Journal article
Occurrence of insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides in household drinking and irrigation water in an intensive floriculture region of Ecuador
Environmental pollution (1987), Vol.396, 127757
05/01/2026
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127757
PMID: 41653960
Abstract
Pesticides are widely used in agriculture, floriculture specifically, posing significant ecological and health risks. Limited research has been conducted on the presence of neonicotinoid insecticides (NNI) and atrazine, in drinking and irrigation water in agricultural regions of Latin America. This study describes targeted and non-targeted analysis of concentrations of pesticides in drinking and irrigation water sampled in 2022 and 2023 in an industrial floricultural region in Pedro Moncayo, Ecuador. In targeted analysis, we found NNI in treated drinking water in 20.5% of household tap water samples (8 out of 39), in a community well, and in 57.7% of irrigation water samples (n = 15 out of 26). Imidacloprid and thiamethoxam emerged as the most frequently detected NNI in drinking water. Atrazine was detected in two household taps and one well. In exploratory non-targeted analysis, we found 63 compounds, including insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides, including azoles, in drinking and irrigation water samples. Fungicides accounted for 59% of all compounds (37 out of 63) detected. Intense pesticide use in floriculture in proximity to residential areas and aging piped water systems may allow pesticides to leach into treated drinking water pipes and irrigation water. The presence of a wide range of pesticides, especially NNI and fungicides (azoles, specifically), in drinking and irrigation water poses health risks to community members.
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•We studied pesticides in drinking and irrigation water near floriculture in Ecuador•We found neonicotinoids in 20.5% of drinking and 57.7% of irrigation water samples•Elevated concentrations of imidacloprid and thiamethoxam were present in tap water•Detection in tap water post-treatment suggests infiltration in piped water systems•Non-targeted analysis identified 63 contaminants; fungicides were most frequent
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Occurrence of insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides in household drinking and irrigation water in an intensive floriculture region of Ecuador
- Creators
- M. Pfaff - San Diego State UniversityA. Zambrano-Romero - Universidad San Francisco de QuitoG.H. LeFevre - University of IowaV. Ochoa-Herrera - Universidad San Francisco de QuitoS. Gupta - Human Longevity (United States)B.N.C. Chronister - San Diego State UniversityA.L. Mianecki - University of IowaN. Carpintero-Salvador - Universidad San Francisco de QuitoH. Checkoway - Human Longevity (United States)J.R. Suarez-Lopez - Human Longevity (United States)G.L. Kayser - Human Longevity (United States)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Environmental pollution (1987), Vol.396, 127757
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127757
- PMID
- 41653960
- NLM abbreviation
- Environ Pollut
- ISSN
- 0269-7491
- eISSN
- 1873-6424
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Grant note
- NIEHS: K01ES031697, 1R01ES025792, R01ES030378
The authors would like to express their gratitude to Dr. Cesar Zambrano, Dean of Research of the Universidad San Francisco de Quito for providing the facilities and resources necessary for the analysis of water samples in Ecuador. We thank Alheli Calderon-Villareal and Johanna Lourdes Avelar Portillo for their assistance with water sampling in 2022. We are grateful to Fundacion Cimas del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador for assisting with community outreach, ESPINA study administration, and presentation of the results in Pedro Moncayo. We thank Dr. Gabrielle Black and Dr. Michelle Hladik at the USGS California Water Science Center for hosting GHL during a research exchange focused on non-target analysis. The views expressed in non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government. Funding was provided by NIEHS K01ES031697 to Dr. Georgia Kayser to make this research possible. The ESPINA study was funded by NIEHS grants 1R01ES025792 and R01ES030378.
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 02/05/2026
- Date published
- 05/01/2026
- Academic Unit
- Civil and Environmental Engineering; IIHR--Hydroscience and Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9985139270902771
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