Dynamics of herbicide transport and partitioning under event flow conditions in the lower Burdekin region, Australia

Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Davis, Aaron M.;Lewis, Stephen E.;Bainbridge, Zoë T.;Glendenning, Lionel;Turner, Ryan D.R.;Brodie, Jon E.
Abstract

This study examined the temporal variability in herbicide delivery to the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) lagoon (Australia) from one of the GBR catchment's major sugarcane growing regions. Annual loads of measured herbicides were consistently in the order of 200+ kg. Atrazine, it's degradate desethylatrazine, and diuron contributed approximately 90% of annual herbicide load, with early 'first-flush' events accounting for the majority of herbicide loads leaving the catchment. Assessment of herbicide water–sediment partitioning in flood runoff highlighted the majority of herbicides were transported in predominantly dissolved form, although a considerable fraction of diuron was transported in particulate-bound form (ca. 33%). Diuron was also the herbicide demonstrating the highest concentrations and frequency of detection in sediments collected from catchment waterways and adjacent estuarine–marine environments, an outcome aligning with previous research. Herbicide physico-chemical properties appear to play a crucial role in partitioning between water column and sediment habitat types in GBR receiving ecosystems.

Journal

Marine Pollution Bulletin

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Volume

65

ISBN/ISSN

1879-3363

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Issue

4-9

Pages Count

12

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Publisher

Elsevier

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EISSN

N/A

DOI

10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.08.025