Spatiotemporal patterns of pesticide residues in intensive agricultural soil and water bodies in Shaheed Benazirabad, Pakistan

Najeeba Parre Pakar ^1,2, Kelly Redeker ², Muhammad Farooq Husain Munis ¹

⁰Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment +

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March 19, 2025

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Pesticide levels in Pakistan

Area Of Science

Environmental Chemistry
Agricultural Science
Ecotoxicology

Background

Pesticide contamination poses a significant threat to agricultural ecosystems and human health.
Understanding the spatial and temporal distribution of pesticides is crucial for effective environmental management.

Purpose Of The Study

To investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of 21 pesticides in soil and water across three agricultural tehsils in Pakistan.
To identify key soil and water physiochemical properties influencing pesticide mobility and retention.
To establish a baseline for pesticide contamination and inform regulatory strategies.

Main Methods

Analysis of 21 pesticides in soil and water samples collected across spring, summer, and autumn 2023.
Utilized sensitive analytical methods with low limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ).
Statistical analysis to determine correlations between pesticide concentrations and soil/water physiochemical properties.

Main Results

Peak pesticide concentrations were observed during the summer season, with higher detection rates in soil (74.15%) than water (61.2%).
Chlorpyrifos, profenofos, malathion, and endosulfan were frequently detected in soil, while dimethoate, DDT, and bifenthrin were significant in water.
Sakrand soil showed the highest contamination (5070 μg/kg) in summer, linked to intensive agriculture. Pesticide retention correlated positively with soil organic matter (OM), pH, and water-borne sulfate and nitrate.

Conclusions

Intensive agricultural practices significantly contribute to pesticide contamination in soil and water.
Environmental monitoring and strict pesticide regulations during peak agricultural seasons are essential to minimize ecosystem contamination.
Findings provide a baseline for pesticide contamination and inform conservation initiatives in high-intensity farming areas.

Keywords:

Contamination Pesticides residue Soil Temporal and seasonal variation Water