Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Oxford, Mississippi » National Sedimentation Laboratory » Water Quality and Ecology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #211254
Title: MITIGATION OF PYRETHROID INSECTICIDES IN A MISSISSIPPI DELTA CONSTRUCTED WETLAND

Author
item Moore, Matthew
item Cooper, Charles
item Smith Jr, Sammie
item Cullum, Robert
item Knight, Scott
item Locke, Martin

Submitted to: Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC)
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/22/2007
Publication Date: 5/22/2007
Citation: Moore, M.T., Cooper, C.M., Smith Jr, S., Cullum, R.F., Knight, S.S., Locke, M.A. 2007. Mitigation of pyrethroid insecticides in a mississippi delta constructed wetland. Abstracts of the 2007 Annual Meeting of the Mid-South Regional Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, May 22-24, 2007, Nashville, TN. p.9.

Interpretive Summary: Abstract only. Interpretive summary not required.

Technical Abstract: Pyrethroid insecticides are commonly used in intensively cultivated agricultural areas for crop pest control. During storm runoff events, these insecticides may be transported into aquatic receiving systems where they have the potential to damage fish and invertebrates. Constructed wetlands are one of many suggested best management practices utilizing vegetation which are designed to help alleviate this potential problem. A constructed wetland (190 m x 24 m) comprised of two cells was used to determine fate and transport of a simulated storm runoff event containing the pyrethroid insecticides lambda-cyhalothrin and cyfluthrin, as well as suspended sediment. Wetland water, sediment, and plant samples were collected spatially and temporally. Measured masses of lambda-cyhalothrin and cyfluthrin in water were 22± 11% and 28±8%, respectively of the total pesticide mass. While 39±6% of lambda-cyhalothrin mass was associated with sediment, only 5±2% of cyfluthrin was sediment-associated. Results also indicated that 39±8% and 68±6% of lambda-cyhalothrin and cyfluthrin measured mass, respectively, were associated with plant material. Insecticide masses associated with plant material indicated the importance of vegetation in sorption and mitigation. Results of this experiment can be used to model future design specifications for mitigation of pyrethroid insecticides using constructed wetlands.