Abstract
Concentrations of pesticides in water near the mouths of the Yamaska River in Québec, Canada, and five of its tributaries are reported for the summers of 1986 and 1987. The most frequently occurring pesticides, and those at the highest concentrations, were atrazine and metolachlor. Peak atrazine concentrations frequently exceeded the recommended Canadian water quality guideline of 2 μg/L for the protection of aquatic life. These peak concentrations were similar to those that had been observed a decade before. In addition, in 1986 and 1987 significant concentrations of metolachlor were detected in the waters. In some locations, the peak metolachlor concentration was greater than half its recommended Canadian water quality guideline of 8 μg/L for the protection of aquatic life, and in one location the guideline was exceeded. Also found at much lower concentrations were some other triazine herbicides, some degradation products of triazine herbicides, and some organophosphorus and organochlorine insecticides. No carbamate pesticides were found.
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Maguire, R.J., Tkacz, R.J. Occurrence of pesticides in the Yamaska River, Québec. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 25, 220–226 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00212133
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00212133