Fipronil is a commercial insecticide that belongs to the phenylpyrazole chemical family, and as such it affects a large number of invertebrates. It was discovered and developed by Rhône-Poulenc between 1985-1987 and placed on the market in 1993 as a broad-use insecticide. Today, Fipronil is widely used against ectoparasites (fleas and ticks) in veterinary medicine and against insects in agriculture. While banned in many countries around the world, it is currently legal in the United States even though fipronil may influence non-target species as a result of the contamination of aquatic ecosystems. While its effects have been studied on bees many times its presence and effects on aquatic ecosystems are not completely known. However, in many cases, concentrations as low as 3ug/L resulted in a 100% death rate in juvenile shrimp. A study in Orange County California found fipronil in 70% of the samples they took.
Research Questions:
- Is fipronil present in Kansas waterways, and to what extent and concentration?
- What is the impact of Fipronil on different classes (pollution–tolerant species, moderate-pollution-tolerant species, and pollution-intolerant species) of aquatic macroinvertebrates?
