Pesticide
pollution affects both aquatic and soil ecosystems. Factors that promote
pesticide pollution include drainage patterns, properties of the pesticide,
rainfall, microbial activity, treatment surface and rate of application.
Pesticides are able to move from one ecosystem to another through processes
such as transfer (mobility) and transformation (degradation). Transfer may
occur through surface runoff, vapourization to atmosphere, sorption (adsorp‐tion/desorp-tion), plant uptake
or soil water fluxes. Transformation occurs through chemical, microbial and
photo-degradation. A risk to a water body by a particular pesticide is dictated
by the unique properties of the pesticide. For example, half-life, mobility and
solubility are three properties of pesticides which determine their specific
effects. Although pesticides are used on a local scale, their effects are
ubiquitous and can be felt regionally and globally. They are transported into
aquatic systems through processes such as direct applications, surface runoffs,
spray drifts, agricultural returns and groundwater intrusions; either as single
chemicals or complex mixtures. The transportation of pesticides to their final
destination in the aquatic ecosystem may result in adverse health effects on
the organisms found there. All members that form the different communities of
an ecosystem, from the smallest invertebrates to birds and humans, are affected
by pesticides. Most toxic pesticides in urban and agricultural settings are
responsible for the deaths of many birds, fish and zooplanktons that fish
depend on for food. It has been reported that pesticides contaminate many
breeding sites of amphibians and that some of them may persist in the
environment for a very long time even at lower concentrations.
Keywords:
Pesticide,
Pollution, Ecosystem
Journal Section | Articles |
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Authors | |
Publication Date | February 1, 2017 |
Published in Issue | Year 2017 Issue: Issue 1(2) - 3. INTERNATIONAL BIOCIDAL CONGRESS |