ABSTRACT
There are several chemical compounds widely used throughout the world to control a great variety of pests, principally in agriculture. These compounds, known as pesticides, have been used for several years, and have contributed significantly to food production. However, although benefits of their application are evident, negative environmental impacts must also be considered. Pesticides were formulated to act on target organisms, but only a small proportion of them are effectively applied, and consequently, a great proportion is localized in other environment compartments as soil, surface- and ground-water. The implications of pesticides on the environment, especially regarding their persistence, biodegradation, impact on microbial communities, and effects on soil fertility, have become a matter of concern in recent years. In this sense, point source contamination with pesticides has been seen as the principal cause of soil or water pollution. Biobeds are simple and low-cost biological systems used to reduce point source water and soil contamination by pesticides. This chapter shows some effects of pesticide pollution on the environment and the interesting contribution of biobed systems to reduce point source pollution. Other aspects, like its conformation in different countries, performance to degrade pesticides alone or in mixtures, and future perspectives, are also discussed.
