Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide used for the control of annual and perennial grasses and broadleaf weeds. Registered for use in Canada in 1974, it is currently registered and used in over 125 countries. With annual sales in Alberta (1998) exceeding 2.6 million kg of active ingredient, it is by far the most commonly used pesticide in the province. Long considered by scientists and farmers around the world as an effective and environmentally friendly herbicide, recent studies have shown some persistence and mobility in the environment. This study was designed to explore some of the pathways of glyphosate to surface waters such as atmospheric deposition, emissions during spraying, and persistence in soil; the study also included the monitoring of water from selected streams and wetlands. The sampling year 2002 proved to be a difficult year to undertake a glyphosate residue study due to environmental factors. The severe drought conditions in east central Alberta hampered canola growth and subsequently greatly reduced the amount of glyphosate used in this growing and sampling season. Despite the drought and reduced usage, glyphosate was found in many environmental samples. Atmospheric deposition was measured at three sites in east central Alberta. Rainfall and particulate matter were collected as total deposition at seven-day intervals throughout the growing season. The three precipitation sites had glyphosate detections throughout the sampling time period. Glyphosate deposition rates ranged from <0.001 to 1.51 ligW/day. Volatile and particulate emissions of glyphosate were measured before and after the spraying of a canola field with Roundup®. This study component was conducted in the Mannville area on a field with glyphosate tolerant canola. Pre-event air samples were taken two weeks prior to spraying. Post-event air sampling was conducted for 24-hour periods beginning at 1-hour post spray, 25-hour post spray and 49-hour post spray. Glyphosate was not detected in any of the air samples collected with polyurethane foam (PUF) samples but it was detected in some of the particulate samples. The detection of glyphosate in soil samples 10 months after spraying was indicative of some persistence. Glyphosate was detected in most of the wetlands and streams sampled for this project. Concentrations were generally close to the detection limit (0.2 |Lig/L). Higher levels were recorded at some sites: Wetland #5 sample (1.066 |ug/L), two Haynes Creek samples (1.105 and 0.425 |ig/L) and a sample from the St. Mary's River Irrigation District (6.079 fig/L). This study determined that glyphosate is transported in association with particulate matter (dust) and not as vapour. Detections in precipitation are more likely due to glyphosate associated with dust particles being washed down with rain than to glyphosate dissolved in rain. A follow up study is recommended to document residue levels in a year where glyphosate use and moisture patterns are closer to normal for that part of the province. As well, the persistence of glypho...

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYAlberta Environment undertook the collection, consolidation and analysis of pesticide sales data from pesticide vendors in Alberta in 1998. The objective was to document the volume and types of pesticides sold in Alberta, and to prepare a general overview of the sales data in relation to sectors of use, types of use, chemical groupings, as well as geographic breakdowns by river basin, ecoregion, municipality and departmental regions. This project was a follow-up to a pesticide sales survey that last occurred in 1993.The overview follows the chemical grouping format used by Quebec in their reporting on pesticide sales in their province, and with the proposed National Pesticide Sales Database.Pesticide sales data was requested from registered pesticide vendors and wholesalers in Alberta in early 1999, under the authority of the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act and supporting regulations. Approximately 97% compliance with the sales data request was obtained. Sales data received was digitized or reformatted to a common database format Six additional databases were constructed to assist with sorting and categorizing the sales records by chemical or geographic groups. The databases were brought into Access, where they were linked and various output was obtained.In 1998, a total of 9 300 497 kg of pesticide active ingredient (ai) was sold in, or shipped into, Alberta.Pesticides sold into the Agriculture sector accounted for 95.8% of all pesticides sold, with the Commercial/Industrial sector accounting for 3.3% of sales, and the Domestic sector accounting for 0.8% of sales. The types of pesticides sold were predominantly herbicides, at 76.7%. Adjuvants and surfactants made up the next largest category at 14.25%. Insecticides made up 5.4% of sales, while fungicides made up 3.6% of sales.Of the chemical groups, the Phosphonic Acids, Phosphinic Acids group was the largest at 29.9% of overall sales. However, in the Domestic sector, the Phenoxy Acids group dominated with 44.8% of pesticide active ingredient sold.Looking at geographic distributions, the Oldman River basin had the highest overall sales at 20.3%, followed by the Red Deer River basin at 18.8% and the North Saskatchewan River basin at 15.8%.Relative use intensities (based upon gross drainage area) were highest for the Oldman River basin, at 0.69 kgai/ha. When pesticide sales were sorted by ecoregion, the Aspen Parkland had the highest amount of sales, at 33%, followed by the Moist Mixed Grassland at 22.6%. This is partly attributed to the large size of the Aspen Parkland ecoregion in Alberta, and the large amount of agricultural land it encompasses.Geo-administrative regions were also summarized, for use in program plarming. The municipalities with the highest sales were the County of Lethbridge and the MD of Taber, at over 500,000 kg of active ingredient Based upon their cropped acreage, pesticide use intensities of over 2.5 kg ai/ha were estimated. i This compares to an overall provincial estimated pesticide use intensity (based upon...

Methoxychlor (2,2-bis(p-methoxyphenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane) was used in the Athabasca River in northern Alberta for the control of black fly larvae, Simulium arcticum, during May to July of 1981 to 1987. Samples of river water and sediment were analyzed for methoxychlor residues each year as part of Alberta Environment's program to assess environmental impact and monitor compliance with issued permits. During 1985 fish samples were also collected at various sites downstream and upstream of the point of application of methoxychlor. This paper summarizes the residue data obtained by analysing these fish, sediment and water samples collected from the Athabasca River system during the years 1981 to 1987.

METHODS 2.1 Sales Data Sales Data Collection Sales Data Limitations 2.2 Pesticide Databases 2.3 Geographic Databases 2.4 Data Processing 2.5 Data Breakdown 2.5.1 Type of Use 2.5.2 Chemical Group 2.5.3 Sector of Use 2.5.4 Geographic Units 2.5.4. 1 River Basins 2. 5. 4.2 Natural Regions 2.5.4. 1 Land Use Framework 2. 5. 4.2 Municipalities 2.6

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