231
Descriptive analysis of investigated quality parameters (Table 7.10) suggests that
no significant pollution of groundwater in the investigated region is present.
Groundwater is mostly shallow and slightly alkaline and the major ions are bicarbonates. Conventional agriculture production on the soil surface is the main indicator of the vulnerability of groundwater regarding pollution with nitrates, potassium,
and phosphates leaching from the fertilizers as well as pesticides applied for plant
protection. Many authors have found a correlation between the presence of pesticides in groundwater and nitrates leaching from fertilizers (Burow et al. 1998; Istok
et al. 1993). One-way ANOVA performed to investigate possible differences
between the samples regarding investigated variables showed no significant difference between the investigated samples (Table 7.11). Therefore the correlation analysis was performed to find a possible relationship between the presence of pesticides
and ions which predominantly results from human activities. No correlation was
observed between the amount of pesticides and nitrates in groundwater, but the
positive correlation between sulfates and potassium as well as the low Na/Cl ratio
suggests that pesticides are probably derived in groundwater leaching from the surface area (Table 7.12). Low nitrate content in groundwater despite its great use in
the investigated region and wider environment suggests the presence of some processes contributing to this occurrence. Based on the geochemical properties of the
investigated aquifer (young alluvium aquifer); pH 7–8; high Fe, Mn, and HCO 3
−
content; as well as low SO 4
2−
and NO 3
−
content, it is assumed that there is a reducing
Fig. 7.5 Real groundwater sample spiked with buprofezin (26.074 min), benalaxyl (28.003 min)
at a concentration of 0.1 μg/l, and triphenyl phosphate (29.001 min) at a concentration of 0.5 μg/l
Table 7.9 Pesticides found in groundwater samples from the investigated region
Coordinates
d
C (μg/l)
Pesticides
41°25′432′′N
022°41′648′′E
24 m
0.0151
0.0367
Pyrimethanil
Chlorpyrifos
41°25′022′′N
022°41′891′′E
23 m
0.0136
Pyrimethanil
41°25′785′′N
022°46′067′′E
21 m
0.3392
Pyrimethanil
7 Improving Quantitative Analysis of GC-MS for Tracking Potential Contaminants…
Descriptive analysis of investigated quality parameters (Table 7.10) suggests that
no significant pollution of groundwater in the investigated region is present.
Groundwater is mostly shallow and slightly alkaline and the major ions are bicarbonates. Conventional agriculture production on the soil surface is the main indicator of the vulnerability of groundwater regarding pollution with nitrates, potassium,
and phosphates leaching from the fertilizers as well as pesticides applied for plant
protection. Many authors have found a correlation between the presence of pesticides in groundwater and nitrates leaching from fertilizers (Burow et al. 1998; Istok
et al. 1993). One-way ANOVA performed to investigate possible differences
between the samples regarding investigated variables showed no significant difference between the investigated samples (Table 7.11). Therefore the correlation analysis was performed to find a possible relationship between the presence of pesticides
and ions which predominantly results from human activities. No correlation was
observed between the amount of pesticides and nitrates in groundwater, but the
positive correlation between sulfates and potassium as well as the low Na/Cl ratio
suggests that pesticides are probably derived in groundwater leaching from the surface area (Table 7.12). Low nitrate content in groundwater despite its great use in
the investigated region and wider environment suggests the presence of some processes contributing to this occurrence. Based on the geochemical properties of the
investigated aquifer (young alluvium aquifer); pH 7–8; high Fe, Mn, and HCO 3
−
content; as well as low SO 4
2−
and NO 3
−
content, it is assumed that there is a reducing
Fig. 7.5 Real groundwater sample spiked with buprofezin (26.074 min), benalaxyl (28.003 min)
at a concentration of 0.1 μg/l, and triphenyl phosphate (29.001 min) at a concentration of 0.5 μg/l
Table 7.9 Pesticides found in groundwater samples from the investigated region
Coordinates
d
C (μg/l)
Pesticides
41°25′432′′N
022°41′648′′E
24 m
0.0151
0.0367
Pyrimethanil
Chlorpyrifos
41°25′022′′N
022°41′891′′E
23 m
0.0136
Pyrimethanil
41°25′785′′N
022°46′067′′E
21 m
0.3392
Pyrimethanil
7 Improving Quantitative Analysis of GC-MS for Tracking Potential Contaminants…