N-/P-pesticides in the Czech and German part of the river Elbe — Analytical methods and trends of pollution

A GC/MS screening procedure and an analytical routine method with GC/NP-detection is described for N-/P-pesticides in the river Elbe. The GC/MS screening procedure allows the separate analysis of pesticides in suspended particulate matter (SPM) and water (centrifugate). For the pesticides identified only a negligible (<1%) amount was bound to SPM compared to the “dissolved” amount in the centrifugate. N-/P-pesticide concentrations as time series and Elbe length-profiles are presented showing a drastical decrease of the pesticide pollution of the Elbe from 1989 to 1994. Major compounds were dimethoate, parathion-methyl, atrazine and simazine found in the μg/l range in the Elbe downstream of its tributary Mulde obviously stemming from a former East German pesticide production site.