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Pesticide occurrence and aquatic benchmark exceedances in urban surface waters and sediments in three urban areas of California, USA, 2008–2011

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Abstract

Urban pesticide use has a direct impact on surface water quality. To determine the extent of pesticide contamination, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation initiated a multi-area urban monitoring program in 2008. Water and sediment samples were collected at sites unaffected by agricultural inputs in three areas: Sacramento (SAC), San Francisco Bay (SFB), and Orange County (OC). Samples were analyzed for up to 64 pesticides or degradates. Multiple detections were common; 50 % of the water samples contained five or more pesticides. Statewide, the most frequently detected insecticides in water were bifenthrin, imidacloprid, fipronil, fipronil sulfone, fipronil desulfinyl, carbaryl, and malathion. Bifenthrin was the most common contaminant in sediment samples. Key differences by area: OC had more pesticides detected than SAC or SFB with higher concentrations of fipronil, whereas SAC had higher concentrations of bifenthrin. The most frequently detected herbicides were 2,4-D, triclopyr, dicamba, diuron, and pendimethalin. Key differences by area: OC and SFB had higher concentrations of triclopyr, whereas SAC had higher concentrations of 2,4-D and dicamba. Detection frequency, number of pesticides per sample, and pesticide concentration increased during rainstorm events. In water samples, all of the bifenthrin, malathion, fipronil, permethrin, and λ-cyhalothrin detections, and most of the fipronil sulfone and cyfluthrin detections were above their lowest US EPA aquatic benchmark. Diuron was the only herbicide that was detected above its lowest benchmark. Based on the number of pesticides and exceedances of aquatic benchmarks or the high number of sediment toxicity units, pesticides are abundant in California surface waters.

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Acknowledgements

Many people have generously given their time to help this study succeed. Thanks to the staff of the Surface Water Protection Program, Environmental Monitoring, CDPR, and the Center for Analytical Chemistry, CDFA. We especially thank Carissa Ganapathy and Sue Peoples for sample coordination, to Jesse Ybarra at CDPR’s West Sacramento facility, to the many of DPR’s scientific aides (Sarah Lyon, Jessica Mullane, Jennifer Cowley, Jennifer Kusler, Emily Lisker, Martha Diaz, Kimberly Osienski, and Kevin Richardson) who worked tirelessly on this project, to Frank Spurlock for his succinct review, and to Li-Ming He for his early leadership in this project. Lastly, we thank Darren Haver and Tammy Majcherek, South Coast Research and Extension Center, Irvine California, for collecting numerous rain runoff samples and general expertise of the Orange County monitoring areas.

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The mention of commercial products, their source, or use in connection with material reported herein is not to be construed as an actual or implied endorsement of such product.

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Correspondence to Michael P. Ensminger.

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Ensminger, M.P., Budd, R., Kelley, K.C. et al. Pesticide occurrence and aquatic benchmark exceedances in urban surface waters and sediments in three urban areas of California, USA, 2008–2011. Environ Monit Assess 185, 3697–3710 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-012-2821-8

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