Influence The USE of Pesticides in The Quality of Surface and Groundwater Located IN Irrigated Areas of Jaguaribe, Ceara, Brazil

The irrigated area of Jaguaribe, Ceara, Brazil is considered important region of agribusiness of the country due to the installation of various fruit exporting companies. The present work has as main objective investigate twelve types of pesticides (molinate, atrazine, methyl parathion, malathion, chlorpyrifos, fenitrothion, pendimenthalin, triazophos, bentazone, azoxystrobin, propiconazole, difenoconazole) used in the region to assess the level of contamination of waters used for potable and irrigation. Analysis of pesticides were performed using chromatographic techniques (SPME-GC/MS and SPE-HPLC/DAD) through methodologies validated according to parameters recommended by ABNT. Among the 60 water samples, 48 were positive for at least one of the twelve active ingredients studied. Fungicides propiconazole and difenoconazole were detected more frequently. The total pesticide levels ranging from 0.11-17.30 μg/L were detected in the samples. The levels detected in surface and groundwater were lower than the limits established in Brazil, but 80% of the samples analyzed were above total pesticide levels established by the European Community (>0.5 μg/L). Prolonged exposure to pesticides can cause adverse effects to human health and the aquatic ecosystem.