wAbstract
@Organophosphate pesticides are compounds that are not only toxic
to both humans and wildlife but also difficult to degrade under
natural environmental conditions. in Iran, agricultural practices
are strongly dependent on the use of pesticides due to climatic
and soil conditions, thus posing a potential risk to groundwater
quality standards. Evaluating the concentration of organophosphate
pesticides namely diazinon, fenitrothion, dichlorvos, ethion,
profenofos, malathion and azinphos methyl in water samples in
May (low precipitation rate), December (high precipitation rate)
as well as the concentration in sediments along the Haraz River
is taken into consideration in this study. Generally the pesticides
concentration in water samples are relatively higher in May in
comparison with that in December; this fact may be due to two
major reasons: the first reason is attributed to the prompt raining
after the treatment period of most orchards and dry farming lands
that will terminate in more wash out of such pesticides towards
the branches and main river channel, while the second reason may
be considered as the less river water dilution rate in May because
of lower precipitation rate. Furthermore, the relatively higher
concentrations in downstream stations may be contributed to more
intensified agricultural (specially rice paddies), urban and rural
land uses in this region in comparison with upstream areas which
contain mainly dry farming, grazing lands and orchards with relatively
lower loads of pesticides. Additionally, as the Henry's law constant
of all pesticides considered in this study are relatively low,
volatilization may not be regarded as an important route of dissipation.
Diazinon, azinphos methyl and dichlorvos showed the highest water
concentrations in comparison with other pesticides that may be
justified by their extended use within the basin during last decades.
Based on the chemical properties as well as remarkably higher
values in sediment samples in comparison with water ones, it is
concluded that the two pesticides, ethion and fenitrothion, persist
in the environment due to non-degradable tendencies. Although
the concentration of mentioned pesticides is not so high in the
water samples, more precautions must be considered in their future
use. Regarding the sorption coefficient variation alongside the
river, the higher values in upstream and central parts may be
attributed to the higher potential of different types of erosion
regarding deeper slopes and also sand, gravel and carbonate mining
activities at the banks and also river bed in such regions which
is considered as an anthropogenic disturbance. In case of central
parts, in addition to mentioned reasons, the existence of coal
outcrops in the geologic texture of the study area may also be
considered as a key role in augmentation of the sorption coefficient.
Finally, the dominant clayey and loamy soils containing more organics
may be attributed as the major reason of sorption tendency in
downstream.
Keywords: Organophosphate pesticides; Surface water; Sediment;
Pollution; Haraz Riverx
Introduction
Study area
Materials and methods
Results
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
References