Report from the Sub-comittee on the environment and health

Active ingredient Concentration Number of detections/
µg/L
Number of samples
Atrazine 0.01-0.2 2/24
Bromoxynil - 0/13
2,4-D 0.1-0.4 3/25
Dichloroprop 0.01-0.3 11/40
Dimethoate (I) 0.13 1/20
Dinoseb 0.04 2/25
DNOC 0.07-0.6 4/25
Ethofumesate 0.1-0.2 2/2
Fenpropimorph (F) 0.1-7 6/10
Fenvalerate (I) 0.12 1/3
Ioxynil 0.02-1 3/16
Isoproturon 0.08 1/13
MCPA 0.009-1 9/40
Mechlorprop 0.01-11 18/41
Pirimicarb (I) 0.13 1/2
Propiconazole (F) 0.1-3 4/6
Simazine
µg/L = microgramme per litre
- 0/25
4.3.1 Conclusions
There have been only a few analyses of stagnant water, and <strong>the</strong>n only of
ponds. Mechlorprop has been detected in concentrations up to 11
microgrammes per litre. In <strong>the</strong> case of 5 substances, <strong>the</strong> concentrations
exceeded 1.0 microgramme per litre and in <strong>the</strong> case of 13 of <strong>the</strong> 15
substances tested for, <strong>the</strong> concentrations exceeded 0.1 microgramme per
litre.
The ponds tested include several in <strong>the</strong> Køge region and on <strong>the</strong> island of
Avernakø. The analyses were carried out at <strong>the</strong> beginning of <strong>the</strong> 1990s.
Most of <strong>the</strong> sampling took place in <strong>the</strong> spraying season. The analyses of
ponds were less extensive than those in watercourses and cannot be
regarded as representative of Denmark as a whole.
The following specific conclusions can be drawn:
• 15 pesticides have been detected in ponds.
• Danish analyses of pesticide concentrations in lakes and coastal
waters are being initiated in connection with Aquatic Environment
Plan II.
• Only a few analyses of pesticide concentrations in lakes and seawater
have been carried out in Denmark.
4.4 Pesticides in drain and soil water
Soil water can be defined as water that is present in <strong>the</strong> uppermost part of
<strong>the</strong> soil stratum. Soil water can be collected by installing ceramic or
teflon suction cups in <strong>the</strong> soil to suck water out of <strong>the</strong> soil matrix. Drain
water is water that runs freely through <strong>the</strong> soil to drainage pipes, which
are typically placed at a depth of about 1 metre. Pesticides in drain water
can thus, if mobile pesticides are used in periods with a lot of
precipitation, have a retention time in <strong>the</strong> soil of just a few days or
weeks. For pesticides that are bound in <strong>the</strong> soil or that are used in periods
without downward movement of water in <strong>the</strong> soil, <strong>the</strong> retention time can
be months or years.
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