Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) of pesticides from freshwater ecosystems in the Pampas region of Argentina: Legacy and current use chemicals contribution

ITURBURU, FERNANDO GASTÓN; CALDERON, GABRIELA; AMÉ, MARÍA VALERIA; MENONE, MIRTA LUJÁN

THE SCIENCE OF TOTAL ENVIRONMENT

Elsevier B.V.

Año: 2019 vol. 691 p. 476 - 476

0048-9697

gricultural production in the Pampas region is one of the most important economic activities in Argentina. However, the possible environmental effects related to the growth of this activity in the last years have not been studied enough. Particularly, the effects of pesticides mixtures are a topic of great concern both for society and regulatory authorities worldwide, given the possible additive and synergistic relationships between these chemicals and their possible effects on aquatic biota. Based on a concentration addition model, this study developed an Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) of pesticides from freshwater ecosystems in the Pampas region. For this purpose, reported pesticides concentrations available in public bibliography and a Risk Quotients (RQs) approach were used. A cumulative risk map was established to display RQs for current use pesticides (CUPs) and legacy chemicals. The ΣRQs were calculated for 66 sites, using available reported measured environmental concen