Biological Implications of Pesticides in Small Urban Streams

Dean Wilson

King County Department of Natural Resources and ParksWater and Land Resources Division

November 2003

Study Purpose

Assess the biological effects of pesticides present in small streams

Analyze for over 150 different pesticides

Analyze for metals

Assess toxicity using 3 different test species

Develop effects thresholds

Seattle

Study Area

2,4-D

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

Jan

A

2,4-D

Study Design

DIAZINON

0500

1000

1500200025003000

35004000

JAN

_97

FEB

_97

MA

R_9

7

AP

R_9

7

MA

Y_9

7

JUN

_97

JUL_

97

AU

G_9

7

SE

P_9

7

OC

T_97

NO

V_9

7

DE

C_9

7

Diazinon

Laboratory AnalysesPesticides

Dissolved insecticides (USGS schedule 2010)Chlorinated insecticides (DDT)(Manchester)Chlorinated herbicides (2,4-D)Triazine compounds (atrazine)Organophosphorus insecticides (Diazinon)Glyphosate (Roundup)

Metals

Threshold Effects Levels

2,4-D 2,6 Dichlorobenzamide4-Nitrophenol BromacilCarbaryl CarbofuranDicamba DichlobenilDichloroprop DiuronEthofumesate MCPAMCPP MetolachlorMetalaxyl NapropamidPentachlorophenol PrometonSimazine TebuthironTrifluralin

Toxicity

Green algae Selenastrum capricornutumDuck weed Lemna minorWater flea Ceriodaphnia dubia

ResultsPesticides

Frequency of Detection All

05

10152025303540

Carb

ofur

anEt

hofu

mes

aM

etal

axap

ropa

mid

Oxa

diaz

4,4-

DDD

4,4-

DDE

4,4-

DDBr

oma

ylat

razi

nDi

chlo

ropr

Met

olac

hlTr

iflur

alDi

urho

sph

Chlo

rpyr

ifG

lyph

osM

alat

hiM

CPut

hiur

robe

nzam

idDi

cam

bAt

razi

roph

enCa

rba

Sim

azi

Diaz

inDi

chlo

be MCP 24

phen

Prom

etTr

iclo

p

N = 53

Freq of Detection Storm

05

10

15

20

25

30

Car

bofu

ran

hofu

mes

ate

Met

alax

ylO

xadi

azon

hano

l pho

sh

Bro

mac

ilra

zine

*M

etol

achl

orN

apro

pam

ide

4,4-

DD

D*

4,4-

DD

E*4,

4-D

DT

iflur

alin

Diu

roph

...C

hlor

pyrif

osD

ichl

orop

rop

Tebu

thiu

ron

orob

en...

Atr

azin

ely

phos

ate

Mal

athi

onM

CPA

maz

ine

Dic

amb

phen

ol*

Car

bary

lch

lobe

nil

Dia

zino 24

DM

CPP

met

onro

phen

olTr

iclo

pyr

N = 32

Freq of Detection Baseflow

02468

101214

2-bu

toxy

eth

anol

pho

spha

te4,

4-D

DE*

hlor

opro

pN

apro

pam

ide

4,4-

DD

D*

Car

bofu

ran

hofu

mes

ate

Mal

athi

onM

etal

axyl

Oxa

diaz

on4,

4-D

DT

Dic

amb

MC

PA...

Bro

mac

ilC

arba

ryl

orpy

rifos

hyla

traz

ine*

Gly

phos

ate

Met

olac

hlor

Trifl

ural

inD

iuro

zam

ide*

4-N

itrop

heno

l*A

traz

ine

Dia

zino

nbu

thiu

ron

Dic

hlob

enil

MC

PP2

4D

met

onSi

maz

ine

roph

enol

Tric

lopy

r

N = 21

Threshold Effects LevelsExceeded

Diazinon 7Copper 3Simazine 2DDT 2Lead 1Malathion 1

Total 16

Observed Toxicity

47 % (25 times total)

59 % Storm (19)

29 % Baseflow (6)

What does it all mean?

Acute Toxicity was observed in 2 samples.

Toxicity was observed in 4 samples and thresholds were exceeded.

In an additional 4 samples no toxicity was observed,yet thresholds were exceeded.

Uncertainty

Toxicity was observed in 19 samples yet no thresholds were exceeded.

Chemicals not testedOther pesticidesSurfactantsOther chemicals

Other Issues

Mixtures

Test Durations

Acknowledgements

King County USGS

Helle Andersen Lonna FransJim Buckley Sandy EmbreyJulie Aliamo Jim EbbertGary Yoshida Joe GilbertFran Sweeney Ragaen HuffmanGeorge PerryColin ElliottMary SilvaMelinda FergusonDoug Henderson Manchester LaboratoryDeb LesterJonathan Frodge Stuart MagoonDave Funke Pam Covey

Karin FeddersenBob CarrelWill White

Http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/waterres/streams/pestindex.htm