title: Modeling global distribution of agricultural insecticides in surface waters.
abstract: Agricultural insecticides constitute a major driver of animal biodiversity loss in freshwater ecosystems. However, the global extent of their effects and the spatial extent of exposure remain largely unknown. We applied a spatially explicit model to estimate the potential for agricultural insecticide runoff into streams. Water bodies within 40% of the global land surface were at risk of insecticide runoff. We separated the influence of natural factors and variables under human control determining insecticide runoff. In the northern hemisphere, insecticide runoff presented a latitudinal gradient mainly driven by insecticide application rate; in the southern hemisphere, a combination of daily rainfall intensity, terrain slope, agricultural intensity and insecticide application rate determined the process. The model predicted the upper limit of observed insecticide exposure measured in water bodies (n = 82) in five different countries reasonably well. The study provides a global map of hotspots for insecticide contamination guiding future freshwater management and conservation efforts.
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Pesticides and Health Risk Prevention, L. Sacco University - Hospital, Via G.B. Grassi, 74, 20157 Milan, Italy; Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT), University of Milano - Bicocca, Piazza dellaScienza 1, 20126 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: ippolito.ecotox@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ippolito
authors.affiliation: UFZ, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Dept. System-Ecotoxicology, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany; Department of System Analysis, Integrated Assessment and Modelling, Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Mira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kattwinkel
authors.affiliation: UFZ, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Dept. System-Ecotoxicology, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany; Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Vejlsøvej 25, 8600 Silkeborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jes J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Campus Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829 Landau, Germany.
authors.forename: Ralf B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT), University of Milano - Bicocca, Piazza dellaScienza 1, 20126 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fornaroli
authors.affiliation: UFZ, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Dept. System-Ecotoxicology, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany; RWTH Aachen University, Institute for Environmental Research (Biology V), Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liess
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D007306:Insecticides / Q000032:analysis*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D045483:Rivers; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Exposure models; Global map; Insecticide runoff; Risk assessment