EVALUATING THE PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY OF PESTICIDES AND CONTAMINANTS IN AGRICULTURAL ECOSYSTEMS (FROM W1082)

The study will result in dataset on phase distribution of agricultural related organic pollutants in soil-water systems and their transformation kinetics and pathways under biologically controlled conditions. The information could be used for calculating how much (or at what percentage) of the target contaminants is bound to soil particles for a given mass of the pollutants released to a specific environmental system or watershed, and how fast (e.g., within how many days or weeks) the chemicals can be dissipated, sequestered, and transformed in soils and sediments, becoming less toxic or non-toxic at all to living organisms. This data is very important for assessing the environmental impacts of the pesticides and antibiotics in aquatic systems. We will publish the dataset in top environmental journals, and will use the results of this project as the foundation for seeking major external funding.