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FUZZY DECISION MAKING IN GROUND WATER NITRATE RISK MANAGEMENT 1
Author(s) -
Lee Yong W.,
Dahab Mohamed F,
Bogardi Istuan
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
jawra journal of the american water resources association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.957
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1752-1688
pISSN - 1093-474X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1752-1688.1994.tb03280.x
Subject(s) - multiple criteria decision analysis , risk analysis (engineering) , nitrate , environmental science , risk management , risk assessment , agriculture , environmental engineering , computer science , engineering , business , operations research , chemistry , geography , computer security , finance , archaeology , organic chemistry
Ground water nitrate contamination is widespread in the United States and especially prevalent in agriculture‐intensive areas such as the Midwest. To reduce human health risks (i.e., methemoglobinemia and cancer risks) from nitrates in ground water supplies, several nitrate risk‐management strategies can be developed based on acceptable levels of human health risks, the reasonableness of the cost required for risk reduction, and the technical feasibility of nitrate‐control methods. However, due to a lack of available information, assessing risk, cost, and technical feasibility contains elements of uncertainty. In this paper, a nitrate risk‐management methodology using fuzzy sets in combination with a multicriterion decision‐making (MCDM) technique is developed to assist decision makers in evaluating, with uncertain information, possible regulatory actions along with the various nitrate risk‐management strategies in order to determine an appropriate strategy. The methodology is illustrated using data from a community with a nitrate water‐quality problem.