Pesticide Impact Rating Index Research Articles

Agricultural practices in onion crops and their impact on water quality in Risaralda, Colombia

ABSTRACT The Otún River watershed, located in the Colombian coffee region, provides water to over 700,000 inhabitants of the Risaralda department. Onion (Allium fistulosum) has been cultivated in this area since 1960, and it currently represents an important economic contribution for local farmers who have assimilated the models of intensive agricultural production with the common use of chemical inputs. The aim of this research paper is to identify management practices, and their potential impact on water quality for human supply in the Otún River. Using surveys conducted among local producers, a general farmers group with primary education was identified, who were not members of any producer association (≤9.1). Improper agricultural practices were identified in farms, where up to 1449 L ha−1 of diluted agrochemical supplies are used. Up to 70 different products with a large variety of toxicological categories (from a slightly toxic products class (III) to extremely toxic products (Ia)), for the management of pests and diseases of onion crops. With the Pesticide Impact Rating Index (PIRI) tool, a high impact of pesticide mobility toward water sources and risk to the ecosystem and humans was identified. In the water sources sampled, ten organochlorine pesticides and 16 organophosphate pesticides were detected.

Pesticides Ecotoxicological Risk Assessment for Surface Waters in the Cotton Growing Area Around the Bala’s Hippopotamus Pond Biosphere Using PIRI Method

Pesticides residues are frequently found in the environment far from the original point of their application. Besides the desired effects of pest control, non-target organisms, soil and water are contaminated by the pesticides. This paper presents results on the impact of these xenobiotics used in cotton cultivation on River "Wolo" environment in Burkina Faso by using the Pesticide Impact Rating Index (PIRI) software package. The assessment was based on the assumption of three scenarios taking into account the organic matter content of the soil and the presence of a buffer zone. Pesticides properties and use data, and data on the physical environment, were also used. Considering the worst case (scenario 2), diuron, haloxyfop-R-methyl, glyphosate and nicosulfuron were the most mobile. Diuron was classified as the most toxic pesticide to Scenedesmus quadricauda. Toxicity to Daphnia magna was extremely high with chlorpyrifos ethyl, very high with betacyfluthrin, deltamethrin, lamda-cyalothrin and high with flubendiamide. For Oncorhynchus mykiss, it was beta-cyfluthrin, deltamethrin and lamdacyhalothrin that caused a very high risk and chlorpyrifos ethyl and indoxacarb a high risk. For all pesticides, the risks are reduced overall depending on the width of the buffer zone and the organic matter content of the soil. The use of a pesticide in a given location must take into account its ecotoxicological impact on the surrounding ecosystem. Tools such as PIRI, could be used for the selection of pesticides to be used. Also, environmental parameters such as buffer zone and organic matter content should be used by farmers to limit the mobility of pesticides to water.

Assessment of the impact of pesticide usage in groundwater aquifer of an agriculturally dominated area in North West India

Abstract Groundwater pollution due to several anthropogenic activities has been a worldwide problem, one such activity being injudicious pesticide usage in agriculture. Assessment of pesticide impact on groundwater is a prerequisite step towards the formulation of regulatory policies related to the pesticides' application. The present study deals with assessment of the impact of pesticide usage in the groundwater aquifer of an agriculturally dominated area in North West India. The relationship between the pesticide usage and its impact on the quality of groundwater has been established by employing a model named Pesticide Impact Rating Index (PIRI). For illustration, seven farms lying in Nakodar tehsil of Punjab state in India were considered. Based on the frequency of usage of various pesticides in the study area, four pesticides namely atrazine, chlorophyrifos, phorate and monocrotophos were selected for detailed analysis. Groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for observed values of pesticide residues. The observed residues were compared with the PIRI model estimates and results showed that though the observed values were higher corresponding to the estimated values, the ratio seemed to be fluctuating within a consistent range. Therefore multiplicative correction factors were introduced for the model estimates so as to predict realistic pesticide residues in an area.

Use pattern of pesticides and their predicted mobility into shallow groundwater and surface water bodies of paddy lands in Mahaweli river basin in Sri Lanka

ABSTRACTPesticides applied on agricultural lands reach groundwater by leaching, and move to offsite water bodies by direct runoff, erosion and spray drift. Therefore, an assessment of the mobility of pesticides in water resources is important to safeguard such resources. Mobility of pesticides on agricultural lands of Mahaweli river basin in Sri Lanka has not been reported to date. In this context, the mobility potential of 32 pesticides on surface water and groundwater was assessed by widely used pesticide risk indicators, such as Attenuation Factor (AF) index and the Pesticide Impact Rating Index (PIRI) with some modifications. Four surface water bodies having greater than 20% land use of the catchment under agriculture, and shallow groundwater table at 3.0 m depth were selected for the risk assessment. According to AF, carbofuran, quinclorac and thiamethoxam are three most leachable pesticides having AF values 1.44 × 10−2, 1.87 × 10−3 and 5.70 × 10−4, respectively. Using PIRI, offsite movement of pesticides by direct runoff was found to be greater than with the erosion of soil particles for the study area. Carbofuran and quinclorac are most mobile pesticides by direct runoff with runoff fractions of 0.01 and 0.08, respectively, at the studied area. Thiamethoxam and novaluron are the most mobile pesticides by erosion with erosion factions of 1.02 × 10−4 and 1.05 × 10−4, respectively. Expected pesticide residue levels in both surface and groundwater were predicted to remain below the USEPA health advisory levels, except for carbofuran, indicating that pesticide pollution is unlikely to exceed the available health guidelines in the Mahaweli river basin in Sri Lanka.

Field evaluation of two risk indicators for predicting likelihood of pesticide transport to surface water from two orchards

Two pesticide risk indicators, Pesticide Impact Rating Index (PIRI) and Environmental Potential Risk Indicator for Pesticides (EPRIP), were used to determine the likelihood of off-site transport to surface water of pesticides used in a cherry (Prunus avium cultivars) and an apple (Malus domestica cultivars) orchard. The predictions of off-site transport of some of the pesticides were verified against actual pesticide concentrations in surface water continuously monitored over two years. To our knowledge, only one other study in the published literature has attempted this. Of the chemicals monitored there was good agreement between the predictions and the field measurements from the apple orchard, but less so for the cherry orchard. In both risk indicators the attenuation factor based on the width of the buffer strip over-estimated the effectiveness of the buffer strip. There was good agreement between the EPRIP and PIRI risk assessment except for ethephon which EPRIP rated a higher risk than PIRI and dithianon which EPRIP rated a lower risk than PIRI. A strong correlation was found between the field observations and the EPRIP predicted environmental concentrations for the majority of cases. This study showed that even simple risk indicators (e.g. PIRI and EPRIP) can be good predictors for a first tier risk assessment of pesticide transport to neighbouring water bodies.

Comparative environmental impact assessment of herbicides used on genetically modified and non-genetically modified herbicide-tolerant canola crops using two risk indicators

Canola (Brassica napus L.) is the third largest field crop in Australia by area sown. Genetically modified (GM) and non-GM canola varieties released or being developed in Australia include Clearfield® (imidazolinone tolerant), TT (triazine tolerant), InVigor® (glufosinate-ammonium tolerant), Roundup Ready® - RR® (glyphosate tolerant) and Hyola® RT® (tolerant to both glyphosate and triazine). We used two risk assessment approaches – the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ) and the Pesticide Impact Rating Index (PIRI) – to compare the environmental risks associated with herbicides used in the canola varieties (GM and non-GM) that are currently grown or may be grown in the future. Risk assessments found that from an environmental impact viewpoint a number of herbicides used in the production of TT canola showed high relative risk in terms of mobility and ecotoxicity of herbicides. The EIQ field use rating values for atrazine and simazine in particular were high compared with those for glyphosate and trifluralin. Imazapic and imazapyr, which are only used in Clearfield® canola, had extremely low EIQ field use rating values, likely reflecting the very low application rates used for these chemicals (0.02 to 0.04kg/ha) compared with those used for atrazine and simazine (1.2 to 1.5kg/ha). The PIRI assessment showed that irrespective of the canola variety grown, trifluralin posed a high toxicity risk to fish (Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss), algae and Daphnia sp. While the replacement of trifluralin with propyzamide had little effect on the mobility score, it greatly decreased the ecotoxicity score to fish, algae and Daphnia sp. due to the lower LC50 values for propyzamide compared with trifluralin. This study has shown that based on likelihood of off-site transport of herbicides in surface water and potential toxicity to non-target organisms, the GM canola varieties have no advantage over non-herbicide tolerant (non HT) or Clearfield® canola.

Calidad del agua del Refugio Mata Redonda y los arrozales colindantes, Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

The objective of this study was assess if the water quality from the Mata Redonda lagoon (MRL) and from the rice fields in San Lazaro sector of Nicoya, is appropriate for biodiversity and aquatic life development. The water quality analysis was carried out using the Water quality index for managing flood lagoons (ICA-L), which is based on the following data: temperature, pH, oxygen saturation percentage, electrical conductivity, biochemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, nitrate content and total phosphorus content. The ICA-L average (ICA-Lp) from the water drained form the rice fields in the main channel was 42, which corresponds to a ¨bad¨ category value (unfit for sustaining biodiversity in flood lagoons). In the MRL (ICA-Lp 80) and in the lagoon´s drainage (ICA-Lp 81), water quality was classified as “good”. Nevertheless, increases in total phosphorus and the biological oxygen demand (BOD) may cause negative changes in the composition of the ecosystem. The risk level associated with pesticide application in rice fields (under the San Lazaro area conditions during the study period) was estimated using the Pesticide Impact Rating Index (PIRI). The PIRI results showed that the less appropriate to use pesticides are: deltamethrin, esfenvalerate, permethrin and butachlor, because of their high toxicity and mobility. On the other hand, imidapropid, bispyribac-Na, triazophos, glyphosate, acephate, clomazone and tricopyr, would be less dangerous if applied under appropriate practices.

Evaluation of pesticide impact rating index (PIRI) model as a pesticide risk indicator

Systematic methods for assessment of potential risk of pesticides to the environment can be consideredas valuable tools in decision-making and policy formulation. Pesticide Impact Rating Index (PIRI) isa user-friendly simple risk indicator and it can be used to rank pesticides in terms of their mobility. Thepredictions given by using PIRI for the pollution potential of pesticides on shallow ground waterbodies of Kalpitiya area in Sri Lanka was compared with the field experiments. Cultivated areas ofKalpitiya peninsula were selected for field trials.Oxytluorfen for onions, Chlorpyrifos, Diazinon, Dimethoate, Carbofuran, Carbaryl, Mcthornyl,Irnidacloprid, Fenthion and Captan for chili were applied in replicates at recommended applicationrates for particular crops. Each area was irrigated at the rate of 20 mm/day. The soil considered wasthe sandy soil with the organic matter of 1.6±0.2%. Residue levels of applied pesticides were measuredusing Gas Chromatographic and High Performance Liquid Chromatographi methods in irrigation wellsin 100 m diameter area at 3 m depth for 3 months in one week intervals from the time of pesticideapplication. The detected pesticides were confirmed using Gas Chromatographic MassSpectrophotometric method.Out of applied pesticides, Dirnethoate, Carbofuran, and Chlorpyrifos leached 3 m water table in 24±4days, 25±3 days and 3 5±6 days respectively after application of each pesticide. The field monitoringresults were 74% compatible with the predictions from PIRI. This indicates that PIRI can be used asa simple risk indicator model for the prediction of pesticide risk to water bodies.

Assessment of the impact of diuron to water bodies in the Walawa area

Use of pesticides has significantly increased global food production and it is indispensable in modernagriculture to control weeds, insects, other pests and diseases. As the population increases the use ofpesticides also increases. The impact of these pesticides to the environment is not well understood forSri Lankan conditions Hence the sorption pattern of a non ionic pesticide, diuron {3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-l, l-dimethylurea; C9H IICI,KO} which is used as a herbicide to control weeds andmosses mainly in sugarcane, was studIed for-14 soil series in the right bank of the Walawa basin in SriLanka.Information was collected from fanners in Walawa areas on crops, historical cropping patterns, typeof pesticides used, pesticides handling knowledge etc. The survey revealed that pesticides use ismalpracticed by fanners. The distribution of crop types in the area during last three years shows thatPaddy, which is scattered through out the area, is the most prominent crop. The average area underpaddy cultivation is approximately 9800 ha. Banana was the second highest grown crop that is inabout 4200 ha. Sugarcane, which covers about 2500 ha, is the prominent monoculture in the Walawabasin.Adsorption of di uron to the collected surface (0-1 Ocrn) soi Is of the 14 soi I series in the Wa lawa basinwere measured using High Performance Liquid Chromatographic method. The Moraketiya seriesshowed the highest sorption among them. It also gives the highest Kd value of the selected soils andSiyambala series exhibited the lowest adsorption and Kd. The organic carbon content was highest inKachigalara series and it was lowest in the Walawa series. The measured Kd values were used topredict the risk of this pesticide to ground and surface water in the Walawa area using a simplemanagement model called Pesticide Impact Rating Index, PIRI which resulted a moderate risk forthe contamination of water bodies in the area.

Pesticide Impact Rating Index – A Pesticide Risk Indicator for Water Quality

Pesticide Impact Rating Index – A Pesticide Risk Indicator for Water Quality

Pesticide Impact Rating Index – A Pesticide Risk Indicator for Water Quality

Pesticide users, natural resource managers, regulators, government agencies and many others are concerned about the off-site impact of pesticides on the environment. Systematic methods of the assessment of potential risk of pesticides to environmental components can serve as valuable tools in decision making and policy formulation. Simple risk indicators have been developed which cover a range of scenarios such as toxicity to organisms, health of farm workers, consumer health, and residues in harvested produce. The authors have developed a software package named Pesticide Impact Rating Index (PIRI) that outputs an improved pesticide risk indicator for water quality. PIRI is a standalone, user-friendly, platform-independent program. It can be used to (i) rank pesticides in terms of their relative pollution potential to groundwater or surface water, and (ii) to compare different land uses in a catchment or at a regional scale in terms of their relative impact on water quality. It is based on pesticides use; the pathway through which the pesticides are released to the water resources (drift, runoff, erosion, leaching) and the value of the water resources threatened. Each component is quantified using pesticide characteristics (including toxicity to organisms at different trophic levels, i.e. fish, daphnia, algae, etc.), environmental and site conditions (e.g. organic carbon content of soil, water input, slope of land, soil loss, recharge rate, depth of water table, etc.). This paper describes two case studies of the application of PIRI in Australia. The comparison of the risk assessment by PIRI on these revealed that PIRI correctly estimated the pollution potential of pesticides in greater than 80% of cases. A GIS version of PIRI is described in a companion paper in this volume.

Integration of the Pesticide Impact Rating Index with a Geographic Information System for the Assessment of Pesticide Impact on Water Quality

The pesticide impact rating index (PIRI) has been integrated with a Geographic Information System (GIS) to enable regional assessment of pesticide impact on groundwater and surface water resources. The GIS version of PIRI (PIRI-GIS) was used to assess the impact of pre-planting atrazine use in the pine plantations on the Gnangara Mound, Western Australia. The impact on groundwater was found to be spatially variable, mainly dependent on soil type and depth to groundwater, because land use variables were spatially constant. Areas with the greatest impact on groundwater were those where the soil had a low sorption capacity for atrazine. Knowledge of the spatial distribution of the sorption coefficient based on organic carbon (K oc) for atrazine was found to significantly improve the results from PIRI-GIS. Average values for K oc (i.e. based on overseas data) were too low for most of the local soil types, resulting in a general overestimation of pesticide impact on groundwater resources, but an underestimation of impact in areas that should be of greatest concern (i.e. where the soil has a low sorption capacity for atrazine).