Occurrence and spatial-temporal distribution of herbicide residues in the Ipojuca River sub-basin, Pernambuco, Brazil

Abstract

A B S T R A C TThe intensive use of pesticides to control pests in agriculture has exposed the environment and humans to a variety of risks. Among the crops with higher consumption of these compounds there is the sugarcane, developed in regions bordered by large watersheds. In this work, the occurrence of pesticides in the water of Ipojuca River was investigated in a 50 km range of its eastern portion, in a region noted for intense agroindustrial activity, especially by sugarcane cultivation, in the state of Pernambuco. Among fungicides, herbicides, insecticides and carbamates, 238 pesticides were investigated in the Ipojuca River using the technique of liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The study, conducted in the months of May, June, October and November 2012, detected the presence of Diuron and Ametryn herbicide residues in 100% of the water samples at concentrations from 0.01 to 1.4 µg L -1 . The detection of these herbicides, even at residual concentrations, can lead to perceptible ecological changes in the long term, such as the reduction of the biological potential of animal and plant species.Ocorrência e distribuição espaço-temporal de resíduos de herbicidas na sub-bacia do Rio Ipojuca, Pernambuco, Brasil R E S U M O O uso intensivo de pesticidas no controle de pragas na agricultura tem exposto o meio ambiente e o homem a diferenciados riscos. Entre as culturas que apresentam maior consumo desses compostos se encontra a da cana-de-açúcar, desenvolvida em regiões margeadas por grandes bacias hidrográficas. Em uma faixa de 50 km investigou-se, neste trabalho, a ocorrência de pesticidas nas águas do Rio Ipojuca, na sua porção Leste, em uma região que se destaca pela intensa atividade agroindustrial, sobretudo sucroalcooleira, no estado de Pernambuco. Dentre fungicidas, herbicidas, inseticidas e carbamatos, 238 pesticidas foram investigados nas águas do Rio Ipojuca utilizando-se a técnica de cromatografia líquida acoplada à espectrometria de massas em tandem (LC-MS/MS). O estudo realizado nos meses de maio, junho, outubro e novembro de 2012, detectou a presença de resíduos dos herbicidas Ametrina e Diuron em 100% das amostras de água, em concentrações que variaram de 0,01 a 1,4 µg L -1. A detecção desses herbicidas, mesmo que em concentrações residuais, pode levar a alterações ecológicas perceptíveis a longo prazo, como a diminuição do potencial biológico de espécies animais e vegetais.

Ecotoxicological assessment of Uruguay River and affluents pre- and post-pesticides’ application using Caenorhabditis elegans for biomonitoring

“…However, most of these variations have been originated from pollution. Anthropogenic activities (i.e., industrial wastewater, transport, agriculture) release a wide variety of pollutants that are important threats to the conservation of the water resources (Ferreira et al 2016).…”

Residues of pesticides and some metabolites in dissolved and particulate phase in surface stream water of Cachapoal River basin, central Chile

“…This explains the increase in the total concentration of pesticides in dissolved phase at the sites sampled in the rainy season. For example, Ferreira et al (2016) reported significantly higher diuron levels during rainy periods in the Ipojuca River sub-basin (Pernambuco, Brazil) compared to levels in the dry periods of the region.…”

“…Unlike in other countries in Latin America (Etchegoyen et al, 2017;Ferreira et al, 2016), in Chile there are few studies related to pesticide pollution of waterbodies; that of Montory et al (2017) is the most recent.This investigation assessed the presence of organochlorine compounds in surface water of the Ñuble River basin (Chile Central) at total concentrations that vary between 0.12 and 26.28 ng L -1 . Similarly, Giordano et al (2011) found residues of diazinon, lindane, chlorpyrifos, cyhalothrin, cypermethrin and fenvalerate in the Itata River.…”

Determination of Pesticides in River Surface Waters of Central Chile Using Spe-Gc-MS Multi-Residue Method

“…For example, research done in Brazil shows that drinking water, surface water and groundwater in areas planted with cotton and sugar cane crops contain diuron, atrazine, simazine, ametryn and metribuzin in concentrations that exceed the maximum individual limit established by the EC [12]. Similarly, in Argentina it has been found that bodies of water adjacent to tobacco, onion, yerba mate, corn or soybean fields or orchards [13] present atrazine and terbuthylazine concentrations over the maximum limit established by the EC (0.1 µg L -1 ).…”