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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Hydrology and Remote Sensing Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #283033

Title: Atmospheric transport of endosulfan to Everglades and Biscayne National Parks

Author
item Hapeman, Cathleen
item McConnell, Laura
item Potter, Thomas
item HARMAN-FETCHO, J - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item Schmidt, Walter
item Rice, Clifford
item SCHAFFER, B - University Of Florida
item CURRY, R - Us National Park Service

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/23/2012
Publication Date: 8/23/2012
Citation: Hapeman, C.J., Mcconnell, L.L., Potter, T.L., Harman-Fetcho, J.A., Schmidt, W.F., Rice, C., Schaffer, B.A., Curry, R. 2012. Atmospheric transport of endosulfan to Everglades and Biscayne National Parks. [abstract].

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Urban encroachment and agricultural activities have been implicated in contributing to the environmental health decline and loss of organism diversity of South Florida ecosystems. Intensive agricultural pesticide use on vegetable and horticultural crops in the region may have a negative effect on sensitive organisms. One possible transport mechanism is pesticide release to the atmosphere after application. We examined the atmospheric fate of the widely-used insecticide endosulfan. Air samples were collected over a five-year period at a site within the agricultural community, and at sites located in nearby Biscayne and Everglades National Parks. Endosulfan emissions from agricultural areas around Homestead appeared to influence air concentration observations at the NP sites. The physio-chemical properties of the two endosulfan isomers were used to examine contributions from pesticide drift and volatilization to the receptor sites.