Analysis of triazines, triazoles, and benzimidazoles used as pesticides in different environmental compartments of the Formoso River and their influence on biodiversity in Tocantins.

Considering the increase in agricultural production in Tocantins and in the use of pesticides for such production, this work investigates the levels of pesticide residues in different environmental compartments (soil, sediment, and water samples) of the Formoso River in the state of Tocantins, Brazil. The presence of pesticides of the triazine, triazole, and benzimidazole classes was analyzed by UHPLC-MS/MS from April 2018 to February 2019. There were four quarterly collections in the dry and rainy periods. The active principles were not found in sediment samples. In soil samples, only the active ingredients tebuconazole and propiconazole were found in the third collection campaign. The active ingredients amethryn, atrazine, carbendazim, epoxiconazole, metconazole, propiconazole, simazine, tebuconazole, and tetraconazole were found in water samples from Formoso River at concentrations of up to 0.286 µg L-1 (atrazine). Although the substances are in low concentrations, we cannot assume that this toxicity is low considering that the risk of a certain pesticide depends on levels and exposure time. Therefore, the action of substances external to the natural environment always threatens biodiversity.