“AGROHYDROCHEMISTRY” (2021) – A CONTRIBUTION TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE “NITRATE DIRECTIVE” 91/676 / EEC IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The article presents and analyzes the textbook “Agrohydrochemistry” (author V.K. Khilchevsky – professor of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv), published in 2021. The textbook examines the main problems associated with the growth of the chemicalization of agriculture and the protection of water resources. Due to agriculture, there is a noticeable impact on the quality of natural waters in the world, especially in regions of intensive agriculture, to which Ukraine belongs. Increased concentrations of nutrients and various types of pesticides are found in the waters of small and large rivers, groundwater. Therefore, the issues of studying the main sources of agricultural pollution of natural waters and the processes that contribute to this are relevant. Among the main sources of pollution of natural waters with wastewater, namely industrial, household and agricultural – the latter have a specific character of formation and flow into water bodies. If industrial and domestic wastewater is localized behind the formation and place of discharge into the sewer network, then the formation and supply of chemicals from agricultural land is dispersed throughout the catchment area and natural ways of entering (hydrographic network) into water bodies. The attention of the world community to the impact of agrochemicals on the quality of natural waters is evidenced by the Directive 91/676/EU adopted in the European Union of December 12, 1991 “On the protection of waters from pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources” (abbreviated as “Nitrogen Directive”), which in turn is a local manifestation of the integrating directive 2000/60/EC of October 23, 2000 “On the establishment of a framework for Community activities in the field of water policy” (abbreviated WFD – “EU Water Framework Directive”), aimed at achieving a good ecological state of natural waters in the regions river basins. Agrohydrochemistry is a direction in hydrochemistry that studies the effect of agrochemical agents on the chemical composition of natural waters using theoretical methods and the results of experimental studies in watersheds. The textbook, which consists of 9 chapters, gives an idea of the formation of the balance of chemicals in the soil, the use of various types of fertilizers and pesticides, and the possible ways of their entry into water bodies. Methods for calculating the flow of chemicals into water bodies are presented. The theoretical provisions are illustrated by the materials of our own research on the effect of agrochemicals on the chemical composition of river waters in the Dnieper basin. The textbook is designed for students of the specialty “Earth Sciences” of educational programs of the hydrological profile of higher educational institutions..