Assessment of groundwater contamination by nitrate leaching from intensive vegetable cultivation using geographical information system

Babiker, Insaf S.

doi:10.1016/s0160-4120(03)00095-3

Cited by 239 publications

(85 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…It is possible, but not proven that the over use of these agrochemicals and hormones may contribute to the development of CKD-mfo. In view of this, precautions and preventative actions need to be taken immediately to minimise the harm to farmers, fauna, flora, and the environment, and to protect consumers [95][96][97][98].…”

Section: Effects Of Harmful Agricultural and Irrigation Practicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Escalating chronic kidney diseases of multi-factorial origin in Sri Lanka: causes, solutions, and recommendations

Wimalawansa

2014

Environ Health Prev Med

125

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During the last two decades, Sri Lanka, located close to the equator, has experienced an escalating incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) of unknown aetiology (CKDue) in dry zonal areas. Similar incidences of unusual CKDs have been reported in the dry zonal, agricultural areas of several other equatorial countries. In Sri Lanka, the incidence of CKDue is highest in the North Central Province (NCP), where approximately 45 % of the country's paddy fields are located. However, in recent years, the disease has spread into areas adjacent to as well as distant from the NCP. The cause of CKD in Sri Lanka is unknown, and may likely due to interactions of different potential agents; thus, CKD is of multi-factorial origin (CKD-mfo). These factors include, the negative effects from overuse of agrochemicals. Nevertheless, the potential interactions and synergism between probable agents have not been studied. This systematic review discusses the proposed hypotheses and causes of CKD-mfo in Sri Lanka, and ways to decrease the incidence of this disease and to eradicate it, and provide some recommendations. During the past decade, a number of groups have investigated this disorder using different methodologies and reported various correlations, but failed to find a cause. Research has focussed on the contamination of water with heavy metals, agrochemicals, hard water, algae, ionicity, climate change, and so forth. Nevertheless, the levels of any of the pollutants or conditions reported in water in NPC are inconsistent not correlated with the prevalence of the disease, and are too low to be the sole cause of CKD-mfo. Meanwhile, several nephrotoxins prevalent in the region, including medications, leptospirosis, toxic herbs, illicit alcohol, locally grown tobacco, and petrochemicals, as well as the effects of changed habits occured over the past four decades have not been studied to date. Taken together, the geographical distribution and overall findings indicate that combinations of factors and/or their interactions are likely to precipitate CKD-mfo, which kills more than 5,000 people annually in Sri Lanka; most victims are middleaged male farmers. Much anecdotal evidence from this region suggests that consumption of contaminated water is the most likely source of this deadly disease. Although the aetiology is unknown, prevention of this ''environmentally acquired'' disease seems relatively straightforward. Solutions include (a) preventing environmental pollution, (b) stopping the irresponsible use and decreasing the usage of agrochemicals, and encouraging the use of environmentally friendly agricultural methods, (c) taking proper precautions when using agrochemicals and safe disposal of their containers, (d) changing the risky behaviour of farmers and educating them to preserve the environment, and (e) providing clean potable water to all affected regions. Implementing a well-coordinated, in-depth, region-wide, broad-based research study together with a long-term effective surveillance programme across the country i...

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Section: Effects Of Harmful Agricultural and Irrigation Practicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Escalating chronic kidney diseases of multi-factorial origin in Sri Lanka: causes, solutions, and recommendations

Wimalawansa

2014

Environ Health Prev Med

125

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“…Contamination of shallow groundwater (<30 m bgl) with NO 3 -N has been documented in a large number of studies (C. D. A. McLay et al, 2001;Harter et al, 2002;Bohlke et al, 2007;Babiker et al, 2004). To relate different forms of landuse to different shallow groundwater NO 3 -N concentrations spatially, a variety of statistical techniques, such as multivariate cluster analysis (Hussain et al, 2008;Ismail and Ramadan, 1995;Yidana et al, 2008), Tobit and logistic regression using mean nutrient data (Gardner and Vogel, 2005;Kaown et al, 2007), weights of evidence modelling techniques (Masetti et al, 2008), and ordinary kriging methods (Hu et al, 2005), have been used.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors affecting nitrate distribution in shallow groundwater under a beef farm in South Eastern Ireland

Fenton

Richards

Kirwan

et al. 2009

Journal of Environmental Management

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a b s t r a c tGroundwater contamination was characterised using a methodology which combines shallow groundwater geochemistry data from 17 piezometers over a 2 yr period in a statistical framework and hydrogeological techniques. Nitrate-N (NO 3 -N) contaminant mass flux was calculated across three control planes (rows of piezometers) in six isolated plots. Results showed natural attenuation occurs on site although the method does not directly differentiate between dilution and denitrification. It was further investigated whether NO 3 -N concentration in shallow groundwater (<5 m below ground level) generated from an agricultural point source on a 4.2 ha site on a beef farm in SE Ireland could be predicted from saturated hydraulic conductivity (K sat ) measurements, ground elevation (m Above Ordnance Datum), elevation of groundwater sampling (screen opening interval) (m AOD) and distance from a dirty water point pollution source. Tobit regression, using a background concentration threshold of 2.6 mg NO 3 -N L À1 showed, when assessed individually in a step wise procedure, K sat was significantly related to groundwater NO 3 -N concentration. Distance of the point dirty water pollution source becomes significant when included with K sat in the model. The model relationships show areas with higher K sat values have less time for denitrification to occur, whereas lower K sat values allow denitrification to occur. Areas with higher permeability transport greater NO 3 -N fluxes to ground and surface waters. When the distribution of Cl À was examined by the model, K sat and ground elevation had the most explanatory power but K sat was not significant pointing to dilution having an effect. Areas with low NO 3 concentration and unaffected Cl À concentration points to denitrification, low NO 3 concentration and low Cl À chloride concentration points to dilution and combining these findings allows areas of denitrification and dilution to be inferred. The effect of denitrification is further supported as mean groundwater NO 3 -N was significantly (P < 0.05) related to groundwater N 2 /Ar ratio, redox potential (Eh), dissolved O 2 and N 2 and was close to being significant with N 2 O (P ¼ 0.08). Calculating contaminant mass flux across more than one control plane is a useful tool to monitor natural attenuation. This tool allows the identification of hot spot areas where intervention other than natural attenuation may be needed to protect receptors.

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“…Babiker et al [23] investigated the nitrate contamination of groundwater by agrochemical fertilizers in Central Japan using geographical information system and found that the nitrate concentration of groundwater under vegetable fields was significantly higher than those under urban land or paddy fields. The adverse health effects of high nitrate levels in drinking water are well documented [24][25][26] .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of N and K Fertilizers on Nutrient Leaching and Groundwater Quality under Mature Oil Palm in Sabah during the Monsoon Period

Tung¹,

Yusoff²,

Majid³

et al. 2009

American J. of Applied Sciences

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Problem statement:The oil palms are mainly grown in the humid tropics with high rainfall. Soluble Nitrogen (N) and Potassium (K) fertilizers are commonly required by the oil palm plantations to maximize palm productivity due to the highly weathered soils with low fertility. Thus, leaching losses of N and K nutrients may be unavoidable and these nutrients may move further downward and eventually cause groundwater pollution. This study reports the leaching of N and K nutrients in a mature oil palm field as affected by fertilizer rates and soil depths and its effect on groundwater quality during the monsoon period in Tawau soil depths of 60 and 120 cm, respectively. The transformation of NH 4 -N to NO 3 -N was not a major process during the monsoon period. The leaching losses of inorganic N were 1.0 and 1.6% of the applied fertilizer for N1P2K0 and N1P2K1 respectively. For K, the leaching losses were 5.3 and 2.4% for N0P2K1 and N1P2K1 respectively. The concentrations of NH 4 -N, NO 3 -N and K in groundwater ranged from 0.23-2.7, 0.07-0.25 and 0.63-9.54 mg L −1 , respectively. Conclusion/Recommendations: N and K concentrations in the soil solution decreased with soil depth and their leaching losses were related to rainfall pattern, fertilizer treatment and nutrient uptake by roots. Groundwater quality was not affected by the applications of N and K fertilizers at the optimum rates for mature oil palms.

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Assessment of groundwater contamination by nitrate leaching from intensive vegetable cultivation using geographical information system

Cited by 239 publications

References 21 publications

Escalating chronic kidney diseases of multi-factorial origin in Sri Lanka: causes, solutions, and recommendations

Escalating chronic kidney diseases of multi-factorial origin in Sri Lanka: causes, solutions, and recommendations

Factors affecting nitrate distribution in shallow groundwater under a beef farm in South Eastern Ireland

Effect of N and K Fertilizers on Nutrient Leaching and Groundwater Quality under Mature Oil Palm in Sabah during the Monsoon Period

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