Author ORCID Identifier
Date Available
5-3-2024
Year of Publication
2024
Degree Name
Master of Science in Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering (MSBiosyAgE)
Document Type
Master's Thesis
College
Agriculture; Engineering
Department/School/Program
Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
First Advisor
Dr. Tiffany Messer
Abstract
Nanopesticides are thought to be a promising course of action for reducing agricultural impacts on the environment, however, little is known regarding the fate and transport of nanopesticides, specifically their influence on downstream wetland ecosystems. The objective of this study was to assess the implications of a nano-Cu fungicide (Kocide 3000) and a neonicotinoid insecticide (imidacloprid) on downstream wetland habitats, particularly their effects on wetland nutrient cycling, using fifteen mesocosm wetlands. The complex interactions between nitrogen, Kocide 3000, and imidacloprid were found to increase nitrate removal rates, decrease phosphate removal rates, and inhibit nitrogen uptake in below-ground biomass. Each treatment, with the exception of the pure control, was found to remove 84 – 99% of nitrate over the sampling period, with removal rates ranging from 0.42 to 1.69 d-1. Imidacloprid was observed to photodegrade but was not completely removed from the wetlands by the end of the sampling period. Large pre-existing copper concentrations in source water led to inconclusive results regarding Kocide 3000 removal. Findings from this study can provide insight on the fate of nanopesticides in downstream wetland habitats, as well as provide guidance for the design of best management practices for managing agroecosystem pesticide loads.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2024.68
Funding Information
This work was supported by the Nanotechnology for Agricultural and Food Systems accession no. 1025426 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Recommended Citation
Power, Kiley, "Implications of Nanopesticides on Downstream Wetland Ecosystems" (2024). Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering. 108.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/bae_etds/108
