Distribution and ecological risk of neonicotinoid insecticides in sediment in South China: Impact of regional characteristics and chemical properties

Abstract

Neonicotinoid insecticides have been frequently detected in surface water due to extensive use worldwide, however, little information is available for the regional characteristics and ecological risk of neonicotinoids in sediment. In the current study, six neonicotinoids were analyzed in 58 sediment samples from agricultural (vegetable and rice planting) and urban areas in South China. Neonicotinoids were ubiquitous in the sediments, with maximum, mean and median concentrations of 23.8, 4.21 and 2.73 ng·g−1 dry weight, respectively. Neonicotinoids were detected more often and at higher concentrations in vegetable planting and urban areas while clothianidin and imidacloprid dominated neonicotinoid composition in the rice-planting area. Multiple correspondence analysis showed the distribution of sediment-bound neonicotinoids were significantly affected by crop type, distance to the source, and physicochemical properties of neonicotinoids. While more hydrophilic neonicotinoids tended to migrate to the streams, those with log Kow > 0 are usually retained in the ditches near the treated fields. Neonicotinoids with shorter half-lives (acetamiprid and thiacloprid) were detected more frequently in vegetable planting areas, yet more persistent imidacloprid and clothianidin were more likely to be detected in rice planting areas. It was in accordance with application patterns of neonicotinoids in different crops. Environmental exposure distributions indicated that sediment-bound neonicotinoids, except for thiacloprid, posed considerable risk to aquatic invertebrates, which are important for ecological functioning of aquatic ecosystems, calling for better measures to control and manage of neonicotinoid risks.