Premium
Assessing the potential for algae and macrophytes to degrade crop protection products in aquatic ecosystems
Author(s) -
Thomas Kevin A.,
Hand Laurence H.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.412
Subject(s) - macrophyte , aquatic ecosystem , algae , aquatic plant , periphyton , environmental science , pesticide degradation , pesticide , environmental chemistry , ecosystem , phytoplankton , sediment , ecology , biology , nutrient , chemistry , paleontology
Rates of pesticide degradation in aquatic ecosystems often differ between those observed within laboratory studies and field trials. Under field conditions, a number of additional processes may well have a significant role, yet are excluded from standard laboratory studies, for example, metabolism by aquatic plants, phytoplankton, and periphyton. These constituents of natural aquatic ecosystems have been shown to be capable of metabolizing a range of crop protection products. Here we report the rate of degradation of six crop protection products assessed in parallel in three systems, under reproducible, defined laboratory conditions, designed to compare aquatic sediment systems which exclude macrophytes and algae against those in which macrophytes and/or algae are included. All three systems remained as close as possible to the Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD) 308 guidelines, assessing degradation of parent compound in the total system in mass balanced studies using ( 14 C) labeled compounds. We observed, in all cases where estimated, significant increases in the rate of degradation in both the algae and macrophyte systems when compared to the standard systems. By assessing total system degradation within closed, mass balanced studies, we have shown that rates of degradation are enhanced in water/sediment systems that include macrophytes and algae. The contribution of these communities should therefore be considered if the aquatic fate of pesticides is to be fully understood. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2011; 30:622–631. © 2011 SETAC