Detection of current- use pesticides in Argentinian surface waters using polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS).

CORCORAN S. ; MENONE M.; AME V. ; LUKASZEWICZ, G.; GARANZINI D.S.; ITURBURU F.G.; METCALFE C.

Santos

Congreso; SETAC Latin America 12th Biennial Meeting.; 2017

SETAC LA

There have been few studies on the occurrence of current-use pesticides (CUP)in Argentina. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate whether pesticidecontamination of the freshwater resources in Argentina is currently occurringby monitoring two selected water bodies impacted by agriculture using passive samplingtechniques. Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers (POCIS) were deployedin the Ctalamochita River (Córdoba province) and in Brava Lake (Buenos Airesprovince) during December, 2014 and February, 2015. POCIS provide an estimateof the time weighted average (TWA) concentration of target chemicals in water.The results revealed that the fungicides, tebuconazole, carbendazim andazoxystrobin, and the herbicides, atrazine, dicamba and 2,4-D were detected at oneor more sampling locations in each watershed. In Brava Lake, the highestestimated TWA concentration was for atrazine in the effluent stream (Tajamarcreek) monitored during December 2014. It was not unexpected to find atrazine,since this herbicide is a widely detected CUP in surface waters. The estimatedTWA concentration of atrazine was significantly lower in the influent stream atEl Peligro and this compound was not detected at the same location during February,2015. The herbicides, dicamba and 2, 4-D showed a similar trend with atrazine. Theoccurrence of the fungicides generally followed the same trend as theherbicides, with higher concentrations in the effluent stream compared to theinfluent stream. In POCIS deployed in Ctalamochita river, the herbicidesdicamba and 2,4-D were present at the highest estimated TWA concentrations,mainly at Puente los Potreros station, while the levels of atrazine remainedfairly constant across all locations. The estimated TWA concentrationsfor the fungicides azoxystrobin, carbendazim and tebuconazole were relativelylow in comparison to the herbicides. Other fungicides used in pharmaceuticalsand personal care products (i.e. ketoconazole, climbazole) were not detected inPOCIS from La Brava, indicating that there were no nearby sources of municipalwastewater. However, traces of the pharmaceutical, fluconazole were detected inPOCIS in amounts <LOQ in Ctalomchita river, therefore indicating a low degreeof wastewater contamination. The presence of atrazine and fungicides deservesmore attention because they have the potential to induce endocrine disruptingeffects on aquatic organisms.