title: Occurrence of glyphosate and acidic herbicides in select urban rivers and streams in Canada, 2007.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Public and scientific concern has grown over the last decade in Canada over the cosmetic use of pesticides in urban centers. With this in mind, a national survey was designed to monitor eight commonly used herbicides in urban rivers and streams across Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  To coordinate sample collections across the country, samples were collected monthly on one of two predetermined dates from April to September, 2007 from 19 sites within 16 watersheds, including 15 sites downstream of urban lands and two reference sites. Water samples were also collected approximately three times from each watershed during or after precipitation events. All samples were collected using a common sampling protocol and all were analyzed using the same analytical laboratories.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The herbicides 2,4-D, mecoprop, dicamba, glyphosate and its major metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) were most frequently detected. Using either herbicide concentrations upstream/downstream of urban centers or bromoxynil and clopyralid as indictors of agricultural inputs of herbicides to streams, it was clear that environmental concentrations of these herbicides downstream of urban areas were linked to urban use in Canada. Herbicide concentrations in streams draining urban areas were greater during or after significant rainfall events and, with the exception of glyphosate, were significantly greater in the Province of Ontario. Herbicide concentrations were not correlated to the proportion of the watersheds in urban land use. Also, there was no difference in seasonal patterns of herbicide concentrations across urban centers when grouped in five geographic areas. None of the herbicide concentrations measured exceeded existing Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for the protection of aquatic life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first time a national survey of pesticides in urban rivers has been carried out in a consistent fashion across Canada. Concentrations of 2,4-D, mecoprop, dicamba, glyphosate, and AMPA were linked to urban use and frequently detected in all geographic areas. However, geographic differences in concentration suggested differences in usage or stream connectivity patterns among urban centers. Some jurisdictions in Canada have recently restricted cosmetic use of pesticides and it would be interesting to determine whether such restrictions will lead to reduced pesticide concentrations in urban streams.
authors.affiliation: Water Science and Technology Directorate, Environment Canada, National Hydrology Research Centre, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 3H5. Nancy.Glozier@ec.gc.ca
authors.forename: Nancy E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Glozier
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Struger
authors.forename: Allan J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Cessna
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gledhill
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rondeau
authors.forename: William R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Ernst
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sekela
authors.forename: Steve J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Cagampan
authors.forename: Ed
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sverko
authors.forename: Clair
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Janine L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Donald
mesh_terms: D015084:2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D008456:2-Methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D002170:Canada; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D003996:Dicamba / Q000032:analysis; D005998:Glycine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D006540:Herbicides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007555:Isoxazoles; D063065:Organophosphonates / Q000032:analysis; D010865:Pilot Projects; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012621:Seasons; D013777:Tetrazoles; D014507:Urbanization; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D060753:Water Quality; D000097797:Glyphosate
chemical_list: D015084:2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid; D008456:2-Methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic Acid; D003996:Dicamba; D005998:Glycine; D006540:Herbicides; D007555:Isoxazoles; D063065:Organophosphonates; D013777:Tetrazoles; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D000097797:Glyphosate; C008340:mecoprop; C418233:2-amino-3-(3-hydrox-5(2-methyl-2H-tetrazol-5-yl)isoxazol-4-yl)propionic acid