Quantifying Neonicotinoid Insecticide Residues Escaping during Maize Planting with Vacuum Planters

Abstract
Neonicotinoid residues escaping in vacuum-planter exhaust during maize planting were measured in 25 fields in southwestern Ontario in 2013–2014 using filter bags to collect planter exhaust dust and horizontal and vertical sticky traps to collect planter operation-generated dust. Atrazine residues were used to differentiate between neonicotinoid residues originating from seed or from disturbed soil. Recovery rates of seed-applied neonicotinoids in exhaust were 0.014 and 0.365% in 2013 and 2014, respectively, calculated on the basis of neonicotinoid concentrations in preplant soil and seed application rates. Neonicotinoid exhaust emission rates were 0.0036 and 0.1104 g/ha for 2013 and 2014, respectively, with 99.9472 and 99.7820% originating from treated seed in 2013 and 2014, respectively, calculated on the basis of the atrazine marker. Rates of recovery of seed-applied neonicotinoid residues by exhaust filter bags were 0.015 and 0.437% for 2013 and 2014, respectively. Neonicotinoid residues captured on ho...
Funding Information
  • Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (CAAP 0593, GF2 0183, GF2 0184)
  • Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs (ND2013-2110)
  • Corn Dust Research Consortium, Pollinator Partnership