The objective of this work was to determine the level of occurrence of pesticides in water, with the purpose of preserving from contamination risk by these pesticides the potable water of the region of Guaíra, SP, Brazil. Preliminary hypothesis was that the intensive use of pesticide in the Guaíra region is an important factor in the potential contamination of the surface water and groundwater. To identify physical properties and water dynamics in soil, the Fazenda Macaúba was selected because of its soil and topography typical of the region. About 80% of the soil of the farm is Oxisol. The plowed layer of the soil has no natural structure and below it there is a compacted layer, both of which derived from agricultural activities. With the goal to evaluate the risk of contamination, the Jardim river, one of its tributary and the groundwater of the Guarani Aquifer were monitored for 2.5 years. The pesticides which were used for the irrigation activities (trifluralin, endosulfan, lambda cyhalothrin, dicofol (4,4 dichlorobenzofenone), captan, parathionmethyl, chlorothalonil and chlorpyriphos) were searched for. Water was analyzed by multiresidue method and the results of this study showed that there is not contamination, except by direct of the surface water. The absence of water contamination is interpreted in relation to the structural characteristics of the soils like thickness, grain size, and field capacity.
irrigation; infiltration; pesticide residues; soil chemicophysical properties
