Pesticide control, water monitoring

Although the major concern about the fate of organic pollntants in soil has been about pesticides in agricultural soils, other scenarios are also important. The disposal of wastes on land (e.g., at landfill sites) has raised questions about movement of pollutants contained in them into the air or neighboring rivers or water conrses. The presence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) or PAHs in snch wastes can be a significant source of pollution. Likewise, the disposal of some industrial wastes in landfill sites (e.g., by the chemical industry) raises questions about movement into air or water and needs to be carefully controlled and monitored. 

Monitoring and controlling pesticides in water (the way it was done in Russia and all other countries) does not give a true picture of the danger of pesticides in bodies of water, since it does not take into account the distribution of pesticides within the water mass layers [1,3]. The concentration of pesticides in the thin layer of water near the surface can be hundreds ( ) of times higher than in the rest of the water mass. The role of the surface layer is exceptionally important, not only for substance exchange between the atmosphere and the water, but also for the lives of many hydro organisms. 

Supplement to the 15 th edn. of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Waste Water. Selected Analytical Methods Approved and Cited by the US Environmental Protection agency. American Public Health Association, American Waterworks Association, Water Pollution Control Federation, Sept. (1978). Methods S60 and S63. Methods for benzidine, chlorinated organic compounds, pentachlorophenol and pesticides in water and waste water (Interim, Pending issuance of methods for organic analysis of water and wastes, Sept. 1978), Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Monitoring and Support Laboratory (EMSL). 

The fungicides are among the chemicals of wide use as plant diseases control agents in intensive agriculture. At the same time these pesticides could have toxic effects, when accumulated in man and animals. Because of general society concern about fungicides use, they should be monitored in waters, soils and crops. 

The above described situation deserves two final comments First of all, the need of keeping extensive monitoring campaigns for the control of pesticides in ground-water as the only reliable basis to assess quality status, and secondly, it must be... 

In this study a series of surface water and deep soil samples were analyzed to detect ai migration or runoff of waste pesticides from typical Chemical Control Centers. Entomological evaluation of soil biota and monitoring of dermal exposure to pesticides of mlxer-appllcators took place throughout the 1980 season. No adverse effects as a result of the Chemical Control Centers were detected. 

The use of pesticides in Malaysia dated back since after the Second World War. These persistent pollutants were primarily used for agriculture and vector control. DDT, dieldrin and endrin found extensive use before they were banned recently. Most of the other persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been banned in Malaysia. However, residues of these pesticides were found in various compartments of the environment such as water, sediment and biota. Nonpesticide POPs were not monitored as much but recent efforts have included monitoring and management of these POPs among other hazardous chemicals. This chapter presents the current status of POPs in Malaysia and various initiatives to manage these pollutants. 

The same society, however, is unable to tolerate potential, intangible and unmeasurable risks from food additives, pesticides, air pollutants, and water contaminants. As public health administrators, we have a responsibility not only to monitor and control these substances but also to help the public become fully aware of their risks and benefits without resort to rhetoric on either side of the issue. ... 

It is well known that use of chemicals in agriculture requires constant control regarding their residues in food products and the environment. Therefore, it is vital to improve preventive measures and reduce the risks to human health. In the Ukraine such supervision is carried out by the authorities of the State sanitary supervision and sanitary-epidemiological stations. They are located in every region, city, and district. A computer system was developed for monitoring pesticide residues in food products, water and woridng zone atmospheres. 

Greater action, within Romania and upstream countries, for stricter control of banned and severely restricted pesticides is a necessity, together with improvemoits in both monitoring techniques and frequency. Only by adopting these principles can safe and wholesome water supplies for future generations be provided. 

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