Stream water quality is controlled by the interaction of natural and anthropogenic factors over a range of temporal and spatial scales. Among these anthropogenic factors, land cover changes at catchment scale can affect stream water quality. This work aims to evaluate the influence of land use and seasonality on stream water quality in a representative tropical headwater catchment named as Córrego Água Limpa (Sao Paulo, Brasil), which is highly influenced by intensive agricultural activities and urban areas. Two systematic sampling approach campaigns were implemented with six sampling points along the stream of the headwater catchment to evaluate water quality during the rainy and dry seasons. Three replicates were collected at each sampling point in 2011. Electrical conductivity, nitrates, nitrites, sodium superoxide, Chemical Oxygen Demand (DQO), colour, turbidity, suspended solids, soluble solids and total solids were measured. Water quality parameters differed among sampling points, being lower at the headwater sampling point (0m above sea level), and then progressively higher until the last downstream sampling point (2500m above sea level). For the dry season, the mean discharge was 39.5ls⁻¹ (from April to September) whereas 113.0ls⁻¹ were averaged during the rainy season (from October to March). In addition, significant temporal and spatial differences were observed (P<0.05) for the fourteen parameters during the rainy and dry period. The study enhance significant relationships among land use and water quality and its temporal effect, showing seasonal differences between the land use and water quality connection, highlighting the importance of multiple spatial and temporal scales for understanding the impacts of human activities on catchment ecosystem services.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the inorganic parameters in the water of the Texcoco river. Sampling took place at 10 sites along the watershed (between 2500 and 2240 m above sea level) during the four seasons of the year for three years, with repetitions. The diagnostic parameters and methods used were, for potassium, sodium, magnesium, and calcium, the internal method MI-AM-011 (atomic absorption); phosphates with MI-FQUAR-012, chlorides NMX-AA-073-1981, electrical conductivity and nitrogen of nitrates NOM-AA-93-1984 and NOM-AA-79-1986, pH NMX-AA-08-1980. The three-year average concentrations of calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, chlorine, nitrates, and electrical conductivity were low. However, the concentrations of sodium and electrical conductivity were close to medium quality. The concentrations of sodium during Years 2 and 3 were classified as medium. The concentration of phosphates was high. Electrical conductivity during Years 1 and 3 were classified as medium. The concentrations of sodium and electrical conductivity in Seasons 1 and 4 grade a medium quality. The concentration of phosphates during the four seasons and three years were classified as high. Variability of cations and anions at different times of the year was an almost generalized behavior and statistically significant.

En la presente comunicación se exponen las razones que han llevado a la Consejería de Agricultura y Medio Ambiente a la implantación de una Red de Control de la Calidad del Agua de Riego (RECAREX) en los regadíos de iniciativa estatal existentes en Extremadura. Se da cuenta de las fases en las que se ha llevado a cabo la implantación de la Red y del método de trabajo que se aplica, así como de los resultados obtenidos en la campaña piloto del año 1.998 realizada en las Vegas Bajas (zonas regables de Montijo y Lobón). Se concluye con el análisis de los resultados, y su relación con posibles fenómenos de contaminación por nitratos y de salinización secundaria en dichas zonas regables.

La participacion directa o indirecta de los nitritos y nitratos en la biosintesis de nitrosaminas, productos de conocido poder cancerigeno, nos ha inducido a comprobar de que modo afecta la coccion en el contenido de nitratos, atendiendo al tiempo de ebullicion. Asi pues, hemos querido comprobar tambien la posible correlacion existente entre el contenido de las sales nitrogenadas en el producto cocido y en el agua de coccion, de 50 muestras correspondientes a cinco productos horticolas (zanahorias, judias verdes, nabos, acelgas y espinacas). Los nitratos han sido cuantificados basandonos en la NORMA AFNOR NF 04-410 (metodo espectrofotometrico); los resultados se expresan en forma de nitrato potasico.