This study aims to assess groundwater exposure to pesticides in agricultural ecosystems of potato and carrot of a hidrogeologycal vulnerable area of the aquifer system of the Tagus left margin, belong to the Palmela, Alcochete e Montijo councils. Besides a region characterisation under several aspects, a priori environmental exposure assessment of the registered pesticides to potato and carrot was assessed, on the basis of a selection of the physical-chemical properties and partition coefficients, and through multicompartimental models and leaching indexes. It was shown that several of these molecules have affinity to the water compartment and leaching potential. Pesticide residue analysis was performed by solid phase microextraction (SPME) followed of gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometer (GC-MS) in 15 samples collected from five irrigation wells and in three dates. It was detected at least one pesticide in 53% of the analysed samples, namely pesticides metribuzin, α-endosulfan and β-endosulfan, with maximum concentration levels of 0,17; 3,92 and 1,53 µg/L, respectively. In this study it was shown the need for a careful selection of the pesticides to apply, taking into account their intrinsic characteristics and environmental conditions, towards a pesticide sustainable use.

Mestrado em Engenharia Agronómica - Instituto Superior de Agronomia