Occurrence, source and ecotoxicological risk assessment of pesticides in surface water of Wujin District (northwest of Taihu Lake), China

This study investigated the occurrence and distribution of pesticides in surface water (lakes, major rivers and tributaries) and potential discharge sources (fish ponds, livestock and poultry farms, and sewage treatment plants) in Wujin District (northwest of Taihu Lake), Jiangsu province, China. An analytical liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for 38 pesticides, which was applied in the monitoring of 240 surface water samples and 76 potential discharge source samples. Eleven insecticides and five fungicides with temporal and spatial variation were detected in surface water. The total pesticide concentrations in surface water in different seasons were as follows: March > August > June > November. The two most polluting and widespread pesticides were carbendazim (maximum concentration 508 ng L⁻¹, detection rate 100%) and imidacloprid (maximum concentration 438 ng L⁻¹, detection rate 88%). Gehu Lake (S46) and Sanshangang River (S12) were seriously polluted water bodies. Seven insecticides and four fungicides were detected in the potential discharge sources; and their composition changed significantly with the seasons. The concentrations of detected organophosphorus pesticides and neonicotinoids (e.g. acetamiprid in March and dichlorvos in November) in a few non-agricultural planting sources were far greater than those detected in surface water, and hence a few fish ponds, livestock and poultry farms, and sewage treatment plants might be the potential discharge sources of pesticides in the surrounding surface water. The estimated input flux of the studied pesticides from upstream rivers to Taihu Lake was 141.95 kg a⁻¹. Furthermore, more attention should be paid to the medium or high aquatic ecotoxicological risk presented by the levels of organophosphorus pesticides, carbamates, and benzimidazoles.