Atrazine characterization: An update on uses, monitoring, effects, and environmental impact, for the development of regulatory policies in Argentina

GAGNETEN, ANA M.; REGALDO, LUCIANA; CARRIQUIRIBORDE, PEDRO; RENO, ULISES; KERGARAVAT, SILVINA V.; BUTINOF, MARIANA; AGOSTINI, HERNAN; ALVAREZ, MELINA; HARTE, AGUSTIN

Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management

John Wiley and Sons Inc

Año: 2022

1551-3793

Atrazine (ATZ) is the third most widely used herbicide in Argentina (10 000 t year−1) and is approved for sugar cane, flax, corn, sorghum, and tea. An assessment of the ATZ environmental impacts was conducted at the request of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of Argentina. A review of 541 national and international technical and scientific reports and a survey among agricultural technicians, applicators, and producers was done. The survey revealed that 94% of ATZ applications are terrestrial and use diversion exists, associated mainly with soybean cultivation. Atrazine was reported at high frequencies (50%–100%) in surface and groundwater, sediments, and soils, sometimes exceeding permitted limits. Several sublethal effects induced by ATZ on invertebrate and vertebrate species were found, sometimes at concentrations lower than those in water quality guidelines (