Abstract
This study presents monitoring data on the spatial distribution and occurrence of pesticide residues of cultivated soil in the Huangshui catchment in the northeastern part of the Qinghai Tibet Plateau. We also provide factors that influence the distribution of pesticides, such as the properties of pesticides and soil and crop types. A total of 110 soil samples were collected in early April 2021, and 49 pesticides were analyzed. Only 3.6% of the samples contained no pesticide residues (concentrations < limit of quantitation or not detected [ND]), and the total pesticide concentration ranged from ND to 0.925 mg/kg. Most commonly, two to five pesticides were found in the soil samples (> 70.9%), and up to 10 pesticide residues were present in some samples. A total of 85 different pesticide combinations were observed in all the soil samples. Chlorpyrifos and difenoconazole were the dominant compounds. The levels of pesticide residues were mainly driven by their half-life values. Bulk density, along with soil water content and pH, also affected the retention of pesticides in the soil. The crop type played no role in the distribution of pesticides.
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The datasets used and/or analyzed in the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Change history
07 September 2022
A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-22900-5
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The work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (U20A20115).
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Yang Zhou: software, writing — original draft, formal analysis. Jing Jing: validation, writing — review and editing. Ruyue Yu: investigation, software. Yunze Zhao: software. Yuxuan Gou: investigation. Huaizhi Tang: investigation. Hongyan Zhang: conceptualization, writing — review and editing, methodology. Yuanfang Huang: resources, funding acquisition.
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Zhou, Y., Jing, J., Yu, R. et al. Distribution of pesticide residues in agricultural topsoil of the Huangshui catchment, Qinghai Tibet Plateau. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 7582–7592 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-22704-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-22704-7