C. Salazar-Leiva, N. Apú, V. Lizano-Fallas, M. Méndez-Rivera, C. E. Rodríguez-Rodríguez
{"title":"Chronic pesticide mixture effects and environmental risk in surface water in a tropical agroecosystem in Costa Rica","authors":"C. Salazar-Leiva, N. Apú, V. Lizano-Fallas, M. Méndez-Rivera, C. E. Rodríguez-Rodríguez","doi":"10.1007/s13762-026-07448-y","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Intensive pesticide use in tropical agricultural regions results in the frequent occurrence of pesticide mixtures in surface waters. Chronic exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of these mixtures may lead to sublethal effects in aquatic organisms that are not captured by conventional approaches. This study aimed to integrate experimental approaches with environmental risk assessment to evaluate the ecological effects of pesticide mixtures in an agricultural region of Costa Rica. Acute and chronic toxicity tests were conducted in <i>Daphnia magna</i> using two environmentally relevant pesticide mixtures identified in surface waters from Cartago. Reproductive parameters, intrinsic population growth rate, and acetylcholinesterase activity were evaluated to determine sublethal biological effects. In addition, a risk assessment was performed to identify pesticides posing the highest risk to aquatic organisms. Chronic exposure to both pesticide mixtures significantly impaired reproduction in <i>D. magna</i>, with reductions in intrinsic population growth rate of approximately 10–15%, even at concentrations below the reported no observed effect concentration values for individual pesticides. Exposure to both mixtures affected acetylcholinesterase activity, with significant inhibition observed at higher concentrations. The risk assessment identified multiple pesticides simultaneously posing chronic and acute risk to aquatic organisms: carbendazim, chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, diazinon, diuron, ethion, linuron, and metalaxyl. These findings indicate that mixture exposure can induce biologically relevant effects that are not predicted by single-compound assessments. Integrating experimental approaches with risk assessment provides complementary evidence that improves the prediction of ecological risk associated with pesticide mixtures and supports the incorporation of mixture-oriented approaches to avoid underestimating ecological risks.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3>\n<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":589,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology","volume":"23 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4000,"publicationDate":"2026-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13762-026-07448-y","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Intensive pesticide use in tropical agricultural regions results in the frequent occurrence of pesticide mixtures in surface waters. Chronic exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of these mixtures may lead to sublethal effects in aquatic organisms that are not captured by conventional approaches. This study aimed to integrate experimental approaches with environmental risk assessment to evaluate the ecological effects of pesticide mixtures in an agricultural region of Costa Rica. Acute and chronic toxicity tests were conducted in Daphnia magna using two environmentally relevant pesticide mixtures identified in surface waters from Cartago. Reproductive parameters, intrinsic population growth rate, and acetylcholinesterase activity were evaluated to determine sublethal biological effects. In addition, a risk assessment was performed to identify pesticides posing the highest risk to aquatic organisms. Chronic exposure to both pesticide mixtures significantly impaired reproduction in D. magna, with reductions in intrinsic population growth rate of approximately 10–15%, even at concentrations below the reported no observed effect concentration values for individual pesticides. Exposure to both mixtures affected acetylcholinesterase activity, with significant inhibition observed at higher concentrations. The risk assessment identified multiple pesticides simultaneously posing chronic and acute risk to aquatic organisms: carbendazim, chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, diazinon, diuron, ethion, linuron, and metalaxyl. These findings indicate that mixture exposure can induce biologically relevant effects that are not predicted by single-compound assessments. Integrating experimental approaches with risk assessment provides complementary evidence that improves the prediction of ecological risk associated with pesticide mixtures and supports the incorporation of mixture-oriented approaches to avoid underestimating ecological risks.
期刊介绍：
International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology (IJEST) is an international scholarly refereed research journal which aims to promote the theory and practice of environmental science and technology, innovation, engineering and management.
A broad outline of the journal''s scope includes: peer reviewed original research articles, case and technical reports, reviews and analyses papers, short communications and notes to the editor, in interdisciplinary information on the practice and status of research in environmental science and technology, both natural and man made.
The main aspects of research areas include, but are not exclusive to; environmental chemistry and biology, environments pollution control and abatement technology, transport and fate of pollutants in the environment, concentrations and dispersion of wastes in air, water, and soil, point and non-point sources pollution, heavy metals and organic compounds in the environment, atmospheric pollutants and trace gases, solid and hazardous waste management; soil biodegradation and bioremediation of contaminated sites; environmental impact assessment, industrial ecology, ecological and human risk assessment; improved energy management and auditing efficiency and environmental standards and criteria.
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：
京公网安备 11010802042870号
