title: Phytoremediation of groundwater contaminated with pesticides using short-rotation willow crops: A case study of an apple orchard.
abstract: The occurrence of pesticides in groundwater represents an important health issue, notably for population whose drinking water supply source is located in agricultural areas. However, few solutions have been considered with regard to this issue. We tested the efficacy of a vegetal filtering system made of shrub willows planted at a high density (16,000 plants ha(-1)) to filter or degrade pesticides found in the groundwater flowing out of an apple orchard. Ethylene urea (EU), ethylene thiourea (ETU), tetrahydrophthalimide (THPI), atrazine, and desethylatrazine were monitored in the soil solution in willow and control plots over one growing season. ETU and atrazine concentrations were lower in the willow plots relative to the control plots, whereas desethylatrazine concentration was higher in the willow plots. No significant difference was detected for EU and THPI. Furthermore, pesticide concentrations displayed complex temporal patterns. These results suggest that willow filter systems can filter or degrade pesticides, notably ETU and atrazine, and could be used for phytoremediation purposes. Yet, this potential remains to be quantified with further studies using experimental settings allowing more estimation in time and space.
authors.affiliation: a Institut de recherche en biologie végétale, Université de Montréal , Montréal , QC , Canada.
authors.forename: Benoit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lafleur
authors.affiliation: b Département de chimie , Université de Montréal , Montréal , QC , Canada.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sauvé
authors.affiliation: b Département de chimie , Université de Montréal , Montréal , QC , Canada.
authors.forename: Sung Vo
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Duy
authors.affiliation: a Institut de recherche en biologie végétale, Université de Montréal , Montréal , QC , Canada.
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Labrecque
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002215:Captan / Q000378:metabolism; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000254:growth & development; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000032:analysis; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000378:metabolism*; D060587:Groundwater / Q000032:analysis*; D027845:Malus / Q000254:growth & development; D008344:Maneb / Q000378:metabolism; D011792:Quebec; D032108:Salix / Q000378:metabolism*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*; D015038:Zineb / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008344:Maneb; D002215:Captan; C013099:mancozeb; D015038:Zineb
keywords: Salix spp; atrazine; desethylatrazine; ethylene thiourea; ethylene urea; tetrahydrophthalimide