Groundwater vulnerability to pesticide leaching and prioritizing monitoring sites in north-west Bangladesh
Bari, M.F.; Anwar, A.H.M.F.
Hydrology in a changing environment Volume II Proceedings of the British Hydrological Society International Conference, Exeter, UK, July 1998: 77-88
1998
Document Number: 623447
Pesticide leaching potential was evaluated under field conditions in NW Bangladesh, where abundant groundwater supplies occur in shallow unconfined aquifers and intensive irrigation is practised. Results show that the Leaching Potential Index (LPI) was a useful tool for predicting areas susceptible to groundwater degradation by pesticides. Although no pesticide residue was detected in water samples from eight wells throughout the study area, the likelihood of positive detection is highest in locations with a high LPI. This suggests that an effective sampling programme need not be uniform, but should focus on a small number of high LPI areas. Results of sensitivity analysis showed that groundwater vulnerability depends on hydrogeological and chemical properties. Alternative agricultural management practices that retain more pesticides in the root zone by taking into account the pesticide and soil properties, are desirable ways of reducing the incidence of groundwater contamination.