Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Bioremediation

Bioremediation

Bioremediation is the use of prokaryotes, fungi, or plants to remove pollutants from the environment. This process has been used to remove harmful toxins in groundwater as a byproduct of agricultural run-off and also to clean up oil spills.

Microbial Bioremediation of Hydrocarbons

Microbial Bioremediation of Hydrocarbons

Bioremediation is an environmentally sustainable process that employs living organisms—primarily microorganisms—to degrade or neutralize pollutants from contaminated environments. In oil spills and hydrocarbon pollution, bioremediation involves the use of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria to transform toxic compounds into less harmful substances. This approach leverages natural microbial metabolic processes and is considered both cost-effective and ecologically favorable compared to physical or...

Microbial Bioremediation of Pesticides

Microbial Bioremediation of Pesticides

Pesticides often feature structurally complex chemical architectures, incorporating halogen groups and multiple aromatic rings. These characteristics confer high chemical stability, rendering many pesticides resistant to natural degradation processes. This resistance poses significant environmental concerns, as persistent pesticide residues can accumulate in ecosystems and affect non-target organisms.Despite the inherent stability of many pesticides, certain microorganisms possess the metabolic...

Threats to Biodiversity

Threats to Biodiversity

There have been five major extinction events throughout geological history, resulting in the elimination of biodiversity, followed by a rebound of species that adapted to the new conditions. In the current geological epoch, the Holocene, there is a sixth extinction event in progress. This mass extinction has been attributed to human activities and is thus provisionally called the Anthropocene. In 2019 the human population reached 7.7 billion people and is projected to comprise 10 billion by...

Defenses Against Pathogens and Herbivores

Defenses Against Pathogens and Herbivores

Plants present a rich source of nutrients for many organisms, making it a target for herbivores and infectious agents. Plants, though lacking a proper immune system, have developed an array of constitutive and inducible defenses to fend off these attacks.

Chemical Agents for Microbial Control

Chemical Agents for Microbial Control

Chemicals play important roles in controlling microbial growth by targeting microbial structures and functions as sanitizers, antiseptics, disinfectants, and sterilants.Alcohols are commonly used sanitizers, effectively disrupting lipid membranes, which compromises cell integrity. They are also used as antiseptics and disinfectants due to their rapid action and versatility.Phenols and their derivatives phenolics , known for denaturing proteins and disrupting cell membranes, are particularly...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Predictors of bisphenol A exposure in pregnant women of the Barwon Infant Study.

Toxicology letters·2026

Same author

Trends of Fentanyl and Oxycodone Use in Australia (2018-2022) in National Prescription and Wastewater Data Sets.

Environmental science & technology·2026

Same author

Exploratory Study on Plasticiser Intake During Intermittent Fasting: Effects on Weight, Glycaemic Control and Vitamin D Levels in Type 2 Diabetes.

Toxics·2026

Same author

Monitoring Population Exposure to Low- and No-Calorie Sweeteners via Pooled Urine Analysis.

Food science & nutrition·2026

Same author

Impact of nano zero valent iron dosing on biotransformation and adsorption of 20 biomarkers in sewers.

Water research·2026

Same author

Biophysical and eDNA sampling reveals upwelling-enhanced food availability for larvae of the corallivorous crown-of-thorns seastar, Acanthaster cf. solaris.

Marine pollution bulletin·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Prospecting Microbial Strains for Bioremediation and Probiotics Development for Metaorganism Research and Preservation

Prospecting Microbial Strains for Bioremediation and Probiotics Development for Metaorganism Research and Preservation

Published on: October 31, 2019

Herbicides: a new threat to the Great Barrier Reef.

Stephen E Lewis¹, Jon E Brodie, Zoë T Bainbridge

¹Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia. stephen.lewis@jcu.edu.au

Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)

|April 8, 2009

Summary

Pesticide runoff, primarily herbicides from agriculture, contaminates the Great Barrier Reef. These residues threaten marine ecosystems already stressed by climate change, highlighting the need for better land management.

More Related Videos

Protocols for Robust Herbicide Resistance Testing in Different Weed Species

Protocols for Robust Herbicide Resistance Testing in Different Weed Species

Published on: July 2, 2015

An Integrated Micro-Device System for Coral Growth and Monitoring

An Integrated Micro-Device System for Coral Growth and Monitoring

Published on: July 21, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Prospecting Microbial Strains for Bioremediation and Probiotics Development for Metaorganism Research and Preservation

Prospecting Microbial Strains for Bioremediation and Probiotics Development for Metaorganism Research and Preservation

Published on: October 31, 2019

Protocols for Robust Herbicide Resistance Testing in Different Weed Species

Protocols for Robust Herbicide Resistance Testing in Different Weed Species

Published on: July 2, 2015

An Integrated Micro-Device System for Coral Growth and Monitoring

An Integrated Micro-Device System for Coral Growth and Monitoring

Published on: July 21, 2023

Area of Science:

Environmental Chemistry
Marine Biology
Ecotoxicology

Background:

Agricultural runoff, including pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides), poses a significant threat to the Great Barrier Reef's health.
Existing data on the ecological risks of herbicide residues in the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem is limited.
Marine plants and corals can experience reduced productivity even at low concentrations of herbicide residues.

Purpose of the Study:

To trace pesticide residues from riverine sources to the adjacent marine environment within the Great Barrier Reef.
To quantify the risk of pesticide residues to Great Barrier Reef ecosystems.
To identify the land uses contributing to pesticide contamination in the marine environment.

Main Methods:

Sampling of pesticide residues in freshwater (rivers, creeks) and coastal marine waters across three catchment regions.
Attribution of detected pesticide residues to specific land uses within the catchments.
Analysis of herbicide concentrations in relation to proximity of agricultural activities, particularly sugar cane cultivation.

Main Results:

Several pesticides, predominantly herbicides, were detected in both freshwater and coastal marine environments.
A clear link was established between specific land uses and the presence of pesticide residues.
Elevated herbicide concentrations were strongly associated with sugar cane cultivation areas.

Conclusions:

Herbicides from agricultural runoff successfully reach the Great Barrier Reef lagoon.
These herbicide residues have the potential to disrupt sensitive marine ecosystems.
The findings underscore the cumulative pressure on the Great Barrier Reef, alongside factors like climate change.