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Using water industry data to assess the metaldehyde pollution problem
Author(s) -
Kay Paul,
Grayson Richard
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
water and environment journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1747-6593
pISSN - 1747-6585
DOI - 10.1111/wej.12056
Subject(s) - environmental science , pesticide , surface water , raw water , pollution , water pollution , environmental engineering , water industry , hydrology (agriculture) , water resource management , environmental chemistry , engineering , water supply , chemistry , ecology , geotechnical engineering , agronomy , biology
The presence of metaldehyde in raw and treated water has become a recognised problem recently. The current study used water industry monitoring data collected over a two and a half‐year period (2008–2011) to quantify the presence of metaldehyde in rivers and finished waters. Measured surface water concentrations were then compared with catchment characteristics in an attempt to identify those factors driving losses of the pesticide to water. An assessment was also made of the robustness of the monitoring strategy used, which was assumed to represent typical water industry practice, and is currently being used to develop catchment management plans. It was found that exceedance of the E uropean U nion pesticide standard (0.1 μg/L) during the O ctober– D ecember slug pellet application period is commonplace. Peak concentrations were generally in the 0.4–0.6 μg/L range although sometimes were an order of magnitude higher.