title: Distribution and ecotoxicity of chlorotriazines in the Scheldt Estuary (B-Nl).
abstract: As part of the Endis-Risks project, the current study describes the occurrence of the chlorotriazine pesticides atrazine, simazine and terbutylazine in water, sediment and suspended matter in the Scheldt estuary (B-Nl) from 2002 to 2005 (3 samplings a year, 8 sampling points). Atrazine was found at the highest concentrations, varying from 10 to 736 ng/l in water and from 5 up to 10 ng/g in suspended matter. Simazine and terbutylazine were detected at lower concentrations. Traces of the targeted pesticides were also detected in sediments, but these were below the limit of quantification. As part of an ecotoxicological assessment, we studied the potential effect of atrazine on molting of Neomysis integer (Crustacea:Mysidacea), a resident invertebrate of the Scheldt Estuary and a proposed test organism for the evaluation of endocrine disruption. Following chronic exposure ( approximately 3 weeks), atrazine did not significantly affect mysid molting at environmentally relevant concentrations (up to 1 microg/l).
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Research group of Veterinary Public Health and Zoonoses, Laboratory of Chemical Analysis, Salisburylaan 133, Merelbeke, Belgium. herlinde.noppe@ugent.be
authors.forename: Herlinde
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Noppe
authors.forename: An
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghekiere
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Verslycke
authors.forename: Eric De
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Wulf
authors.forename: Karolien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Verheyden
authors.forename: Els
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Monteyne
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Polfliet
authors.forename: Peter van
authors.initials: Pv
authors.lastname: Caeter
authors.forename: Colin R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: Hubert F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: De Brabander
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001280:Atrazine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D003445:Crustacea / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D017753:Ecosystem; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D006540:Herbicides / Q000032:analysis*; D009426:Netherlands; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D012839:Simazine / Q000032:analysis; D014227:Triazines / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D006540:Herbicides; D014227:Triazines; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C037565:terbutylazine; D001280:Atrazine; D012839:Simazine