Agricultural Pesticides and Water Quality

This lecture discusses the impact of agricultural pesticides on water quality, focusing on initiatives in Switzerland to reduce pesticide usage and protect groundwater. It covers the goals of drinking water initiatives, the definition of pesticides, the overview of pesticide usage in Switzerland, and the effects of pesticides on groundwater. The lecture also explores the reaction of pesticide regulators, the assessment of groundwater leaching potential, and the quantification of sorption. It concludes with an evaluation of alternatives to pesticide usage, including mechanical weed control and living mulch, and the assessment of metabolites in groundwater.