**2. Methodology, results, and discussion**

### **2.1 Methodology**

The research carried out, due to its purpose, falls within the type of basic research, since it was analyzed what metallic elements the fruits, soil, and runoff water contain

in the granadilla fruit production process. On the other hand, social information is obtained that allows determining the cause of contamination under three dimensions of groups selected according to the intensity of use of agrochemicals, which is considered as a process of environmental contamination by human intervention (anthropic) and, likewise, allows to determine how the soil-water interaction influences the contamination of granadilla fruit [6].

#### *2.1.1 Population and sample*

The population was of the finite type that was made up of all granadilla fruit crop fields (*P. ligularis*) in full production in the district of Oxapampa, with 1463 Ha [7].

The sample size consisted of 55 Ha of granadilla fruit in production and was determined using the following equation:

$$m = \frac{Z^2 pqN}{E^2(N-1) + Z^2 pq} \tag{1}$$

Where: Z = 1.65, P = 0.70, q = 0.30, N = 1463 y E = 0.10.

From the 55 Ha of granadilla fruit crop in full production, corresponding to several owners with diverse extensions of granadilla fruit crop, they were geographically distributed in rural sectors within the district of Oxapampa, such as: Alto Rio Pisco, Cañera, Abra, Chacos, San Alberto, Acuzazú, Quillazú, Paradise.

The production fields were taken randomly in each sector, then a survey was carried out on each owner (farmer) through a questionnaire, information was collected on the surface of their granadilla fruit production fields, types of agrochemicals that are generally used, and with what frequency they are applied during the year of crop management. Three groups were then selected and formed according to the intensity of agrochemicals application per year. Group "A" includes those who apply agrochemicals with high frequency; group "B," with medium frequency; and group "C," with low frequency.

From these groups, samples were taken in different sectors already classified and duly coded for each production area. Fruit sampling was randomly selected, taking six fruits/sample; in the same way, soil samples were extracted from the field, also at random points, following a zigzag scheme at a depth of 20 cm, homogenizing the subsamples and obtaining a single representative sample in the amount of 0.5 kg. Runoff water samples were also taken from the production fields in an amount of 1 liter/sample; for this last case, it was necessary to previously prepare collectors, which were holes prepared on the ground surfaces covered at the base or bottom with plastic to ensure the accumulation of runoff water on rainy days, distributed at various points in the study area.

The period of extraction and transport of the samples from the field to the laboratory was 2 days. Water was collected in a white polyethylene bottle with a capacity of 1 liter as a representative sample; the fruit and soil samples were collected in hermetic polyethylene bags for the appropriate capacity. All the collected samples, 15 fruit samples, 15 soil samples, and 15 water samples were transported from the study fields to the UNMSM laboratory, following strict quality control, for the corresponding analyses.

#### *2.1.2 Design of the investigation*

Due to the nature of the research, the nonexperimental and comparative design was applied; defined as a schematized structure, which consists of determining the significance between two or more variables of interest in one or more samples, comparing the observations obtained and analyzing the inferences between two or more different populations, the scheme of which is as follows (see **Figure 1**):

The techniques used during the investigation were: identification, observation, data collection, and samples in field and laboratory phases. For the social component, the interview and dialogue technique was used. For the assessment of heavy metals: As, Pb, Hg, Cd, and Cu present in the samples, an atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used, and the results were measured in mg of contaminant/kg of sample.

The instruments used in the research were: predesigned formats and questionnaires, to record the data obtained during the evaluation process. The questionnaire for the interview was validated with professionals and research experts in the social area, using the DELPHI method, which is a method of structuring a communication process that is effective in allowing a group of individuals, such as a whole in dealing with a complex [8].

The data obtained in the study area were processed in the cabinet, SPSS and Excel software were used, descriptive and inferential statistics, ANOVA for the comparison between sectors comprising three ABC groups, the analysis was carried out based on the processing and interpretation of the data.

#### **2.2 Results**

The results of the environmental pollutants analysis in the laboratory of the samples of fruits, soil, and runoff water show that, with respect to the fruits: in the sectors of AcAf SA1Bf, PaCf, average values between 0.26 and 0.36 mg of Cu/kg of sample; (Ch2Af, Ab3Bf ARP3Cf, QllAf, Ch3Bf, SA2Cf) average values between 0.001 and 0.003 mg of Cd and Pb/kg; (Ab1Af, CaBf, ARP1Cf, Ch1Af, Ab2Bf, ARP2Cf) average values between 0.0012 and 0.0006 mg of As and Hg/kg. Soils: in the sectors of (AcAs SA1Bs, PaCs) average values between 19 and 25 mg of Cu/kg; (Ch2As, Ab3Bs ARP3Cs, QllAs, Ch3Bs, SA2Cs) average values between 0.02 and 0.08 mg of Cd and Pb/kg; (Ab1As, CaBs, ARP1Cs, Ch1As, Ab2Bs, ARP2Cs) average values between 0.05 and 0.08 mg of As and Hg/kg. Runoff water: (AcAa SA1Ba, PaCa) average values between 1 and 1.12 mg of Cu/kg; (Ch2Aa, Ab3Ba ARP3Ca, QllAa, Ch3Ba, SA2Ca) average

#### **Figure 1.**

*Scheme of the research design derived from reference [6]. Where: MA1 = Sample of areas with low pesticide application. MB2 = Sample of areas with medium pesticide application. MC3 = Sample of areas with high pesticide application. Oi-3a = Observation of metal variables in contaminated water. Oi-3s = Observation of metal variables in contaminated soil. Oi-3f = Observation of metal variables in contaminated granadilla fruits. R = relationship between variables (Oi-3a – Oi-3f) and (Oi-3s – Oi-3f). =,* 6¼*: comparisons between samples of the variables between three different populations (a = water, s = soil, f = fruits).*

### *Environmental Pollution Originated by the Excessive Use of Agrochemicals… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.104910*

values between 0.002 and 0.003 mg of Cd and Pb/kg; (Ab1Aa, CaBa, ARP1Ca, Ch1Aa, Ab2Ba, ARP2Ca) average values between 0.002 and 0.005 mg of As and Hg/kg.

High values were found in the average content of arsenic, mercury, lead, cadmium, and copper, which constitute a risk to human health. However, through ANOVA, it was found that there is no significance for the comparison of concentration of heavy metals for As, Hg, Pb, and Cu in the fruit, and it was significant for Cd. In the case of the comparison of concentration of metals As, Pb, Cd, and Cu in the soil, it was not significant, and for Hg it was significant. The comparison of the concentration of heavy metals in the runoff water was not significant for the metals As, Hg. Pb, Cd, and Cu. This corresponds to a reality observed in the study area in the granadilla fruit production systems and is dependent on chemical inputs with inappropriate management for the farmers and coupled with this the minimum commitment by the institutions to the respective control.

The following figures show average content of heavy metals in fruits, soil, and runoff water of the granadilla crop (*Passiflora ligularis*).

**Figure 2** shows that in the sectors of Abra, Chacos, Quillazú, and Acuzazú, belonging to group A; in the Cañera, the Abra, Chacos, and San Alberto sectors, for group B and from the Alto Río Pisco, San Alberto, and El Paraíso sectors for group C, which are within the jurisdiction of the Oxapampa district, were found fruits with high average values of arsenic, mercury, lead, cadmium, and copper content. Thus, in the sectors of (AcAf SA1Bf, PaCf), they have averages between 0.26 and 0.36 mg of Cu/kg. Other samples taken in the sectors such as Ch2Af, Ab3Bf ARP3Cf, QllAf, Ch3Bf, SA2Cf have averages between 0.001 and 0.003 mg of Cd and Pb/kg and in the sectors of Ab1Af, CaBf, ARP1Cf, Ch1Af, Ab2Bf, ARP2Cf, they have averages between 0.0012 and 0.0006 mg of As and Hg/kg.

From **Figure 3** it can be seen that in the sectors of Abra, Chacos, Quillazú, and Acuzazú, for group A; from the Cañera, El Abra, Chacos, and San Alberto sectors, for group B and from the Alto Río Pisco, San Alberto, and El Paraíso sectors for group C, which are within the jurisdiction of the Oxapampa district, were found soils with average values of arsenic, mercury, lead, cadmium, and copper high content. Thus, in the sectors of AcAs SA1Bs, PaCs, have averages between 19 and 25 mg of Cu/kg. Other samples taken in the sectors such as Ch2As, Ab3Bs ARP3Cs, QllAs, Ch3Bs, SA2Cs have

#### **Figure 2.**

*Average content of heavy metals in granadilla fruit (*Passiflora ligularis*) fruits in mg of contaminant/kg of sample.*

#### **Figure 3.**

*Average content of heavy metals in granadilla fruit (*Passiflora ligularis*) crop soils in mg of contaminant/kg of sample.*

#### **Figure 4.**

*Average content of heavy metals in the runoff water of the granadilla fruit crop (*Passiflora ligularis*) in mg of contaminant/kg of sample.*

averages between 0.02 and 0.08 mg of Cd and Pb/kg, the sectors of Ab1As, CaBs, ARP1Cs, Ch1As, Ab2Bs, ARP2Cs have averages between 0.05 and 0.08 mg of As and Hg/kg.

In the samples of runoff water extracted from the fields of fruit-producing granadilla sectors, such as Abra, Chacos, Quillazú, and Acuzazú, for group A; from the Cañera, El Abra, Chacos, and San Alberto sectors, for group B; and from the Alto Río Pisco, San Alberto, and El Paraíso sectors for group C, which are within the jurisdiction of the Oxapampa district, high values of average content were found of arsenic, mercury, lead, cadmium, and copper. Thus, in the sectors of AcAa SA1Ba, PaCa, they have averages between 1 and 1.12 mg of Cu/kg. Other samples taken in the sectors such as Ch2Aa, Ab3Ba ARP3Ca, QllAa, Ch3Ba, SA2Ca have averages between 0.002 and 0.003 mg of Cd and Pb/ kg, and the sectors of Ab1Aa, CaBa, ARP1Ca, Ch1Aa, Ab2Ba, ARP2Ca have averages between 0.002 and 0.005 mg of As and Hg/kg, (see **Figure 4**).

*Environmental Pollution Originated by the Excessive Use of Agrochemicals… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.104910*

A statistical analysis was carried considering the different intensities of application of agrochemicals during the management of the granadilla (*P. ligularis*) crop in three sampling groups and considering that there are significant differences in the content of heavy metals in the fruit, soil, and runoff water in the Oxapampa district.
