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Spatial distribution of pesticide residues in the groundwater of a condensed agricultural area

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Abstract

Pesticide residues in groundwater have caused health and environmental concerns in regions in which the water is used for drinking and irrigation purposes. In this study, seven pesticide residues were studied in groundwater of a condensed agricultural area in the Al-Qassim region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia using multiresidue gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Diazinon followed by chlorpyrifos and carbofuran was the most frequently detected pesticide in the collected water samples. In most locations, pesticide residues detected in groundwater samples were above the maximum acceptable levels of total and individual pesticide contamination of 0.5 and 0.1 μg L−1, respectively. The spatial distribution of the detected pesticides showed extremely high concentrations in intensified agricultural areas 55 km southwest of Buraydah. The results of the present study are expected to provide adequate information to enable the formulation of guidelines for permissible pesticide residues in water. Additionally, a regular monitoring program for pesticide residues in water is suggested based on the strict guidelines for pesticidal use.

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Acknowledgments

The investigators of research project no. ALC012 thank the Promising Research Center in Biological Control and Agricultural Information, Al-Qassim University, Buraydah, KSA, for providing funding and unlimited support and help. The authors are also grateful to the Department of Soil Science, College of Food, and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, for providing research facilities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Soil Sciences Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh, 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Mohammad Al-Wabel, M. H. El-Saeid, A. H. El-Naggar & A. S. Sallam

  2. Soil Sciences Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, P. O. Box 11241, Cairo, Egypt

    A. H. El-Naggar

  3. Promising Researches Center in Biological Control and Agricultural Information, Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia

    F. A. Al-Romian, K. Osman & K. Elnazi

Authors
  1. Mohammad Al-Wabel
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  2. M. H. El-Saeid
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  3. A. H. El-Naggar
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  4. F. A. Al-Romian
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  5. K. Osman
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  6. K. Elnazi
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  7. A. S. Sallam
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Correspondence to Mohammad Al-Wabel.

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Al-Wabel, M., El-Saeid, M.H., El-Naggar, A.H. et al. Spatial distribution of pesticide residues in the groundwater of a condensed agricultural area. Arab J Geosci 9, 120 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-015-2122-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-015-2122-y

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