Dissolvable organic carbon in groundwater as an indicator of its contamination as a result of many years of on-ground storage of manure
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Date
2011
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Instytut Uprawy Nawożenia i Gleboznawstwa – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy w Puławach
Abstract
Description
The paper presents results of studies on the effects of
long-term storage of cattle manure directly on the ground on the
contamination of shallow groundwater with dissolved organic
carbon (DOC). The research was carried out from January 2008 to
December 2009. It was conducted at the site where cattle manure
had been stored for about 20 years. Water samples were collected
from three wells located at the site of manure storage and next to
it. Moreover, at the same time water from two nearby ditches was
sampled. Water samples were analyzed calorimetrically for the
concentration of DOC using segmented flow analysis (S.F.A.S.).
The research indicated that long-term manure storage on the
ground resulted in significant pollution of groundwater with dissolved
organic carbon. Annual average DOC content in groundwater
from the monitored units was approximately from 51.0 to
approximately 189.0 mg C dm-3. Its concentration in water samples
collected on a monthly basis was as high as 597.0 mg C dm-3.
The concentration of DOC in the surrounding ditches in the study
period ranged from 3.5 mg C dm-3 to 12.5 mg C dm-3. Concentration
of that element was higher in water from a ditch located
in close proximity to manure storage (11.1 mg C dm-3) than in
a ditch located further away from that area (6 mg C dm-3).
The research indicates that it is necessary to intensify research
towards a better identification of the role of DOC in the
movement and accumulation of minerals in the water, and that
DOC can be a good indicator of water pollution from agricultural
sources.
Keywords
DOC, groundwater, storage manure
Citation
Polish Journal of Agronomy
2011, 4, 33–37