The global environmental hazard of glyphosate use

Agricultural pesticides can become persistent environmental pollutants. Among many, glyphosate (GLP) is under particular scrutiny because of its extensive use and its alleged threats to the ecosystem and human health. Here, we introduce the first global environmental contamination analysis of GLP an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Science of the total environment 2020-05, Vol.717, p.137167-137167, Article 137167
Main Authors: Maggi, Federico, la Cecilia, Daniele, Tang, Fiona H.M., McBratney, Alexander
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
AMPA
Environmental modelling
Global scales
Glyphosate
Hazard analysis
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Summary:Agricultural pesticides can become persistent environmental pollutants. Among many, glyphosate (GLP) is under particular scrutiny because of its extensive use and its alleged threats to the ecosystem and human health. Here, we introduce the first global environmental contamination analysis of GLP and its metabolite, AMPA, conducted with a mechanistic dynamic model at 0.5 × 0.5° spatial resolution (about 55 km at the equator) fed with geographically-distributed agricultural quantities, soil and biogeochemical properties, and hydroclimatic variables. Our analyses reveal that about 1% of croplands worldwide (385,000 km2) are susceptible to mid to high contamination hazard and less than 0.1% has a high hazard. Hotspots found in South America, Europe, and East and South Asia were mostly correlated to widespread GLP use in pastures, soybean, and corn; diffuse contributing processes were mainly biodegradation recalcitrance and persistence, while soil residue accumulation and leaching below the root zone contributed locally to the hazard in hotspots. Hydroclimatic and soil variables were major controlling factors of contamination hotspots. The relatively low risk of environmental exposure highlighted in our work for a single active substance does not rule out a greater recognition of environmental pollution by pesticides and calls for worldwide cooperation to develop timely standards and implement regulated strategies to prevent excess global environmental pollution. [Display omitted] •Glyphosate use worldwide is controversial for its potential negative effects on human and environmental health.•Currently, there is no global-scale assessment of glyphosate use and environmental contamination risk.•We have linked our new PEST-CHEMGRIDS global spesticide use database and our BRTSim model to predict glyphosate dynamics over global croplands.•We have quantified biodegradation, soil residue accumulation, runoff potential, leaching to aquifers, and persistence•Low but pervasive contamination occurs in croplands globally; a few geographic hotspots have mid to high contamination hazard
ISSN:0048-9697
1879-1026
DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137167