Risk assessment of pesticides used in the eastern Avocado Belt of Michoacan, Mexico: A survey and water monitoring approach - Université Grenoble Alpes
Article Dans Une Revue Science of the Total Environment Année : 2024

Risk assessment of pesticides used in the eastern Avocado Belt of Michoacan, Mexico: A survey and water monitoring approach

Résumé

Pesticides use raises concerns regarding environmental sustainability, as pesticides are closely linked to the decline of biodiversity and adverse human health outcomes. This study proposed a holistic approach for assessing the potential risks posed by pesticides for human health and the environment in the eastern region of Michoacan, where extensive agricultural lands, especially corn and avocado fields, surround the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. We used a combination of qualitative (semi-structured interviews) and quantitative (chemical analysis) data. Fifty-five interviews with smallholder farmers allowed us to identify pesticide types, quantities, frequencies, and application methods. A robust and precise analytical method based on solid-phase extraction and LC-MS/MS was developed and validated to quantify 21 different pesticides in 16 water samples (rivers, wells, runoff areas). We assessed environmental and human health risks based on the pesticides detected in the water samples and reported in the interviews. The interviews revealed the use of 28 active ingredients, including glyphosate (29 % of respondents), imidacloprid (27 %), and benomyl (24 %). The pesticide analysis showed the presence of 13 different pesticides and degradation products in the water samples. The highest concentrations were found for imidacloprid (1195 ngL−1) and carbendazim (a degradation product of benomyl; 932 ngL−1), along with the metabolite of pyrethroid insecticides, 3-PBA (494 ngL−1). The risk assessment indicates that among the most used pesticides, the fungicide benomyl and carbendazim pose the highest risk to human health and aquatic ecosystems, respectively. This study unveils novel insights on agricultural practices for the avocado, a globally consumed crop that is undergoing rapid production expansion. It calls for the harmonisation of crop protection with environmental responsibility, safeguarding the health of the people involved and the surrounding ecosystems.
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Dates et versions

hal-04774453 , version 1 (08-11-2024)

Identifiants

Citer

Ana Merlo-Reyes, Christine Baduel, Celine Duwig, M. Isabel Ramírez. Risk assessment of pesticides used in the eastern Avocado Belt of Michoacan, Mexico: A survey and water monitoring approach. Science of the Total Environment, 2024, 916, pp.170288. ⟨10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170288⟩. ⟨hal-04774453⟩
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