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Ecotoxicological effects of rice field waters on selected planktonic species: comparison between conventional and organic farming

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the ecotoxicological effects of water coming from untreated organic and conventional rice field production areas in the Ebro Delta (Catalonia, Spain) treated with the herbicides oxadiazon, benzofenap, clomazone and bensulfuron-methyl and the fungicides carbendazim, tricyclazole and flusilazole. Irrigation and drainage channels of the study locations were also included to account for potential toxic effects of water coming in and out of the studied rice fields. Toxicity tests included four species (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, Desmodesmus subcapitatus, Chlorella vulgaris and Daphnia magna), three endpoints (microalgae growth, D. magna mortality and feeding rates), and two trophic levels: primary producers (microalgae) and grazers (D. magna). Pesticides in water were analyzed by solid phase extraction-liquid chromatography-electrospray-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). Negative effects on algae growth and D. magna feeding rates were detected mainly after application of herbicides and fungicides, respectively, in the conventional rice field. Results indicated that most of the observed negative effects in microalgae and D. magna were explained by the presence of herbicides and fungicides. The above mentioned analyses also denoted an inverse relationship between phytoplankton biomass measured as chlorophyll a and herbicides. In summary, this study indicates that in real field situations low to moderate levels of herbicides and fungicides have negative impacts to planktonic organisms and these effects seem to be short-lived.

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Acknowledgments

This study was carried out with the financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Environment and the Catalan Water Agency (ACA), Department of Environment, Government of Catalonia (MOBITROF project). We thank for field and laboratory assistance to Mireia San Lorenzo, David Mateu and Lluís Llornet. We are grateful to Rafael Verdiell and Riet Vell S.A. (owners of the rice fields) for their collaboration. We also thank Katherine Sharpe for helping to improve the English and providing useful comments on a previous version of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IRTA—Aquatic Ecosystems, Sant Carles de la Ràpita, 43540, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain

    Andrea Suárez-Serrano & Carles Ibáñez

  2. Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Spanish Council of Scientific Research (CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

    Silvia Lacorte & Carlos Barata

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  1. Andrea Suárez-Serrano
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  2. Carles Ibáñez
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  3. Silvia Lacorte
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  4. Carlos Barata
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Correspondence to Andrea Suárez-Serrano.

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Suárez-Serrano, A., Ibáñez, C., Lacorte, S. et al. Ecotoxicological effects of rice field waters on selected planktonic species: comparison between conventional and organic farming. Ecotoxicology 19, 1523–1535 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-010-0537-5

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