Priority pesticides in sediments of European coastal lagoons: A review

Abstract This review summarizes the legislation applied to pesticides and highlights the physicochemical properties of the past and recently listed PPs under Water Framework Directive (WFD). It reports important information regarding the analysis, occurrence and long-term screening of PPs in sediments of European coastal lagoons. Among the entire list of PPs, those analyzed have been the organochloride insecticides, such as lindane, hexachlorobenzene and DDT. Although flood events pointed to the possible redistribution of pesticides, which may increase under climate change conditions, few studies are available concerning PPs screening in sediments of European coastal lagoons. Data is scarce not only in terms of the number of listed PPs that have been analyzed but also in terms of their long-term screening. This lack of data on PP concentrations is probably a consequence of the fact that less importance is given to the sediments contamination/quality.