Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2021-72-3598
Seasonal distribution of multiclass pesticide residues in the surface waters of northwest Croatia
Sanja Fingler
; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Gordana Mendaš
orcid.org/0000-0002-2661-2465
; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Marija Dvoršćak
; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Sanja Stipičević
orcid.org/0000-0002-2021-9435
; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Želimira Vasilić
; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Vlasta Drevenkar
orcid.org/0000-0002-7430-0431
; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
As part of our OPENTOX project, we evaluated the incidence and mass concentrations of multiclass pesticide residues in 23 river/stream water samples collected in urban and agricultural areas of northwest Croatia at various points of the pesticide application season in 2015. The study included 16 compounds of five herbicide classes and seven compounds of three insecticide classes. Pesticide residues were accumulated from water by solid-phase extraction and analysed using high performance liquid chromatography with UV-diode array detection and/or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Herbicide residues were more common than the insecticide ones, and, as expected, they peaked in the middle of the application season. Metolachlor showed the highest concentrations and was found in 91 % of all samples, followed by terbuthylazine, found in 70 % of the samples. The highest total mass concentration of detected pesticides was measured in the water samples of the Krapina (3992 ng/L) and Sutla (3455 ng/L) collected in rural areas with intensive agriculture. Our findings strongly speak in favour of continued monitoring of surface waters and possibly extending the list of priority water pollutants.
Keywords
degradation products; herbicides; insecticides; pesticide residues; river water; seasonal variations
Hrčak ID:
268065
URI
Publication date:
23.12.2021.
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