An investigation of spray drift deposition of glyphosate from an herbicide spraying train and its potential impact on non-target vegetation and railway ditches

• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177208
• Publication Date: 2024-11-06T08:43:11Z
• Authors: Fredrik Andersson; Simon Barthelemy; Harald Cederlund
• Keywords: Deposition; Aerial application

Spray drift of glyphosate has the potential to affect non-target vegetation and surface waters close application area. To assess likelihood such impact along Swedish railways, four field experiments were conducted at three railway sites during 2019 2020. An herbicide spraying train applied Roundup Ultra (glyphosate) speeds 33 48 km/h. Quantitative filter papers placed 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3 5 m distances capture spray droplets. Wind low (0-2 m/s), but found be representative normal operating conditions. deposition decreased rapidly with distance, declining from 1800 g a.e./ha an average g/ha within 1 m. Predicted 90th percentile rates suggested on <1 m, where would range full dose 18 g/ha. Beyond 1.5 sprayed area, was deemed unlikely. The concentrations in ditches near railways did not exceed 100 μg glyphosate/L environmental quality standard even for situated only 0.5 indicating risk or final recipients. Actual assessed using weed coverage data recorded by itself. We extracted coverages 10 sections around edges no zones focused outermost surveyed, 0.35 1.4 outside ranged 565 6 g/ha, averaging 80 this zone. By comparing adjacent track sections, tracks treated those that not, we demonstrate there is a statistically significant relatively minor effect track.