Agricultural inputs of mecoprop to a salt marsh system: Its fate and distribution within the sediment profile

The mass of mecoprop discharged in agricultural drainage waters directly onto a salt marsh has been determined and the subsequent fate and distribution of mecoprop within the vegetated and mud flat sediments investigated. The results show the leaching of high mecoprop concentrations from the agricultural soils following heavy rain, with peak concentrations in drainage waters preceding peak water discharges. A direct increase in mecoprop concentration within salt marsh sediments was also identified and, consequently, a preliminary evaluation of the potential threat of the mecoprop loadings to the indigenous biota of the dynamic salt marsh system was made.