Pesticide contamination of ground and surface water in Bulgarian Danube plain

Ground and river water from Bulgarian Danube plain, an intensive agricultural area, was monitored for pesticide contamination. Seventeen pesticides belonging to 5 chemical groups were selected for analysis according to a farm use survey. The study has been carried out for two years. Analysis were carried out by capillary gas chromatography (GC) using a dual detection system (ECD and NPD), as well as by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection. Atrazine was the compound found most often in ground water. The other active ingredients detected in ground and river water were mainly herbicides (alachlor, 2,4-D, metolachlor). The organochlorine insecticides, lindane and endosulfan, were detected at extremely low concentrations. The contamination of atrazine was associated mostly with continuous corn production.