This study aims at contributing in the characterization of the quality of the underground waters in the
Massili sub basin, through the analysis of some pesticides in 40 water samples from some shallow
wells and boreholes. The gas chromatography method, using the GC-HP5 (30 m, 0.25 mm, 0.25 µm)
coupled with the mass spectrometer, and the GC-µCDE (Optima-5MS 0,25 mm, 0,25 µm) method,
have enabled to show that 77.5% of the analyzed samples are contaminated by pesticide wastes.
Penconazol, Monocrotophos, Triadimefon, Propiconazol and Cyfluthrin are the molecules that are the
most frequent ones in the water samples. The total contents per polluted sample vary from 0.05 µgl-1
to 0.92 µgl-1
. These total contents are below that of the standards of the European Union and the World
Health Organization which is 1 µgl-1
. However, these underground waters need to be monitored,
considering the intensity of the farming and market gardening activities carried out near them. Some
traces of organochlorine such as Aldrin, Op’DDT, Cis-Heptachlor-Exo-Epoxide, 2.4’DDE, 4.4’-DDE
and Endrin that are forbidden by the Rotterdam agreement, are identified in 7 water samples. The
Heptachlor has been detected in the samples of Pabré Saint Joseph and Laye F1, respectively with
some contents of 0.03 µgl-1
and 0.043 µgl-1
. These contents are slightly superior to the standard of the
European Union which is 0.03 µgl-1
. The results show that shallow aquifers of the Massili sub basin
are exposed to pesticide pollution due to farming and market gardening activities.

Pesticides Pollution Groundwater Contamination