Abstract

Fate and toxicity of the active ingredients (AI's) of plant protection products in surface waters is often influenced by pH. Although a general range of pH values is reported in literature, an evaluation targeting aquatic ecosystems with documented AI inputs is lacking at the larger scale. Results show 95 % of European surface waters (n = 3075) with a documented history of AI exposure fall within a rather narrow pH range, between 7.0 and 8.5. Spatial and temporal variability in the data may at least be partly explained by the calcareous characteristics of parental rock material, the affiliation of the sampling site to a freshwater ecoregion, and the photosynthetic activity of macrophytes (i.e., higher pH values with photosynthesis). Nonetheless, the documented pH range fits well with the standard pH of most ecotoxicological test guidelines, confirming the fate and ecotoxicity of AIs are usually adequately addressed.

Keywords

pH; Surface water; Risk assessment; Pesticide; Fate

Published in

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
2016, Volume: 96, number: 1, pages: 3-8
Publisher: SPRINGER

SLU Authors

• Bundschuh, Mirco

  • Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • University of Koblenz-Landau

Associated SLU-program

SLU Plant Protection Network


Sustainable Development Goals

SDG6 Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
SDG14 Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development


UKÄ Subject classification

Other Natural Sciences not elsewhere specified


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-015-1665-7

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/80861