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ISOtope TOols for assessing PESticide faTe in the environment

Project description

A toolkit to support the environmental management of pesticides

Compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) is a valuable tool to track and quantify pollutant degradation in environmental systems. However, some analytical challenges still restrict the possibility to exploit its full potential. Moreover, to give a sound base on CSIA application in real-case studies, it is crucial to understand the transformation processes of pesticides and their associate isotope fractionations. The EU-funded ISOTOPEST project aims to optimise extraction and analytical methods for measuring isotope ratios in the triazine herbicide atrazine and the organochlorine insecticide methoxychlor, an unexplored pesticide of high environmental concern. The project aspires to increase the database of isotope fractionations to bring further demonstration of CSIA in field studies, and to provide a monitoring, water management and remediation tool.

Objective

Assessing the source and fate of pesticides in the environment is vital for improving European water management policies and remediation actions. Although compound specific isotope analysis (CSIA) has proved to be a valuable tool to identify sources and track and quantify pollutant degradation in environmental systems, its application to pesticides is still emerging. There are currently some analytical challenges that restrict the possibilities to exploit the full potential of CSIA in pesticides for environmental applications, mainly related with low pesticide concentrations in environmental matrices. The first task of this project aims to overcome these barriers by optimizing extraction and analytical methods for measuring isotope ratios in an unexplored pesticide of high environmental concern: the organochlorine insecticide methoxychlor. Understanding the processes of transformation of pesticides and their associate isotope fractionations is crucial to give a sound base on CSIA application in real case studies. Nevertheless, the database of isotope fractionations associated to different transformation reactions for each pesticide is extremely incomplete. The second task of this project aims to increase this database by performing laboratory experiments for assessing biodegradation of methoxychlor and the herbicide atrazine. Finally, to take the next step and bring CSIA of pesticides to the field, the third task of this project is focused on application of CSIA in two contaminated sites for assessing the fate of the target pesticides (atrazine and methoxychlor) and their metabolites. This will provide a further demonstration of the options of CSIA in the evaluation of strategies for natural or induced attenuation, and to trace the sources, sinks and fate of pesticides in the environment. This project will thus contribute to the competitiveness of Europe in environmental monitoring, risk assessment and contamination mitigating concepts of pesticides.

Fields of science

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Coordinator

UNIVERSITAT DE BARCELONA
Net EU contribution
€ 160 932,48
Address
GRAN VIA DE LES CORTS CATALANES 585
08007 Barcelona
Spain

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Region
Este Cataluña Barcelona
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
€ 160 932,48