Pesticides and metabolites in our tap water?

What's in the tap water at Limal in Wallonia?

With this in mind, we commissioned the EUROFINS | EURACETA laboratory (Laboratoire d'Analyses et de Contrôles Environnementaux, Toxicologiques & Agro-alimentaires) on July 4, 2023 to analyze conventional drinking water.

Naturally, we wanted to find out if our ÖKO EUROPE filter was capable of eliminating any contaminants.

Results of Limal tap water analyses before and after filtration

You'll find full details of the study on the Technology & Analysis page of our website, with a dedicated insert and the detailed document supplied by the laboratory.

Here are the various contaminants that were present in unexpected doses:

• Desethyl-atrazine: Herbicide broken down from atrazine, banned in Europe since 2004;
• 2,6-Dichlorobenzamide: Degradation of dichlobenil, a herbicide widely used until June 2009, when it was banned due to its presence in large quantities in groundwater;
• Chlorthalonil M 12: Chlorothalonil is a fungicide re-approved from 2006 to 2018. However, it is classified as Acute toxicity category 2 (fatal by inhalation), Skin sensitization category 1 (may cause skin allergy), Serious eye damage category 1 (causes severe eye damage), Respiratory tract irritation category 3, Carcinogenicity category 2 (may cause cancer) and Danger to the aquatic environment category 1 (very toxic to aquatic organisms) ;
• Metolachlor ethanesulfonic acid: S-metolachlor is the most widely used herbicide in France in 2023, and a ban is currently being introduced;
• Chloridazone-methyl-desphenyl: Chloridazone is a pesticide that was mainly used in beet cultivation until December 2020 ;
• Metazachlor ethanesulfonic acid: Breakdown of the S-metolachlor mentioned above;
• Metolachlor NOA 413173: A derivative of S-metolachlor whose toxicity is also under study;

The complete result before and after filtration is shown below:

These molecules are also present in tap water in France and Europe.

• Read the SUD OUEST article on ATRAZINE here:

Atrazine, a herbicide widely used in agriculture for almost 50 years, particularly in corn crops, and which was banned in France in 2001, was detected in Trentels in the Lot-et-Garonne region at a concentration exceeding established standards.

A derogation raised the acceptable threshold to 0.60 µg/l, compared with the initial threshold of 0.1 µg/l (and the WHO threshold of 2 µg/l).

• France 3 Bourgogne Franche-comté article on pesticide residues including dichlobenil at here :

The association Générations Futures published a study on June 17, 2020, raising concerns about the amount of pesticide residues in tap water in Haute-Saône. These residues include endocrine disruptors and substances with carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic properties.

In 2019, 333 pesticide residues were identified in the department's water from 258 samples taken by the Regional Health Agency. In addition, 123 compounds identified are no longer authorized in France or the EU.

The association considers these results alarming, and calls for a transition to synthetic pesticide-free agriculture.

• Article from Vie-publique.fr, government information site on chlorothalonil, to be read here :

Residues of the fungicide chlorothalonil, banned in France since May 2020, have been detected in drinking water according to a report by the French National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (Anses) published on April 6, 2023.

Based on 136,000 analysis results from water catchment points supplying 20% of the water distributed in France, the report revealed the presence of seven molecules exceeding the water quality limit of 0.1 µg/litre. Chlorothalonil R471811, a degradation product of chlorothalonil, is the most frequently found compound. It appeared in over half the samples taken, and a third of these exceeded the regulatory limit.

This molecule appears to be ubiquitous in both surface and ground water, suggesting that chlorothalonil degradation products persist even after it has been banned. Although concentrations are below toxic levels, this contamination also affects some bottled waters.

This is a cause for concern, as the technologies needed to remove this metabolite from water are both energy-intensive and costly. This poses a particular challenge for smaller water treatment plants. As a result, the cost of the necessary improvements could well be passed on to the consumer in the price of water.

• Ouest France article on S-metachlor, to be read here :

On May 5, 2023, the European Commission decided to renew the authorization of the herbicide S-metolachlor (the third most widely used herbicide in France), on the market until November 15, 2024. This decision comes despite the fact that the European Food Safety Authority (Efsa) had recommended against re-authorizing this herbicide in February due to environmental concerns, and that the Anses banned its use in France on April 20, 2023.

The French Minister of Agriculture, Marc Fesneau, stirred up controversy by calling for a "reassessment" of the ban, wishing to bring the French position into line with that of the EU. Despite the debate, the herbicide remains banned in France, with a grace period allowing the sale of products containing S-metolachlor until October 20, 2023, and the use of stocks until October 20, 2024.

• France 3 Normandie article on Chlorizadone, read it here :

Abnormally high levels of Chlorizadone have been observed in France, particularly in the Calvados region. In this region, drinking water is mainly extracted from groundwater, which currently contains up to 400 different pesticide residues, including the recently identified Chloridazone.

Emergency changes were made in order to stay below the threshold of 3 micrograms per liter.

Conclusion

These molecules are effectively filtered by the ÖKO EUROPE water bottle.

We remain convinced that the use of a filtration system such as the ÖKO EUROPE water bottle is necessary before drinking tap water and to stay in excellent health.

Don't hesitate to share this study with your friends and family.

Good aquatically,

ÖKO EUROPE