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abstract 204

Use of Atrazine and groundwater availability in Brazil

Author(s): Case study Tianguá
Author(s): Asdrúbal de Albuquerque Arraes, Francisco Mauricio de Sa Barreto, José Carlos de Araújo
Chemical Engineer (UFC) asdrubal.arraes@gmail.com Rua Paula Rodrigues 420 (Fatima) Fortaleza CE, Brazil

Keyword(s): availability, groundwater, pesticide, Atrazine, Brazil

Article:

Poster:

Session: OS1m Water quality 1

AbstractThis paper focuses on the use of pesticides in Brazil, particularly Atrazine, and on the damage to groundwater and

overall water availability resulting from this use. The paper gathers evidence from literature, pointing to the ultimate

nocivity of this practice, both from the health perspective and from the social-environmental standpoint. The

pollution-profit concept is denounced, referring to its profound social and environmental unfairness. The economic

evils of pesticide-intensive agribusiness are schematized under a chart. The fundamental misconception that lies under

the word pesticide is exposed, and linked to the root of the misuse of chemicals as agrarian panaceas. As a

particularly environmentally dangerous pesticide, Atrazine, its characteristics, customary uses and essential dangers

are described. The case study of the aquifer in the municipality of Tianguá, Ceará, Brazil, is presented. The two-year

monitoring of nine wells in the referred aquifer showed its contamination by pesticides (Atrazine included). The

studied aquifer is an important source of water to Ceará, the driest State of the Country, and its pollution reduces

considerably the water availability in the region. The discussion brought up in this paper is of great importance to the

water management system, especially for the Brazilian semi-arid region, where conflicts for water are already a

reality, and water quality effective regulation is still to be achieved.

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Use of Atrazine and groundwater availability in Brazil