environmental risk assessment of registered insecticides in iran using environmental impact quotient (eiq) index

in the last decades, pesticides have been used extensively, in order to control pests and plant diseases, but negative impacts of pesticides caused several environmental problems and put human health in danger. in order to decrease environmental hazards of pesticide, risk of pesticide application should be measured briefly and precisely. in this study environmental impacts of registered insecticides in iran which applied in 2001-2002, 2003-2004, 2004-2005, are considered using environmental impact quotient (eiq) index. results showed that among considered insecticides, imidacloprid, fipronil and tiodicarb, potentially (eiq) were the most hazardous insecticides, respectively. taking rate of application and active ingredient of insecticide in to account, environmental impact (practical toxicity) per cultivated hectare (eiq field) of each provinces were investigated. in this regard, among different province of iran, kerman, mazandaran and golestan were in danger more than the others, respectively. besides, considering the amount of agricultural production in provinces, environmental impact per ton of production were calculated for each provinces which three northern provinces of mazandaran, golestan and guilan, respectively endure the most environmental impact per ton of production. eventually based on environmental impact quotient, results demonstrated that majority of environmental impacts of insecticide in iran were due to inadequate knowledge and also overuse of a few number of insecticides. therefore, by improving knowledge about environmental impact of pesticides and also developing environmental friendly and ecological based methods, negative environmental impacts of insecticides will be reduced significantly.