Chapters authored
Pesticides in Worldwide Aquatic Systems: Part I
The occurrence of pesticides in aquatic environments is registered worldwide, but few or no approaches have been used to summarize and integrate the data. In this work, 30 countries and 95 aquatic systems were taken into consideration, using the data collected in the past 17 years. Data were evaluated by continent, with a special focus on Europe, as the continent with the most information available. However, in terms of analyzed pesticides, the insecticides were the most common category of pesticides being applied in excess in several Asian countries. Moreover, priority pesticides settled for elimination were/are still present in almost all the continents, demonstrating that those compounds continue to be used. This leads to the existence of environmental mixtures containing both legal and illegal pesticides, which are able to affect different trophic levels, including humans. Thus, action plans like international discussions and pacts should exist to regulate the adequate usage of pesticides, and a continuous environmental monitoring should be enforced to understand potential toxicological risks promoted by these compounds. Further considerations, based on the Stockholm Convention list and European Directive 2013/39/EU as references, were used to evaluate the degree of contamination in the studied aquatic systems.
Part of the book: Estuary
Pesticides in Worldwide Aquatic Systems: Part II
Contamination by pesticides is a worldwide problem that can greatly disturb the biota, directly and/or indirectly. Nonetheless, few efforts were done so far to present review-style publications that analyse and integrate monitoring data—in a global scale—and evaluate possible environmental risks. Herein, we assessed possible environmental risks through theoretical calculations, using worldwide data published at least during the last 17 years and considering different trophic levels and the maximum average environmental concentrations (in water) observed in each continent. Furthermore, hazard quotients—using the estimated average daily intake, theoretical maximum daily intake and the maximum residue limits—were calculated to estimate the potential risks to humans through direct consumption of molluscs, crustaceans and fish. In summary, several pesticides were quantified at concentrations capable to affect low to medium trophic level species, which through the food web can affect higher trophic levels; theoretical approaches considering the environmental mixtures showed that algae and invertebrates are the most sensitive groups. Moreover, fish and crustaceans evidenced the highest body concentrations. To evaluate a potential risk through direct consumption, human health risk assessments were done, and in spite of no direct risk, some hazard quotients indicate a potential risk for developing carcinogenic effects.
Part of the book: Estuary