Neonicotinoids are a group of systemic insecticides with a similar structure and function to nicotine. Due to their hydrophilic characteristics, the environmental fate of a large proportion of the applied product is the aquatic environment, where little is known about their behaviour and impact.
The aim of this project is to investigate the behaviour of neonicotinoids and their degradation products in the Australian aquatic environment and to discover the impact this may be having. This work involves the development of sensitive analytical methods for the qualitative and quantitative detection of neonicotinoids in environmental matrices including wastewater influent and effluent, freshwater, groundwater, and coastal marine systems.
Conference Presentations
Beggs, C., Alongi, C., Gorji, S.G., Schulze, B., Thomas, K.V., Kaserzon, S. Target and suspect screening of neonicotinoids and their transformation products in environmental matrices, Queensland Mass Spectrometry Symposium, Brisbane, Australia, 1-2 December 2022.
Beggs, C., Clokey, J., Ghorbani Gorji, S., Thomas, K. V, Kaserzon, S. L. Exposure assessment and rise of widespread use of neonicotinoids in the Moreton Bay Catchment. 58th Annual Conference of the Australian Marine Science Association Conference, Cairns, Australia, 7-11 August 2022.