Niveles de arsénico y vanadio en aguas naturales en el Departamento de Unión, sudeste de la provincia de Córdoba, Argentina

Abstract

En Argentina, existen grandes regiones que por sus características edafoclimáticas, poseen excelentes aptitudes agropecuarias, sin embargo, sufren limitaciones de desarrollo debido a la disponibilidad de agua y la calidad del recurso hídrico disponible. Uno de los elementos químicos presentes en el agua, con mayor impacto sobre la salud humana y animal, es el arsénico. La región afectada, abarca las provincias de Córdoba, La Pampa, Santiago del Estero, San Luis, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, Chaco, Salta, Tucumán, San Juan y Mendoza. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar la presencia y distribución del arsénico en agua superficial y subterránea en el sudeste de la provincia de Córdoba, una de las zonas más afectadas de Argentina por la presencia de arsénico en el agua.

Argentina has large regions with excellent aptitude for agricultural activities. Nevertheless, some areas show development limitations as to water availability and quality. One of the chemical elements in water with great impact on human and animal health is arsenic. The As-affected region includes the provinces of Córdoba, La Pampa, Santiago del Estero, San Luis, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, Chaco, Salta, Tucumán, San Juan and Mendoza. The aim of this work was to analyze the presence and distribution of arsenic in superficial and ground waters in south-eastern Córdoba province, one of the areas in Argentina most affected by the presence of arsenic in water. Arsenic levels in groundwater were highly variable. The highest values were reported in the phreatic aquifer where arsenic concentration was between 20 and 4600 μg.L-1. Another element found at significant levels in the phreatic aquifer was vanadium whose concentrations were between 30 and 2710 μg.L-1. The presence of vanadium associated with high levels of arsenic could pose a risk to animal health and production.