Pesticides in Sediments From Queensland Irrigation Channels and Drains

Pesticide concentration in sediment from irrigation areas can provide information required to assess exposure and fate of these chemicals in freshwater ecosystems and their likely impacts to the marine environment. In this study, 103 sediment samples collected from irrigation channels and drains in 11 agricultural areas of Queensland were analysed for a series of past and presently used pesticides including various organochlorines, synthetic pyrethroids, benzoyl ureas, triazines and organophosphates. The most often detected compounds were endosulphans (α, β and/or endosulphan sulphate) which were detectable in 78 of the 103 samples and levels ranged from below the limit of quantification (0.1 ng g−1 dw) up to 840 ng g−1 dw. DDT and its metabolites were the second most often detected pesticide investigated (74 of the 103 samples) with concentrations up to 240 ng g−1 dw of ∑DDTs. Mean ∑endosulphan and ∑DDT concentrations were 1–2 orders of magnitude higher in sediments from the irrigation areas which are dominated by cotton cultivation compared to those which are dominated by sugarcane cultivation. In contrast to these insecticides, the herbicides diuron, atrazine and ametryn were the compounds which were most often detected in sediments from irrigation drains in sugarcane areas with maximum concentrations in areas of 120, 70 and 130 ng g−1 dw, respectively. In particular during flood events, when light is limiting, transport of these photosynthesis inhibiting herbicides from the sugarcane cultivation areas to the marine environment may result in additional stress of marine plants.