title: Herbicides and trace metals in urban waters in Melbourne, Australia (2011-12): concentrations and potential impact.
abstract: Urban stormwater samples were collected from five aquatic systems in Melbourne, Australia, on six occasions between October 2011 and March 2012 and tested for 30 herbicides and 14 trace metals. Nineteen different herbicides were observed in one or more water samples from the five sites; chemicals observed at more than 40% of sites were simazine (100%), MCPA (83%), diuron (63%) and atrazine (53%). Using the toxicity unit (TU) concept to assess potential risk to aquatic ecosystems, none of the detected herbicides were considered to pose an individual, group or collective short-term risk to fish or zooplankton in the waters studied. However, 13 herbicides had TU values suggesting they might have posed an individual risk to primary producers at the time of sampling. Water quality guideline levels were exceeded on many occasions for Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn. Similarly, RQmedand RQmaxexceeded 1 for Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn. Almost all the metals screened exceeded a log10TU of -3 for every trophic level, suggesting that there may have been some impact on aquatic organisms in the studied waterbodies. Our data indicate that Melbourne's urban aquatic environments may be being impacted by approved domestic, industrial and sporting application of herbicides and that stormwater quality needs to be carefully assessed prior to reuse. Further research is required to understand the performance of different urban stormwater wetland designs in removing pesticides and trace metals. Applying the precautionary principle to herbicide regulation is important to ensure there is more research and assessment of the long-term 'performance' standard of all herbicides and throughout their 'life cycle'. Implementing such an approach will also ensure government, regulators, decision makers, researchers, policy makers and industry have the best possible information available to improve the management of chemicals, from manufacture to use.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management (CAPIM), The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Mayumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Allinson
authors.affiliation: Agriculture Research and Development Division, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, Ernest Jones Drive, Macleod, VIC, 3085, Australia.
authors.forename: Pei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Agriculture Research and Development Division, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, Ernest Jones Drive, Macleod, VIC, 3085, Australia.
authors.forename: AnhDuyen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bui
authors.affiliation: Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management (CAPIM), The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Jackie H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.affiliation: Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management (CAPIM), The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pettigrove
authors.affiliation: Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management (CAPIM), The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.|Agriculture Research and Development Division, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, Ernest Jones Drive, Macleod, VIC, 3085, Australia.
authors.forename: Gavin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.affiliation: Department of Information Systems and Business Analytics, Deakin University, PO Box 423, Warrnambool, VIC, 3280, Australia.
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Salzman
authors.affiliation: Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, 3011, Australia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Walters
authors.affiliation: Department of Environment and Primary Industries, DEPI Queenscliff Centre, Queenscliff, VIC, 3225, Australia. graeme.allinson@rmit.edu.au.|School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3001, Australia. graeme.allinson@rmit.edu.au.
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Allinson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000187:drug effects; D001315:Australia; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005399:Fishes; D006540:Herbicides / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D006540:Herbicides; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014867:Water
keywords: 2,4-D; Copper; Pesticides; Ponds and wetlands; Simazine; Stormwater in creeks; Victoria; Zinc