Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.3390/su16219257
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Residual assessment of emerging pesticides in aquatic sinks of Lahore, Pakistan
Author Iqbal, H.H.; Qadir, A.; Ahmad, S.R.; Riaz, M.A.; Riaz, A.; Shahid, N.; Arslan, M.
Source Titel Sustainability
Year 2024
Department ETOX
Volume 16
Issue 21
Page From art. 9257
Language englisch
Topic T9 Healthy Planet
Supplements https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/su16219257/s1
Keywords emerging pollutants; water bodies; soil contamination; water contamination; risk assessment; non-target organisms
Abstract In recent decades, the use of pesticides has become fundamental to agricultural growth. However, the persistent and toxic nature of pesticides has led to significant concerns regarding their ecological and human health consequences. Therefore, for a better understanding of pesticide contamination and its potential risks, here we assessed the levels of five emerging pesticides—acetochlor, imidacloprid, MCPA, atrazine, and allethrin—in soil samples from ponds used for irrigation and in drinking water samples from nearby areas in Lahore, Pakistan. Our findings revealed that 100% of the samples were contaminated, posing substantial ecological and human health risks. Based on the toxic units (TUsum), all the soil samples showed higher toxic pressure, exceeding acute and chronic toxicity thresholds for earthworms, while 100% of water samples posed chronic toxicity risks to crustaceans and 10% to algae. Pollution index (PI) analysis further classified 100% of the soil samples and 10% of the water samples as highly polluted. These findings show high-pesticide residues in both soil and water and highlight immediate risk assessment and mitigation measures to protect non-target organisms. This preliminary information can be used to adopt risk assessment monitoring programmes and help higher authorities in making policies and guidelines to mitigate the escalating risk for ecology and humans.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=29728
Iqbal, H.H., Qadir, A., Ahmad, S.R., Riaz, M.A., Riaz, A., Shahid, N., Arslan, M. (2024):
Residual assessment of emerging pesticides in aquatic sinks of Lahore, Pakistan
Sustainability 16 (21), art. 9257 10.3390/su16219257