Pesticides are applied in agricultural and urban areas to control weeds, insects, fungus, and other pests. Applied pesticides and their degradates can be transported off-site through a variety of mechanisms; these pesticides can then be found in non-target areas. Pesticide transport can occur through the atmosphere, in the aqueous phase (surface and groundwater) and associated with soil/sediment. Depending on persistence and concentration, pesticides can cause adverse effects to aquatic organisms and humans. To understand pesticide exposure, it is imperative that we understand pesticide fate and transport mechanisms.
Organic Chemistry Research Laboratory
Chemists and hydrologists at the Organic Chemistry Research Laboratory (OCRL) develop targeted analytical methods for the quantitation of chemicals that can impact the health of organisms and humans.
New - Neonicotinoid Seed Treatment Study
Data on the transport (via irrigation runoff) of neonicotinoid insecticides to surface waters in California's Salinas Valley.
USGS Environmental Health Science
USGS Environmental Health science provides support for the study of contaminants in the environment. Our goal is to protect that most precious resource—health.
The Pesticide Fate Research Group (PFRG), located at the USGS California Water Science Center, is focused on assessing the occurrence, fate, and transport of current-use pesticides and other organic contaminants in aquatic and terrestrial environments throughout California and the nation. The PFRG is a dynamic group of chemists, hydrologists, and physical scientists, with specialized training and experience. The PFRG is involved in every aspect of the research process: field study design and sampling, analytical method development in multiple matrices (water, sediment, plants, biota), sample analysis using state of the art instrumentation, data interpretation and data management, and writing and reporting results to diverse stakeholders.
While pesticides are the main research focus of the group, the PFRG does research on other organic chemicals, using their skillset and analytical capabilities to work on a broader range of environmental contaminants including disinfection by-products, chemicals related to cannabis production, alkylphenols, etc.
The PFRG focuses on building collaborative relationships with State cooperators, researchers in academia, and scientists within the USGS and at other federal agencies. As a result of our collaborative nature, project funds come from a variety of sources: USGS mission areas such as Environmental Health (Toxic Substances Hydrology Program and Contaminant Biology Program), Ecosystems, and Water, other USGS Water Science Centers, and Cooperator sources such as California State Department of Pesticide Regulation, Water Resources Control Board, Department of Water Resources, etc.
These collaborative networks are exemplified in our Publications and in our current projects summarized on our Related Science page.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Neonicotinoid Seed Treatment Study
Occurrence of Current-use Pesticides in Suisun Bay and Potential Effects on Phytoplankton
Pesticide Studies in the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta and San Francisco Bay Estuary
Pyrethroids
Pesticide Occurrence in California – Yolo Bypass Pesticide Analyses
Delta Regional Monitoring Program: Current-use Pesticides
Coordinated Pesticide Reconnaissance Study of Surface Waters in California
Pesticides in Suspended Sediment of the Alamo and New Rivers
- Overview
Pesticides are applied in agricultural and urban areas to control weeds, insects, fungus, and other pests. Applied pesticides and their degradates can be transported off-site through a variety of mechanisms; these pesticides can then be found in non-target areas. Pesticide transport can occur through the atmosphere, in the aqueous phase (surface and groundwater) and associated with soil/sediment. Depending on persistence and concentration, pesticides can cause adverse effects to aquatic organisms and humans. To understand pesticide exposure, it is imperative that we understand pesticide fate and transport mechanisms.
Organic Chemistry Research Laboratory
Chemists and hydrologists at the Organic Chemistry Research Laboratory (OCRL) develop targeted analytical methods for the quantitation of chemicals that can impact the health of organisms and humans.
New - Neonicotinoid Seed Treatment Study
Data on the transport (via irrigation runoff) of neonicotinoid insecticides to surface waters in California's Salinas Valley.
USGS Environmental Health Science
USGS Environmental Health science provides support for the study of contaminants in the environment. Our goal is to protect that most precious resource—health.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.The above illustration lists pesticide terminology commonly used by scientists. (Click image to enlarge.) The Pesticide Fate Research Group (PFRG), located at the USGS California Water Science Center, is focused on assessing the occurrence, fate, and transport of current-use pesticides and other organic contaminants in aquatic and terrestrial environments throughout California and the nation. The PFRG is a dynamic group of chemists, hydrologists, and physical scientists, with specialized training and experience. The PFRG is involved in every aspect of the research process: field study design and sampling, analytical method development in multiple matrices (water, sediment, plants, biota), sample analysis using state of the art instrumentation, data interpretation and data management, and writing and reporting results to diverse stakeholders.
While pesticides are the main research focus of the group, the PFRG does research on other organic chemicals, using their skillset and analytical capabilities to work on a broader range of environmental contaminants including disinfection by-products, chemicals related to cannabis production, alkylphenols, etc.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.The above chart shows the history of the Pesticide Fate Research Group. (Click image to enlarge.) The PFRG focuses on building collaborative relationships with State cooperators, researchers in academia, and scientists within the USGS and at other federal agencies. As a result of our collaborative nature, project funds come from a variety of sources: USGS mission areas such as Environmental Health (Toxic Substances Hydrology Program and Contaminant Biology Program), Ecosystems, and Water, other USGS Water Science Centers, and Cooperator sources such as California State Department of Pesticide Regulation, Water Resources Control Board, Department of Water Resources, etc.
These collaborative networks are exemplified in our Publications and in our current projects summarized on our Related Science page.
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Neonicotinoid Seed Treatment Study
Neonicotinoids are a new class of insecticides chemically related to nicotine. Like nicotine, they act on receptors in the nerves and are generally much more toxic to insects, than they are to mammals and other higher organisms. Their use has increased rapidly over the last decade, driven in large part by their use for seed coating. Seed coating is when a seed is treated with an insecticide prior...Occurrence of Current-use Pesticides in Suisun Bay and Potential Effects on Phytoplankton
Suisun Bay is an area identified as critical habitat for the threatened Delta Smelt. Several important changes in the pelagic food web of this area have been documented over the last two decades indicating that food for Delta Smelt and other threatened fishes is in short.Pesticide Studies in the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta and San Francisco Bay Estuary
The objectives of this specific study are to characterize the mixtures of current-use pesticides and pesticide degradates entering the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta from its two main river sources over a period of 12 consecutive months.Pyrethroids
Pyrethroid insecticide use in California has been increasing in recent years. Pyrethroids are used in both agricultural and urban areas. They are of environmental concern because of their high toxicity to fish and invertebrates.Pesticide Occurrence in California – Yolo Bypass Pesticide Analyses
The project is part of an overarching Interagency Ecological Program (IEP)/Department of Water Resources (DWR) study that is focused on understanding the processes by which the Yolo Bypass may provide a fall food web supply for the Cache Slough Complex and downstream regions of the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta. Several studies conducted since 2011 have shown that phytoplankton blooms can be...Delta Regional Monitoring Program: Current-use Pesticides
This study will utilize the unique analytical capabilities of the USGS Pesticide Fate Research Group (PFRG), Organic Chemistry Research Laboratory (OCRL) to assess the occurrence of a large suite of understudied, current-use pesticides and pesticide degradates in surface waters entering the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta.Coordinated Pesticide Reconnaissance Study of Surface Waters in California
Pesticides are used throughout the State of California in both urban and agricultural settings and are routinely detected in surface water. Each year, new pesticides are introduced to the market and often become detected in surface water. It can take several years or more for routine monitoring programs to acquire the capability to detect new and understudied pesticides of concern because...Pesticides in Suspended Sediment of the Alamo and New Rivers
Previous studies have detected current-use pesticides and DDT metabolites in water and suspended sediments from the Alamo and New Rivers. Additional studies have found water samples from both rivers to be toxic to aquatic organisms in laboratory bioassays, and implicated certain current-use pesticides as the source of this toxicity. Recent requirements under the Clean Water Act for the Regional... - Data
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