Avoidance Behaviour Tests Used as a Screening Tool to Assess Soil Pesticide Contamination in Colombian Potato Crops

The livelihood of small farmers in developing countries depends very much on the use of pesticides to maximize the yield of their crop harvest. When correctly applied, pesticides can reduce yield losses and improve the product quality. However, the misuse of pesticides may cause serious human health and environmental problems. In addition to that, misuse of pesticides may deplete soils and destroy biodiversity.

The use of biomarkers to monitor biological functions of the soil has been suggested. Sometimes, earthworms avoid surface layers of soil contaminated by agrochemicals. They have chemoreceptors in the prostomium and sensory tubercles over the body, which makes earthworms highly sensitive to chemicals in their environment. Because of that, a behavioural response test can be an indicator for the toxicity of different agrochemicals used.

The master thesis “Avoidance Behaviour Tests Used as a Screening Tool to Assess Soil Pesticide Contamination in Colombian Potato Crops” is embedded in the frame of a research project by the University of Zurich, named “Reducing human health and environmental risks from pesticide use: Integrating decision-making and spatial risk assessment models: The case of Vereda la Hoya, Colombia”. The main purpose of the project is to develop a methodology for modelling and assessing the impact of farmers’ decision-making regarding pesticide application, and connecting it to human health and environmental risks.

The main goal of this master thesis was to assess soil pesticide contamination in a small catchment in Tunja (Colombia) by using the avoidance behaviour test with the earthworm species Eisenia fetida under laboratory conditions. In addition, a field experiment was conducted to look into differences between a real scenario and a scenario in controlled conditions, such as a greenhouse or laboratory. In three out of four active ingredients tested (carbofuran, chlorpyriphos and mancozeb), the avoidance behaviour of the earthworm species Eisenia fetida turned out to be a good indicator of the soil contamination. For the fourth active ingredient, further studies will be necessary because the used earthworm species was not able to detect and avoid methamidophos.

An analysis of the soil resulted in the fact that there were still pesticide residues present in the soil from pesticides applied over 30 years ago. It is thus very important to use them scarcely.

Experiments in the greenhouse

One example of Eisenia fetida

The Vereda la Hoya near Tunja

Earthworm breeding colony at UNAL

Adresse

Cand. MSc Karin Forrer
Department of Geography
Zurich University
e-mail: karinforrer@access.uzh.ch

Supervisors:

Prof. Dr. Claudia Binder
Social and Industrial Ecology
Department of Geography
Zurich University
e-mail: claudia.binder@geo.uzh.ch

Dr. Glenda García-Santos
Social and Industrial Ecology
Department of Geography
University of Zurich
e-mail: glenda.santos@geo.uzh.ch

Collaborators and collaborating institutions:

Dr. Cilia Leonor Fuentes De Piedrahita
Dean
Faculty of Agronomy
Universidad Nacional, Bogotá, Colombia
E-Mail: clfuentesd@unal.edu.co

Dr. Dr. Jairo Leonardo Cuervo Andrade
Agronomical Engineer
Faculty of Agronomy
Universidad Nacional, Bogotá, Colombia
E-Mail: jlcuervoa@unal.edu.co

Ing. Jaime Diaz
Research Director
Environmental Engineering
Universidad de Boyaca, Colombia
E-Mail: jaimediaz@uniboyaca.edu.co


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		Programme de bourses "Echanges Universitaires" Avoidance Behaviour Tests Used as a Screening Tool to Assess Soil Pesticide Contamination in Colombian Potato Crops The livelihood of small farmers in developing countries depends very much on the use of pesticides to maximize the yield of their crop harvest. When correctly applied, pesticides can reduce yield losses and improve the product quality. However, the misuse of pesticides may cause serious human health and environmental problems. In addition to that, misuse of pesticides may deplete soils and destroy biodiversity. The use of biomarkers to monitor biological functions of the soil has been suggested. Sometimes, earthworms avoid surface layers of soil contaminated by agrochemicals. They have chemoreceptors in the prostomium and sensory tubercles over the body, which makes earthworms highly sensitive to chemicals in their environment. Because of that, a behavioural response test can be an indicator for the toxicity of different agrochemicals used. The master thesis “Avoidance Behaviour Tests Used as a Screening Tool to Assess Soil Pesticide Contamination in Colombian Potato Crops” is embedded in the frame of a research project by the University of Zurich, named “Reducing human health and environmental risks from pesticide use: Integrating decision-making and spatial risk assessment models: The case of Vereda la Hoya, Colombia”. The main purpose of the project is to develop a methodology for modelling and assessing the impact of farmers’ decision-making regarding pesticide application, and connecting it to human health and environmental risks. The main goal of this master thesis was to assess soil pesticide contamination in a small catchment in Tunja (Colombia) by using the avoidance behaviour test with the earthworm species Eisenia fetida under laboratory conditions. In addition, a field experiment was conducted to look into differences between a real scenario and a scenario in controlled conditions, such as a greenhouse or laboratory. In three out of four active ingredients tested (carbofuran, chlorpyriphos and mancozeb), the avoidance behaviour of the earthworm species Eisenia fetida turned out to be a good indicator of the soil contamination. For the fourth active ingredient, further studies will be necessary because the used earthworm species was not able to detect and avoid methamidophos. An analysis of the soil resulted in the fact that there were still pesticide residues present in the soil from pesticides applied over 30 years ago. It is thus very important to use them scarcely. Experiments in the greenhouse One example of Eisenia fetida The Vereda la Hoya near Tunja Earthworm breeding colony at UNAL Adresse Cand. MSc Karin Forrer Department of Geography Zurich University e-mail: karinforrer@access.uzh.ch Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Claudia Binder Social and Industrial Ecology Department of Geography Zurich University e-mail: claudia.binder@geo.uzh.ch Dr. Glenda García-Santos Social and Industrial Ecology Department of Geography University of Zurich e-mail: glenda.santos@geo.uzh.ch Collaborators and collaborating institutions: Dr. Cilia Leonor Fuentes De Piedrahita Dean Faculty of Agronomy Universidad Nacional, Bogotá, Colombia E-Mail: clfuentesd@unal.edu.co Dr. Dr. Jairo Leonardo Cuervo Andrade Agronomical Engineer Faculty of Agronomy Universidad Nacional, Bogotá, Colombia E-Mail: jlcuervoa@unal.edu.co Ing. Jaime Diaz Research Director Environmental Engineering Universidad de Boyaca, Colombia E-Mail: jaimediaz@uniboyaca.edu.co