Environmental Concentrations of Agricultural Herbicides in Saskatchewan, Canada: Bromoxynil, Dicamba, Diclofop, MCPA, and Trifluralin

• Published in: Journal of environmental quality 2004-09, Vol.33 (5), p.1616-1628
• Main Authors: Waite, D. T., Cessna, A. J., Grover, R., Kerr, L. A., Snihura, A. D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetic acid; Agriculture; Agrochemicals; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Air pollution; Applied sciences; Atmosphere; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environment and pollution; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollutants - analysis; Environmental quality; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Herbicides; Herbicides - analysis; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Pesticides; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Prairies; Saskatchewan; Trifluralin
• ISSN: 0047-2425; 1537-2537
• DOI: 10.2134/jeq2004.1616

ABSTRACT Herbicides are the most commonly used group of agricultural pesticides on the Canadian Prairies and, in 1990, more than 20000 Mg of herbicides were applied in the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. The present paper reports on environmental concentrations of five herbicides currently used in the prairie region. The herbicides bromoxynil [3,5‐dibromo‐4‐hydroxy‐benzonitrile], dicamba [3,6‐dichloro‐o‐anisic acid], diclofop [(RS)‐2‐[4‐(2,4‐dichlorophenoxy)‐phenoxy]propanoic acid], MCPA [(4‐chloro‐2‐methylphenoxy)acetic acid], and trifluralin [α,α,α‐trifluoro‐2,6‐dinitro‐N,N‐isopropyl‐p‐toluidine] were measured in the atmosphere, bulk atmospheric deposits, surface film, and dugout (pond) water at two sites near Regina, Saskatchewan, during 1989 and 1990. All five herbicides were detected in air and surface film and all but trifluralin were detected in the bulk atmospheric deposits and dugout water. Trifluralin was most frequently detected in air (79% of samples) whereas bromoxynil was present in maximum concentration (4.2 ng m−3). MCPA was present in maximum levels in bulk atmospheric (wet plus dry) deposits (2350 ng m−2 d−1), surface film (390 ng m−2), and dugout water (330 ng L−1), whereas dicamba was most frequently detected in surface film (47%) and dugout water (97%). The highest quantities of the herbicides tended to be present during or immediately after the time of regional application.