Neonicotinoid concentrations in arable soils after seed treatment applications in preceding years

BACKGROUND Concentrations of the neonicotinoid insecticides clothianidin, thiamethoxam and imidacloprid were determined in arable soils from a variety of locations in England. RESULTS In soil samples taken from the central area of fields, concentrations of clothianidin ranged from 0.02 to 13.6 µg kg −1 . Thiamethoxam concentrations were between <0.02 and 1.50 µg kg −1 , and imidacloprid concentrations between <0.09 and 10.7 µg kg −1 ....