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Revista de Ciências Agrárias

Print version ISSN 0871-018X

Abstract

MENDES, Maria Paula et al. Vulnerability, monitoring and risk of nitrate contamination in tagus vulnerable zone . Rev. de Ciências Agrárias [online]. 2008, vol.31, n.1, pp.89-102. ISSN 0871-018X.

Taking in account the hydrogeologic characteristics and the intensive agricultural occupation, on 3rd September of 2004, through Portaria 1100/2004, the Northern Tagus alluvium was defined vulnerable zone to diffuse pollution with nitrates from agricultural source (ZVT). This region enclosing Golegã, Alpiarça, Santarém, Chamusca, Vila Nova da Barquinha, Constância and Torres Novas councils, has an approach area of 19124 ha not integrating the Paúl de Boquilobo protection area. Currently, ZVT is to be studied in the scope of the project AGRO 530 entitled “Intervention Plan and Support Decision System Development for the Northern Tagus Alluvium”. With the beginning in July of 2004, the institutions “Instituto Superior de Agronomia” (ISA) (Coordination), “Instituto Superior Técnico” (IST) and “Direcção Regional de Agricultura do Ribatejo e Oeste” (DRARO) participate in this project. From the moment that an area is designed as vulnerable zone, one of the procedural obligations is the elaboration of an action plan (according to the Decree-Law 235/97, article 7º). One of the objectives of this project is to contribute for one correct implementation of the plan towards a sustainable and socially acceptable agriculture. The work, that now is presented, intends to divulge the outlines of this project. The results already obtained on the groundwater quality in the vulnerable zone, mainly concerning nitrates and pesticides contamination, show that in the involving areas of Golegã, Azinhaga and Chamusca occur nitrates levels much higher than parametric value of 50 mg/ l of NO 3-, and that in a total of 89 groundwater samples, collected in 2004, in 27% were detected at least one of the pesticides and/or metabolites, being that, in 146 groundwater samples collected in 2005, the detection frequency of, at least, on pesticide and/or metabolite, it was of 38%. These results reinforce the development need of support decision systems, particularly for the sustainable nitrogen fertilizer and pesticide use in the main cultures of the ZVT.

Keywords : nitrates; probability maps; Tagus vulnerable Zone; vulnerability.

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