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ToolsBalashova, Natalia, Hiscock, Kevin M., Reid, Brian J., Ellis, Simon and Reynolds, Richard (2023) Metaldehyde Transport Processes in a Water Abstraction Catchment in Essex, Southeast England. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 234 (1). ISSN 0049-6979
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Abstract
This paper addresses the issue of pesticide loss from agriculture and its impact on the aquatic environment. Specifically, this study assesses the transport of the relatively water-soluble polar molluscicide compound metaldehyde in a small (14 km2) water abstraction catchment in Essex, southeast England during a 14-month period (January 2019–February 2020). A rise in metaldehyde concentrations was observed at all monitoring points, to varying extents, in the months of seasonal metaldehyde applications. The highest increases in metaldehyde concentrations (up to 0.05 µg L–1) across the catchment were observed in the autumn months and in December. These findings reinforce the mobile nature of the pesticide, with surface and field drain runoff likely to be the predominant mode of transfer to surface waters. The scale of individual sources of metaldehyde influx to the Ardleigh surface storage reservoir in the catchment showed that the highest contribution to the total flux to the reservoir was from water transferred from the adjacent River Colne catchment. Atmospheric deposition of metaldehyde followed a similar seasonal pattern to that observed in metaldehyde levels in surface water and field drain runoff, and in certain months accounted for a higher input than influx from surface runoff (May, August–October 2019). Monthly values of metaldehyde mass in the reservoir ranged from 27.7 to 47.4 g. An increase in mass was associated with elevated levels of flux from individual sources. Relatively stable levels of metaldehyde total mass in the reservoir are probably due to the aqueous solubility and decreased degradation rates of metaldehyde in the aquatic environment.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | Data Availability: Data used in this research are available upon the request. |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | catchment,flux,metaldehyde,monitoring,pesticide transport,surface waters,environmental engineering,environmental chemistry,ecological modelling,water science and technology,pollution ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2300/2305 |
| Faculty \ School: | Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences University of East Anglia Research Groups/Centres > Theme - ClimateUEA Faculty of Science |
| UEA Research Groups: | Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Centres > Water Security Research Centre Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Geosciences Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Environmental Biology Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation |
| Related URLs: | |
| Depositing User: | LivePure Connector |
| Date Deposited: | 30 Apr 2026 15:48 |
| Last Modified: | 30 Apr 2026 15:48 |
| URI: | https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/102855 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s11270-022-05986-y |
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