Comprehensive analysis of nitrates, sulphates and agrochemicals in leachates from an intensive agriculture area - A case study in Croatia

To better understand the impact of conventional agricultural practices on soil and water resources, two main objectives were established in this study: to measure nitrate (NO3-) and sulphate (SO4 2-) concentrations in lysimeters and drainpipes leachates in response to different nitrogen fertilization levels and soil amendments and to identify organic contaminants that could have originated from the long-term use of agrochemicals in historically intensive agricultural area in Croatia. During the two-year study period leachate samples were collected from lysimeters and drainpipes. Research results indicate NO3- content in both lysimeters and drainpipes increased with rising doses of N fertilizer. The highest concentration of SO4 2- was recorded in the treatment with added phosphogypsum, while in all other treatments the concentrations were low. Over 40% of the 287 target substances were detected at least once during the two-year study period but only two substances (IPC/propham and carbosulfan) were found to have concentrations above 0.5 µg/L. Additionally, three priority substances were continuously present in the leachate samples: atrazine, simazine and isoproturon.
Da bi se bolje razumio utjecaj konvencionalne poljoprivredne prakse na tlo i vodne resurse, u ovom radu uspostavljena su dva glavna cilja: mjerenje koncentracija nitrata (NO3-) i sulfata (SO4 2-) u lizimetarskim i drenskim procjednim vodama kao odgovor na gnojidbu različitim razinama dušika te poboljšivača tla te identificirati organske onečišćivače čije je moguće izvorište u dugotrajnoj uporabi pesticida na povijesno intenzivno poljoprivrednom području u Hrvatskoj. Tijekom dvogodišnjeg razdoblja uzorci procjednih voda prikupljani su iz lizimetara i drenskih cijevi. Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da se sadržaj NO3- u lizimetrima i u drenskim cijevima povećavao s porastom doza N gnojiva. Najveća koncentracija SO4 2- zabilježena je u tretmanu s dodanim fosfogipsom, dok su u svim ostalim tretmanima koncentracije bile niske. Preko 40% od 287 ciljnih tvari otkriveno je barem jednom tijekom dvogodišnjeg razdoblja ispitivanja, ali utvrđeno je da su samo dvije tvari (IPC/propham i carbosulfan) imale koncentracije iznad 0,5 µg/L. Uz to, tri prioritetne tvari bile su kontinuirano prisutne u uzorcima procjednih voda: atrazin, simazin i izoproturon.