ARS | Publication request: Atmospheric transport of endosulfan to Everglades and Biscayne National Parks

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: August 23, 2012
Publication Date: August 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].

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.