Pesticide Fate and Transport in Rivers
Significance:
Neonicotinoid pesticides are ubiquitous in both urban and agricultural streams
Cause paralysis and death to non-target organisms, such as honeybees, through photo-transformation resulting in highly toxic byproducts
Objective:
Quantify the effect of path-specific environmental conditions on photochemical transformation and rates of two important pesticides in aquatic environments.
Hypothesis:
River morphology will create photochemical transformation “hotspots” impacting end-product composition of pesticides being transported in a river reach
Preliminary Conclusions:
Byproducts formed and degradation was slower in water with high organic matter.
Clothianidin exceeded chronic ecotoxicity limits in Nebraska, while imidacloprid exceeded ecotoxicity limits in North Carolina
Funded: USDA-NIFA
Publication: Borsuah, J., Messer, T.L., Snow, D., Comfort, S., and Mittelstet, A. 2020. Literature Review: Global neonicotinoid occurrence in aquatic environments. Water, 12: 3388. doi. 10.3390/w12123388.
2 additional publications In-Prep
Graduate Student: Josephus Borsuah