Journal
ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCES
Volume 61, Issue 1, Pages 201-216Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s12665-009-0337-5
Keywords
Pesticides; Agriculture; Numerical modelling; Groundwater/surface water relations; Central Italy
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This paper analyses flow and transport of pesticides from the unsaturated zone to groundwater so as to predict concentration of those contaminants in the Fucino Plain's groundwater, by site investigations and numerical simulations. Pesticides were detected in surface water (peaks of 13 mu g L-1) and groundwater (peaks of 0.37 mu g L-1). Modelling tools made it possible to identify that pattern of precipitation, organic matter content, and root thickness are the key factors involved in vertical seepage of pesticides. Numerical simulations indicated that a significant fraction of contaminants is leached from the most surficial soil layers through runoff, while only a secondary fraction is mobilised towards groundwater. Likelihood of contaminating deep groundwater is fairly low, whereas surface waters show higher susceptibility. Results of the proposed conceptual hydrogeological model show that pesticides are more likely to be entrained by mixing of stream water with shallow groundwater in periods of high water exploitation from shallow wells.
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