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https://hdl.handle.net/10216/101985
Author(s): | Melo, A Pinto, E Ana Aguiar Mansilha, C Pinho, Olívia Ferreira, Isabel |
Title: | Impact of intensive horticulture practices on groundwater content of nitrates, sodium, potassium, and pesticides |
Issue Date: | 2012 |
Abstract: | A monitoring program of nitrate, nitrite, potassium, sodium, and pesticides was carried out in water samples from an intensive horticulture area in a vulnerable zone from north of Portugal. Eight collecting points were selected and water-analyzed in five sampling campaigns, during 1 year. Chemometric techniques, such as cluster analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and discriminant analysis, were used in order to understand the impact of intensive horticulture practices on dug and drilled wells groundwater and to study variations in the hydrochemistry of groundwater. PCA performed on pesticide data matrix yielded seven significant PCs explaining 77.67% of the data variance. Although PCA rendered considerable data reduction, it could not clearly group and distinguish the sample types. However, a visible differentiation between the water samples was obtained. Cluster and discriminant analysis grouped the eight collecting points into three clusters of similar characteristics pertaining to water contamination, indicating that it is necessary to improve the use of water, fertilizers, and pesticides. Inorganic fertilizers such as potassium nitrate were suspected to be the most important factors for nitrate contamination since highly significant Pearson correlation (r = 0.691, P < 0.01) was obtained between groundwater nitrate and potassium contents. Water from dug wells is especially prone to contamination from the grower and their closer neighbor's practices. Water from drilled wells is also contaminated from distant practices. |
Subject: | Ciências da Saúde, Ciências da saúde Health sciences, Health sciences |
Scientific areas: | Ciências médicas e da saúde::Ciências da saúde Medical and Health sciences::Health sciences |
URI: | https://hdl.handle.net/10216/101985 |
Document Type: | Artigo em Revista Científica Internacional |
Rights: | restrictedAccess |
Appears in Collections: | FCNAUP - Artigo em Revista Científica Internacional FCUP - Artigo em Revista Científica Internacional FFUP - Artigo em Revista Científica Internacional |
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File | Description | Size | Format | |
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46834.pdf Restricted Access | Versão e-pub 2011 | 296.29 kB | Adobe PDF | Request a copy from the Author(s) |
46834.1.octet-stream | 293.42 kB | Unknown | View/Open |
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