Arsenic in terrestrial invertebrates from riparian areas of the Piracicaba River Basin, São Paulo State, Brazil

There is no information on arsenic distribution in terrestrial invertebrates from riparian forests of urban and rural areas in Brazil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the As levels in invertebrates from riverine forests of the Piracicaba River Basin, São Paulo, Brazil, using the instrumental neutron activation analysis, k 0 -comparator method. After correction of mass fractions, values higher than 0.10 mg kg −1 were quantified in invertebrates from both urban and agricultural areas. An unexpected As mass fraction of 13 mg kg −1 obtained in the Coleopteran pest Macrodactylus pumilio indicated resistance to As-containing-pesticides.