Chlorpyrifos-methyl dissipation in a small adjacent water body following application to citrus

Chlorpyrifos-methyl use in citrus, vineyards and vegetables is extensive and it has become an essential component of pest control in Southern European regions. The objective of this study was to assess surface water and sediment exposure to chlorpyrifos-methyl (RELDAN 22®) under field conditions in a citrus orchard in Sicily (Italy). Pesticide drift loadings were measured in a small surface water body situated 0.5–1.0 m from the edge of the treated field. Measured drift values after the application were between 0.04% and 0.19% of the theoretical applied dose and were highly variable. However, the loadings were lower than those measured by other authors, also lower than predicted by regulatory drift models (95th percentile) typically used for aquatic risk assessment in Europe. Most of the variability occurred due to fluctuating wind speed and direction. In water samples collected in the surface water adjacent to the target field, chlorpyrifos-methyl was detected immediately after application, with concentrations ranging from less than the limit of quantification of the analytical method (0.05 μg/l) to a maximum of 0.08 μg/l. Predicted environmental concentrations in water, using the TOXSWA model, were similar to the measured data when measured drift data from the field experiment were used as inputs.