Evaluating toxicity of Asana XL ® (esfenvalerate) amendments in agricultural ditch mesocosms

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 56; no. 7; pp. 677 - 683
• Main Authors: Bouldin, J.L., Milam, C.D., Farris, J.L., Moore, M.T., Smith, S., Cooper, C.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2004; Elsevier
• Subjects: agricultural land; Agriculture; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; aquatic organisms; bioassays; Biological and medical sciences; Chironomidae - drug effects; Chromatography, Gas; Cladocera - drug effects; Cyprinidae - metabolism; drainage channels; ecotoxicology; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environmental Pollutants - analysis; Esfenvalerate; Fresh Water - analysis; Fresh water environment; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; insecticide residues; Insecticides - toxicity; Lethal Dose 50; Nitriles; Non-point source runoff; nonpoint source pollution; Plants - metabolism; Pyrethrins - pharmacokinetics; Pyrethrins - toxicity; runoff; Soil - analysis; Survival Analysis; Toxicity; water pollution; Mississippi; United States; North America; America; Esfenvalerate; Agriculture; Non-point source runoff; Toxicity; Chironomidae; Ceriodaphnia dubia; Insecticide; Chironomus tentans; Insecta; Cladocera; Pyrethroids; Irrigation water; Crustacea; Freshwater environment; Amendment; Pisces; Ecosystem; Chemical control; Water engineering; Pimephales promelas; Branchiopoda; Bioassay; Pesticides; Sediments; Vertebrata; Arthropoda; Surface water; Cyprinidae; Ditch; Invertebrata; Storm water; Diptera; Contaminant
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2004.04.033

Agricultural ditches primarily serve to remove and store excess water associated with irrigation and storm events. The ability of these ecosystems to mitigate potential contaminants is not well understood. Five sites along a 650-m agricultural ditch located in the Mississippi Delta Management Systems Evaluation Area (MDMSEA) were used to measure fate and effects of an esfenvalerate (insecticide) exposure. Following a 0.64-cm simulated storm event, samples were collected from water and sediments and analyzed spatially from five sites and temporally from 0.5 h to 56 d. Results of aqueous toxicity bioassays indicated that lethality progressed downstream throughout all sampling intervals, while sediment toxicity bioassays only elicited biological responses at the point of pesticide application to the ditch (0 m). Significant reductions in survival of Ceriodaphnia dubia and Pimephales promelas in water were measured at the 0-, 20-, and 80-m sites following application. Ten-day solid phase sediment testing of Chironomus tentans indicated persistent toxicity only at the point of application (0 m) and throughout 56 d (mean=14.4% survival). No lethality or significant reduction in midge growth was measured for remaining downstream sites. These measurements were used to evaluate the potential of agricultural ditches to reduce potential deleterious effects of contaminants in agricultural drainage systems that precede receiving streams.