Triazine herbicide concentrations in the German Wadden Sea

The concentrations of five triazine herbicides, two metabolites and the phenylurea herbicide linuron were studied in the sediments of the German Wadden Sea. Propazine and simazine were present in all samples, and in some samples concentrations exceeded 500 ng/kg fresh weight for propazine, terbutylazine, prometryn, linuron and the metabolite desethylatrazine. Particularly high concentrations existed in the river Weser estuary, but there were still detectable amounts at comparatively pristine areas as well.