SusChEM: Atmospheric Fates of Neonicotinoids and Their Role in Food Security and Agricultural Sustainability

University Of California-Irvine, Irvine CA

Investigators

Abstract

In this project funded by the Environmental Chemical Sciences Program of the Division of Chemistry, Professor Barbara Finlayson-Pitts of the University of California Irvine is studying the fates of neonicotinoid (NNs) pesticides deposited on surfaces when exposed to oxidants that are found in the atmosphere. The development and application of synthetic pesticides since the end of WWII has led to increased global food production, with one group of new pesticides being the NNs. However, there is increasing evidence that some beneficial parts of the ecosystem, such as bee activity, that play key roles in agriculture are negatively impacted by these compounds. There is past evidence for other pesticides with unintended toxic effects on ecosystems due not necessarily to the pesticide itself, but rather to the oxidation products formed after the pesticide is applied. Hence understanding the atmospheric reactions of NNs is critical. This project is analyzing how fast common neonicotinoid compounds react under atmospheric conditions, as well as the nature and yields of the products and the reaction mechanisms. Techniques being applied include attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (ATR-FTIR) and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectrometry as well as a number of state-of-the-art mass spectrometry approaches. This research provides key data on the atmospheric lifetimes and fates of the NNs on surfaces in the troposphere, which is critical for assessing their potential impacts on food security and agricultural sustainability. These data are being presented to the public via summer teacher workshops, hosted lab tours for students and citizen groups, and through visits of UCI researchers to local schools. A new generation of students is being trained not only in fundamental atmospheric chemistry but also in its intersection with pesticides, food security and sustainable agriculture.