In situ monitoring of chlorothalonil and lambda-cyhalothrin by polyethylene passive samplers under fields and greenhouse conditions

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2021-05, Vol.28 (20), p.25939-25948
• Main Authors: Sahar, Sumia, Xue, Jiaying, Rashid, Audil, Mei, Quyang, Hua, Rimao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural land; Agrochemicals; air; Air monitoring; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Chlorothalonil; Cyhalothrin; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental science; Farm buildings; Greenhouses; Insecticides; lambda-cyhalothrin; Nitriles; Pesticides; Polyethylene; Polyethylene films; Pyrethrins - analysis; Research Article; Samplers; Sampling; Thickness; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-12110-2

Sampling is a critical step in pesticide atmospheric analysis. Passive sampling offers advantages of inexpensive and convenient air monitoring. Polyethylene films (PE) were used as a passive sampler at multiple heights in greenhouse and agricultural field for 15 days to trap atmospheric chlorothalonil and lambda-cyhalothrin in the months of May and July. Among the two PE film thicknesses (20 and 80 μm), 20 μm PE was the most effective at absorbing target pesticides from air and attains equilibrium stage earlier than 80 μm PE film. After approximately 240 h of PE exposure in greenhouse and fields, chlorothalonil and lambda-cyhalothrin reached an equilibrium stage of partitioning between air and PE. Atmospheric concentrations of chlorothalonil ( p < 0.01) and lambda-cyhalothrin ( p < 0.001) at 1.5 m height were higher with the concentrations of 1855.59 ± 243.85 ng/m 3 and 3682.11 ± 316.71 ng/m 3 , respectively, in the month of May as compared to the other three respective heights. The concentrations of chlorothalonil in air at 2 m height (1587.27 ± 284.19 ng/m 3 ) were slightly higher than 0.5 m (1392.28 ± 205.09 ng/m 3 ). Atmospheric concentrations of lambda-cyhalothrin at 2 m (3178.26 ± 299.29 ng/m 3 ) were significantly lower than the other heights ( p < 0.05). The greenhouse air concentrations of chlorothalonil and lambda-cyhalothrin in the months of May (1855.59 ± 243.85 and 3682.11 ± 316.71 ng/m 3 , respectively) and July (1749.33 ± 378.61 and 3445.08 ± 390.32 ng/m 3 , respectively) were higher than fields. The results indicate the usability of PE films to monitor chlorothalonil and lambda-cyhalothrin and potential other semi-volatile pesticides in agricultural fields. Graphical abstract