Finding minimal herbicide concentrations in ground water? Try looking for their degradates

Extensive research has been conducted regarding the occurrence of herbicides in the hydrologic system, their fate, and their effects on human health and the environment. Few studies, however, have considered herbicide transformation products (degradates). In this study of Iowa ground water, herbicide degradates were frequently detected. In fact, herbicide degradates were eight of the 10 most frequently detected compounds. Furthermore, a majority of a herbicide's measured concentration was in the form of its degradates--ranging from 55 to over 99%. The herbicide detection frequencies and concentrations varied significantly among the major aquifer types sampled. These differences, however, were much more pronounced when herbicide degradates were included. Aquifer types presumed to have the most rapid recharge rates (alluvial and bedrock/karst region aquifers) were those most likely to contain detectable concentrations of herbicide compounds. Two indirect estimates of ground-water age (depth of well completion and dissolved-oxygen concentration) were used to separate the sampled wells into general vulnerability classes (low, intermediate, and high). The results show that the herbicide detection frequencies and concentrations varied significantly among the vulnerability classes regardless of whether or not herbicide degradates were considered. Nevertheless, when herbicide degradates were included, the frequency of herbicide compound detection within the highest vulnerability class approached 90%, and the median total herbicide residue concentration increased over an order of magnitude, relative to the parent compounds alone, to 2 microg/l. The results from this study demonstrate that obtaining data on herbicide degradates is critical for understanding the fate of herbicides in the hydrologic system. Furthermore, the prevalence of herbicide degradates documented in this study suggests that to accurately determine the overall effect on human health and the environment of a specific herbicide its degradates should also be considered.