Correlating Agricultural Use with Ambient Air Concentrations of Chlorthal-dimethyl During the Period of 2011–2014
Abstract
In February of 2011, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation began operation of the Air Monitoring Network (AMN) to meet its mandate to continuously evaluate currently registered pesticides. The AMN collected a 24-hour sample each week to measure airborne concentrations of 37 chemicals including chlorthal-dimethyl in three California communities (Shafter, Ripon, and Salinas) from 2011 to 2014. In addition, DPR collected pesticide use information through its Pesticide Use Reporting (PUR) database for the same time period. The goal of this report was to examine the relationship between reported agricultural use and detected concentrations of chlorthal-dimethyl in these communities during the period from February 1, 2011, to December 31, 2014.
Due to a low number of detections and to low reported use of chlorthal-dimethyl within 5 miles surrounding the three AMN sampling locations, any statistical analysis of local chlorthal-dimethyl use and ambient chlorthal-dimethyl concentrations was not feasible. A total of one quantifiable detection of chlorthal-dimethyl was measured from any of the AMN locations between February 1, 2011, and December 31, 2014. All detections, including trace and quantifiable concentrations, were well below their respective screening levels.