. This &#8216;diffuse&#8217; pollution comes from non-point source, widespread activities within the current and past agricultural and urban environments. There is also a contribution from atmospheric deposition.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/P602491.webp\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;Diffuse pollution can leach from the land surface into groundwater from non-point sources such as crop spraying. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_35301\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/P602491.webp\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"a yellow tractor pulls a tank behind it with crop spraying apparatus attached. It is moving across a green field.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/P602491.webp\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>Diffuse pollution can leach from the land surface into groundwater from non-point sources such as crop spraying. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/P602491.webp\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rural sources of diffuse pollution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Rural diffuse pollution arises from land-use activities spread across large areas, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>fertilisers and pesticides used in the cultivation of land to grow crops<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>livestock grazing with associated manure and slurry storage and disposal<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>sewage sludge disposal<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>forestry operations<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Dispersed housing may also be a source. <\/p>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/manure-6135606_1280.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"A green truck with yellow heels dumps a pile of steaming manure into a field.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/manure-6135606_1280.jpg\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>Livestock manure can be a source of groundwater pollution. Image by <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/users\/emphyrio-10920769\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=6135606\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pete<\/a> from <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=6135606\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pixabay<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>The pollutants of concern include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>nutrients such as nitrogen (typically in the form of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/diffuse-pollution\/nitrate\/\">nitrate<\/a>) and phosphorus&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>pesticides<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>metals<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>artificial micro- and nanoparticles (for example, plastics; tyre wear particles)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>biodegradable substances<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ammonia <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>microorganisms, such as faecal coliforms<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Urban sources of diffuse pollution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In urban areas, both industrial and municipal activities generate pollutants. Urbanisation changes the natural pattern of recharge to groundwater with run-off from built areas and impervious surfaces, such as roads and car parks. There is also input from mains water, leaking sewers and pluvial drains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Infiltration may carry a mix of polluting substances, such as: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>toxic metals<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>pesticides<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>oils and hydrocarbons<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>sediments <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>oxygen-depleting substances<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>tyre wear and plastic particles and additives<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Emerging contaminants<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Recently, advancing analytical techniques have identified a range of widespread&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/diffuse-pollution\/emerging-contaminants-in-groundwater\/\">emerging contaminants<\/a>&nbsp;in groundwater, including: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>pesticide breakdown products<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>pharmaceuticals<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>food additives<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>industrial compounds <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>PFAS<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>caffeine <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>microplastics<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>tyre wear additives<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Further reading<\/h2>\n\n\n<div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Selected publications<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span class=\"person nerc_int_name\"><span class=\"person_name\">Ascott, M,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<span class=\"person nerc_int_name\"><span class=\"person_name\">Lewis, M,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<span class=\"person nerc_int_name\"><span class=\"person_name\">Gooddy, D,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<span class=\"person nerc_int_name\"><span class=\"person_name\">Mackay, J,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<span class=\"person nerc_int_name\"><span class=\"person_name\">Smedley, P L, and<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<span class=\"person nerc_int_name\"><span class=\"person_name\">Cartwright, C.<\/span><\/span> 2022. <a href=\"https:\/\/nora.nerc.ac.uk\/id\/eprint\/533586\/\">Impacts of climate and land use change on groundwater quality in England: a scoping study<\/a>. <em>British Geological Survey Open Report<\/em> OR\/22\/076. (Nottingham, UK: British Geological Survey, 134pp.)<\/p>\n<p>Lapworth, D J, and Shockley, D J. 2022. <a href=\"https:\/\/nora.nerc.ac.uk\/id\/eprint\/532670\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Microplastics in UK groundwater and stygobites: protocols for sampling, analysis and pilot study results<\/a>. <em>British Geological Survey Open Report<\/em> OR\/22\/015. (Nottingham, UK: British Geological Survey.)<\/p>\n<p>Morris, B, and Cunningham, J. 2008. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/j.1747-6593.2007.00082.x\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Suburbanisation of important aquifers in England and Wales: estimating its current extent<\/a>.\u00a0<em>Water and Environment Journal<\/em>, Vol. 22(2), 88\u201399. DOI: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/j.1747-6593.2007.00082.x<\/p>\n<p>Morris, B L, Darling, W G, Cronin, A A, Rueedi, J, Whitehead, E J, and Gooddy, D C. 2006. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10040-006-0028-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Assessing the impact of modern recharge on a sandstone aquifer beneath a suburb of Doncaster, UK<\/a>.\u00a0<em>Hydrogeology Journa<\/em>l, Vol. 14 (6), 979\u2013997. DOI: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10040-006-0028-1<\/p>\n<p>Rueedi, J, Cronin, A A, and Morris, B. 2009. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/j.1747-6593.2008.00119.x\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Estimation of sewer leakage to urban groundwater using depth-specific hydrochemistry<\/a>.\u00a0<em>Water and Environment Journal<\/em>, Vol. 23(2), 134\u2013144. DOI: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/j.1747-6593.2008.00119.x<\/p>\n<p>Vero, S, and Ascott, M. 2022. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.taylorfrancis.com\/chapters\/edit\/10.1201\/9780429326806-4\/nitrate-transport-agricultural-systems-sara-vero-matthew-ascott\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nitrate transport in agricultural systems<\/a>. Chapter 3 in\u00a0<em>Nitrate<\/em> <em>Handbook<\/em>. Tsadilas, C (editor). (Boca Raton, USA: CRC Press.)<\/p>\n<p>White, D, Lapworth, D J, Stuart, M E, and Williams, P J. 2016. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2016.04.054\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hydrochemical profiles in urban groundwater systems: new insights into contaminant sources and pathways in the subsurface from legacy and emerging contaminants<\/a>. <em>Science of The Total Environment<\/em>, Vol. 562, 962\u2013973. DOI: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2016.04.054<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\t\t<section id=\"in-this-section-2263-block_df7cd492c07304ca8906f35a5fd748a1\" class=\"grid-section  sea-background-e   \" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row header-of-section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Our research<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row grid-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-6 col-lg-4\">\n\t<div class=\"cards-over-img cards  cards-find-more \">\n\t\t<a class=\"media-wrap\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/diffuse-pollution\/nitrate-contamination-of-groundwater\/\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/P223844-thumb.webp\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"A tall drill rig on a red truck next to a log cabin. There are two white men in hard hats and overalls looking at the rig. The picture was taken in 1973.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/P223844-thumb.webp\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/diffuse-pollution\/nitrate-contamination-of-groundwater\/\">Nitrate contamination of groundwater<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Contamination of groundwater by nitrate is increasing and BGS is investigating the cause.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/diffuse-pollution\/nitrate-contamination-of-groundwater\/\">More Information<\/a>\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-6 col-lg-4\">\n\t<div class=\"cards-over-img cards  cards-find-more \">\n\t\t<a class=\"media-wrap\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/diffuse-pollution\/emerging-contaminants-in-groundwater\/\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/medications-1851178_640.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"Lots of blister packs of tablets\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/medications-1851178_640.jpg\" \/>\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/diffuse-pollution\/emerging-contaminants-in-groundwater\/\">Emerging contaminants in groundwater<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Improvements in analysis mean that more organic compounds are being detected in groundwater.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/groundwater\/quality\/diffuse-pollution\/emerging-contaminants-in-groundwater\/\">More Information<\/a>\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\n\n<section class=\"cta-section  sea-background-e \">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row md-row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t<h2>Need more information?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"btn-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/people\/lapworth-daniel\/\"  class=\"button primary-background   \">Contact Dan Lapworth<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Investigating pollution that comes from widespread activities in current and past environments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4741,"parent":55,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"1","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-64","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Diffuse pollution - BGS Groundwater<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Groundwater is vulnerable to pollutants that leach from the land surface. 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