Glyphosate persistence in seawater.
AI Summary
Key Findings
Abstract
Glyphosate is one of the most widely applied herbicides globally but its persistence in seawater has not been reported. Here we quantify the biodegradation of glyphosate using standard"simulation"flask tests with native bacterial populations and coastal seawater from the Great Barrier Reef. The half-life for glyphosate at 25°C in low-light was 47days, extending to 267days in the dark at 25°C and 315days in the dark at 31°C, which is the longest persistence reported for this herbicide. AMPA, the microbial transformation product of glyphosate, was detected under all conditions, confirming that degradation was mediatedby the native microbial community. This study demonstrates glyphosate is moderately persistent in the marine water under low light conditions and is highly persistent in the dark. Little degradation would be expected during flood plumes in the tropics, which could potentially deliver dissolved andsediment-bound glyphosate far from shore.
Affiliation
Philip Mercurio
External References
- PubMed ID:
- 24467857
Comments
Sign in or create a free account to join the conversation.
Sign in to commentBe the first to comment.