Partitioning and persistence of trichlorfon and chlorpyrifos in a creeping bentgrass putting green

Golf course putting greens typically receive high pesticide applications to meet high quality demands. Research on pesticide fate in turf ecosystems is important to better understand the potential impact of pesticide use on the environment and human health. This research was conducted to evaluate the environmental fate of two commonly used insecticides--trichlorfon (dimethyl 2,2,2-trichloro-1-hydroxyethylphosphonate) and chlorpyrifos (O,O-diethyl O-3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridylphosphorothioate)--in a creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris Huds.) putting green under customary field management practices at the University of California-Riverside Turf Research Facility during 1996 and 1997. The two insecticides were chosen because of their difference in water solubility, persistence, adsorption, and vapor pressure. Volatilization, clipping removal, and soil residues of the insecticides were quantified and leaching was monitored using lysimeters installed in putting green plots. Results showed trichlorfon volatilization, clipping removal, and leaching loss was insignificant (in the range of 0.0001-0.06% of applied mass) both in 1996 and 1997. No significant difference in clipping removal of trichlorfon and chlorpyrifos was observed in both years (0.06 and 0.05% of applied mass for trichlorfon and 0.15 and 0.19% of applied mass for chlorpyrifos, respectively, in 1996 and 1997), but significantly lower cumulative leaching and lower soil concentration was observed in 1997 than in 1996. Volatilization loss of chlorpyrifos was not significantly different between 1996 (2.05%) and 1997 (2.71%). Volatilization loss of trichlorfon in 1996 (0.01%) was significantly higher than in 1997 (0.008%). This study demonstrated the fraction of applied insecticides leaving the turf putting greens was minimal.     

CALIBRATION OF STORM LOADS IN THE SOUTH PRONG WATERSHED,FLORIDA, USING BASINS/HSPF1

ABSTRACT: The South Prong watershed is a major tributary system of the Sebastian River and adjacent Indian River Lagoon. Continued urbanization of the Sebastian River drainage basin and other watersheds of the Indian River Lagoon is expected to increase runoff and nonpoint source pollutant loads. The St. Johns River Water Management District developed watershed simulation models to estimate potential impacts on the ecological systems of receiving waters and to assist planners in devising strategies to prevent further degradation of water resources. In the South Prong system, a storm water sampling program was carried out to calibrate the water quality components of the watershed model for total suspended solids (TSS), total phosphorous (TP), and total nitrogen (TN). During the period of May to November 1999, water quality and flow data were collected at three locations within the watershed. Two of the sampling stations were located at the downstream end of major watercourses. The third station was located at the watershed outlet. Five storm events were sampled and measured at each station. Sampling was conducted at appropriate intervals to represent the rising limb, peak, and recession limb of each storm event. The simulations were handled by HSPF (Hydrologic Simulation Program‐Fortran). Results include calibration of the hydrology and calibration of the individual storm loads. The hydrologic calibration was continuous over the period 1994 through 1999. Simulated storm runoff, storm loads, and event mean concentrations were compared with their corresponding observed values. The hydrologic calibration showed good results. The outcome of the individual storm calibrations was mixed. Overall, however, the simulated storm loads agreed reasonably well with measured loads for a majority of the storms.     

Interdependence with the environment: Commitment,interconnectedness, and environmental behavior

Do individuals’ perceptions of their interdependence with the natural environment affect their environmental behaviors? From the perspective of interdependence theory, we introduce a scale to measure commitment to the natural environment. In Study 1, higher levels of commitment to the environment and greater inclusion of nature in the self separately predicted higher levels of pro-environmental behavior, even when controlling for social desirability and ecological worldview. In Study 2, participants primed to experience high commitment to the environment reported greater levels of pro-environmental behavioral intentions as well as pro-environmental behavior relative to participants primed to experience low commitment to the environment. Commitment to the natural environment is a new theoretical construct that predicts environmental behavior.     

Geospatial indicators of emerging water stress: an application to Africa

This study demonstrates the use of globally available Earth system science data sets for water assessment in otherwise information-poor regions of the world. Geospatial analysis at 8 km resolution shows that 64% of Africans rely on water resources that are limited and highly variable. Where available, river corridor flow is critical in augmenting local runoff, reducing impacts of climate variability, and improving access to freshwater. A significant fraction of cropland resides in Africa's driest regions, with 39% of the irrigation nonsustainable. Chronic overuse and water stress is high for 25% of the population with an additional 13% experiencing drought-related stress once each generation. Paradoxically, water stress for the vast majority of Africans typically remains low, reflecting poor water infrastructure and service, and low levels of use. Modest increases in water use could reduce constraints on economic development, pollution, and challenges to human health. Developing explicit geospatial indicators that link biogeophysical, socioeconomic, and engineering perspectives constitutes an important next step in global water assessment.     

Brownfields Update: The Reform of the Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative

This journal first reported on the U.S. EPA's Brownfields Initiative in the summer 1995 edition of Remediation. At that time, the initiative was only about 15 months old, most of the state programs were in proposal stages, and little federal legislation addressing brownfields had been proposed. Today, brownfields has become such a common term that almost every environmental professional is familiar with it. The EPA has placed extremely high priority on the Brownfields Initiative and it has become a politically hot issue. This article provides an update on the current status of EPA's Brownfields program and also discusses recent legislation proposed by Congress to promote brownfields redevelopment. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Prenatal exclusion of the hhh syndrome

Prenatal diagnosis of the hyperornithinaemia, hyperammonaemia, and homocitrullinuria syndrome is described by the analysis of ornithine incorporation in second-trimester cultured amniotic fluid cells. An unaffected fetus was predicted and confirmed in the newborn child. This is the third reported prenatal diagnosis for this disorder and the second predicting an unaffected fetus.