Pesticide losses in runoff from a horticultural catchment in South Australia and their relevance to stream and reservoir water quality

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Pesticide residues were detected in 83% of water samples and in 100% of sediment samples from streams draining a horticultural catchment in the Mt Lofty‐Ranges of South Australia. Highest concentrations were detected during the first half of the summer growing season extending from October to December and particularly during runoff events occurring during this period. The organochlorlne insecticides DDT, lindane and endosulfan and the organophosphorus insecticide chlorpyrifos were detected in sufficiently high concentrations to adversely affect aquatic environments. However, only low concentrations of the insecticide lindane and the herbicide chlorthal‐dimethyl could be detected at the reservoir outlet and did not adversely affect water quality for human consumers according to maximum Residue limit recommendations from the National Health and Medical Research Council.