This paper aims at evaluating the nitrate contamination in groundwater in two sets of exploitation wells located at Dunas/Barreiras aquifer in Natal (RN), Brazil, comprising the neighborhoods Tirol, Nova Descoberta and Planalto. Data interpretation demonstrated that in the long-time occupied region, groundwater has nitrate concentrations above the allowed limit value (10 mg/L N-NO-3). Whereas, data collected in recently occupied area show that the presence of nitrate is sufficiently low, but reveals that its concentration is increasing with time. In conclusion, nitrate concentrations indicate that contamination is related to population density and with urban occupancy history.
Dunas; nitrate; population density
