Dissonances between psycho-environmental perception and water pollution by heavy metals in agricultural and livestock areas
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35381/a.g.v8i14.4892Keywords:
Heavy metals, risk perception, livestock, agriculture, (AGROVOC Thesaurus).Abstract
The objective was to evaluate the water quality of ten reservoirs used by farmers and ranchers in the area of El Paraíso, in the district of Santa María. Two monitoring campaigns were carried out using standardized methods for the determination of heavy metals. A psycho-environmental perception questionnaire was applied to 32 farmers. The results of the chemical analysis showed that metals of greater toxicological relevance remained below the detection limit, while barium and manganese at low concentrations and in the permitted ranges. Farmers had elevated levels of risk perception and intense emotional reactions, along with predominantly intermediate perceived knowledge and moderate self-efficacy. Overall, the findings show a gap between real and perceived risk, highlighting the need to strengthen technical communication, promote environmental education, and improve institutional linkages for informed decision-making in the community.
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