214
Keywords Pesticides · Pulsed pressure · ANOVA · Correlation analysis ·
Pyrimethanil · Chlorpyrifos
7.1 Introduction
Before the late 1970s, pesticides were not considered as potential contaminants of
groundwater due to a belief that soil acts as a natural filter so they will bind to the
soil particles on their way to the groundwater basins or will simply break down in
more innocuous substances. The first step in disproving of this belief was the detection of dibromochloropropane (DBCP) in 2000 wells in California and aldicarb in
96 wells in Long Island, in 1979 (Cohen et al. 1984). The discovery of groundwater
pesticide contamination in subsequent surveys resulted in significant concern about
the threat of pesticides as potential groundwater contaminants and establishment of
maximum allowable concentrations for pesticides in water for human consumption
of 0.1 μg/l for individual and 0.5 μg/l for total pesticides in the Directive (EC 1980).
These values have been accepted and became statutory limits in many European
countries. In the period from 1979 to 1988, around 77 pesticide active materials
were discovered in groundwater of 39 states in the USA, attributed mostly to known
point sources, misuse, and normal agriculture activities (US EPA 1992). In 1985,
atrazine and bentazon were detected in groundwater in Germany (Williams et al.
1988). One year later, in 1986, Norway reported the presence of dichloropropane
(Williams et al. 1988). Atrazine, simazine, bentazon, and molinate were detected
the same year in Italy and atrazine, simazine, and some phenoxy herbicides in Great
Britain (Williams et al. 1988). Detailed overview of pesticide detections in European
groundwater is given by the European Environment Agency (EEA). As a result of
these findings, developed countries started continuous monitoring of pesticides in
groundwater that contributed to the introduction of Directive 2000/60/EC by which
EU member states are obligated to make a characterization of the chemical composition of the groundwater, including specification of the contributions from human
activities, and to provide information to the EEA (EC 2000). To reach this aim,
Groundwater Directive 2006/118/EC (EC 2006) was established and lays down
detailed quality criteria for the assessment of groundwater chemical status in Europe.
Member states were obliged to establish those threshold values for the first time by
22 December 2008 and to publish them in the Water Framework Directive (WFD)
river basin management plans by 22 December 2009. By 2004, 12 EU member
states have submitted reports about the presence of pesticides in groundwater (EEA
2004). The most frequently detected were herbicides from the group of triazines.
Austria reported the presence of desethylatrazine and atrazine in 15% and 10% of
investigated wells, respectively, with concentrations greater than MCLs of 0.1 μg/l.
In France almost half of the monitored wells were unpolluted, 35% showed contamination potential, and 13% were seriously contaminated. In Germany in 2001,
residues of pesticides were observed in 27% of investigated wells from which only
8.5% showed concentrations greater than MCLs. Great Britain in 2000 reported that
B. Kovacevik et al.
Keywords Pesticides · Pulsed pressure · ANOVA · Correlation analysis ·
Pyrimethanil · Chlorpyrifos
7.1 Introduction
Before the late 1970s, pesticides were not considered as potential contaminants of
groundwater due to a belief that soil acts as a natural filter so they will bind to the
soil particles on their way to the groundwater basins or will simply break down in
more innocuous substances. The first step in disproving of this belief was the detection of dibromochloropropane (DBCP) in 2000 wells in California and aldicarb in
96 wells in Long Island, in 1979 (Cohen et al. 1984). The discovery of groundwater
pesticide contamination in subsequent surveys resulted in significant concern about
the threat of pesticides as potential groundwater contaminants and establishment of
maximum allowable concentrations for pesticides in water for human consumption
of 0.1 μg/l for individual and 0.5 μg/l for total pesticides in the Directive (EC 1980).
These values have been accepted and became statutory limits in many European
countries. In the period from 1979 to 1988, around 77 pesticide active materials
were discovered in groundwater of 39 states in the USA, attributed mostly to known
point sources, misuse, and normal agriculture activities (US EPA 1992). In 1985,
atrazine and bentazon were detected in groundwater in Germany (Williams et al.
1988). One year later, in 1986, Norway reported the presence of dichloropropane
(Williams et al. 1988). Atrazine, simazine, bentazon, and molinate were detected
the same year in Italy and atrazine, simazine, and some phenoxy herbicides in Great
Britain (Williams et al. 1988). Detailed overview of pesticide detections in European
groundwater is given by the European Environment Agency (EEA). As a result of
these findings, developed countries started continuous monitoring of pesticides in
groundwater that contributed to the introduction of Directive 2000/60/EC by which
EU member states are obligated to make a characterization of the chemical composition of the groundwater, including specification of the contributions from human
activities, and to provide information to the EEA (EC 2000). To reach this aim,
Groundwater Directive 2006/118/EC (EC 2006) was established and lays down
detailed quality criteria for the assessment of groundwater chemical status in Europe.
Member states were obliged to establish those threshold values for the first time by
22 December 2008 and to publish them in the Water Framework Directive (WFD)
river basin management plans by 22 December 2009. By 2004, 12 EU member
states have submitted reports about the presence of pesticides in groundwater (EEA
2004). The most frequently detected were herbicides from the group of triazines.
Austria reported the presence of desethylatrazine and atrazine in 15% and 10% of
investigated wells, respectively, with concentrations greater than MCLs of 0.1 μg/l.
In France almost half of the monitored wells were unpolluted, 35% showed contamination potential, and 13% were seriously contaminated. In Germany in 2001,
residues of pesticides were observed in 27% of investigated wells from which only
8.5% showed concentrations greater than MCLs. Great Britain in 2000 reported that
B. Kovacevik et al.