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Contamination of rural surface and ground water by endosulfan in farming areas of the Western Cape, South Africa.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Dalvie, MA; Cairncross, E; Solomon, A; London, L
Published in: Environ Health
March 10, 2003

BACKGROUND: In South Africa there is little data on environmental pollution of rural water sources by agrochemicals. METHODS: This study investigated pesticide contamination of ground and surface water in three intensive agricultural areas in the Western Cape: the Hex River Valley, Grabouw and Piketberg. Monitoring for endosulfan and chlorpyrifos at low levels was conducted as well as screening for other pesticides. RESULTS: The quantification limit for endosulfan was 0.1 microg/L. Endosulfan was found to be widespread in ground water, surface water and drinking water. The contamination was mostly at low levels, but regularly exceeded the European Drinking Water Standard of 0.1 microg/L. The two most contaminated sites were a sub-surface drain in the Hex River Valley and a dam in Grabouw, with 0.83 +/- 1.0 microg/L (n = 21) and 3.16 +/- 3.5 microg/L (n = 13) average endosulfan levels respectively. Other pesticides including chlorpyrifos, azinphos-methyl, fenarimol, iprodione, deltamethrin, penconazole and prothiofos were detected. Endosulfan was most frequently detected in Grabouw (69%) followed by Hex River (46%) and Piketberg (39%). Detections were more frequent in surface water (47%) than in groundwater (32%) and coincided with irrigation, and to a lesser extent, to spraying and trigger rains. Total dietary endosulfan intake calculated from levels found in drinking water did not exceed the Joint WHO/FAO Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR) criteria. CONCLUSION: The study has shown the need for monitoring of pesticide contamination in surface and groundwater, and the development of drinking water quality standards for specific pesticides in South Africa.

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Published In

Environ Health

DOI

EISSN

1476-069X

Publication Date

March 10, 2003

Volume

2

Issue

1

Start / End Page

1

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Water Supply
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Toxicology
  • South Africa
  • Risk Assessment
  • Rain
  • Pesticides
  • Organothiophosphates
  • Insecticides
  • Humans
 

Citation

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Dalvie, M. A., Cairncross, E., Solomon, A., & London, L. (2003). Contamination of rural surface and ground water by endosulfan in farming areas of the Western Cape, South Africa. Environ Health, 2(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-069x-2-1
Dalvie, Mohamed A., Eugene Cairncross, Abdullah Solomon, and Leslie London. “Contamination of rural surface and ground water by endosulfan in farming areas of the Western Cape, South Africa.Environ Health 2, no. 1 (March 10, 2003): 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-069x-2-1.
Dalvie MA, Cairncross E, Solomon A, London L. Contamination of rural surface and ground water by endosulfan in farming areas of the Western Cape, South Africa. Environ Health. 2003 Mar 10;2(1):1.
Dalvie, Mohamed A., et al. “Contamination of rural surface and ground water by endosulfan in farming areas of the Western Cape, South Africa.Environ Health, vol. 2, no. 1, Mar. 2003, p. 1. Pubmed, doi:10.1186/1476-069x-2-1.
Dalvie MA, Cairncross E, Solomon A, London L. Contamination of rural surface and ground water by endosulfan in farming areas of the Western Cape, South Africa. Environ Health. 2003 Mar 10;2(1):1.
Journal cover image

Published In

Environ Health

DOI

EISSN

1476-069X

Publication Date

March 10, 2003

Volume

2

Issue

1

Start / End Page

1

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Water Supply
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Toxicology
  • South Africa
  • Risk Assessment
  • Rain
  • Pesticides
  • Organothiophosphates
  • Insecticides
  • Humans