Brazil is the world's largest consumer of pesticides and numerous studies have reported damage to both human health and the environment due to exposure and the toxicity of these agrochemicals. Sugarcane crops present the highest herbicide consumption, leaving the margins of large watersheds. In this study, we have investigated the occurrence of herbicides in the surface waters of three different catchment areas, the rivers: Tracunhaém, Três Bocas and Capibaribe Mirim, all located in Goiana,

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... ambuco, in a region outstanding for its intense agroindustrial activity, coastal marine biome and areas of shrimp farming. These rivers supply the domestic, industrial and agricultural consumption of around 26 municipalities of the North region of the Zona da Mata in the state of Pernambuco, and has a population of 465,549. Twelve herbicides were investigated in the waters of the Goiana River using the ultra-efficient liquid chromatography technique coupled with triploquadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The study was conducted from March to August 2019 and detected the presence of residues from the herbicides Ametryn, Atrazine, Diuron and Tebuthiuron during March, April and May, in concentrations ranging from 10 to 150 µg L-1. The results indicate the need to monitor surface water contamination, as current agricultural practices have an unprecedented impact on water quality and consequently on ecosystems and human health.