Occurrence and ecological risks of flonicamid and its metabolites in multiple substrates from intensive rice–vegetable rotations in tropical China

Abstract

Rice–vegetable rotations are dominant in (sub)-tropical agriculture worldwide. However, fate and risks of the insecticide flonicamid (FLO) and its main degradates (collectively called FLOMs) in multiple substrates from those cropping systems remain largely unknown. In this study, we characterized residual concentrations, driving factors, transport, and potential ecological risks of FLOMs in different substrates in 28 tropical rice–vegetable rotations. Concentrations (median) of FLOMs were 0.013–3.03 (0.42) ng g−1 in plants, 0.012–1.92 (0.23) ng g−1 in soil, 0.029–0.63 (0.126) μg L−1 in water, and 0.002–0.398 (0.055) ng g−1 in sediments. Flonicamid and its metabolite N-(4-trifluoromethylnicotinoyl) glycine were the dominant species in the four substrates (84.1 % to 88.5 %). Plants had the highest levels of FLOMs, with the highest bioconcentration factor in peppers. According to boosted regression trees coupled with a partial least squares structural equation model, levels and composition of FLOMs showed high spatiotemporal and crop-related patterns in different substrates, with patterns highly codetermined by agricultural practices (e.g., crop type and FLO/neonicotinoid/pyrethroid applications), substrate parameters (e.g., pH, organic matter or total organic carbon), and climate features (e.g., wet/dry seasons). Moreover, a fugacity method indicated differences in transport and partitioning patterns in different substrates during rice and vegetable planting periods. Integrated substrate risk assessment of FLOMs contamination was conducted based on species-sensitive distributions and substrate weight index. Although overall risks of FLOM contamination in tropical rice–vegetable rotations were negligible to low, the highest risks were in soils, vegetable planting periods, and a central intensively planted area.