Surveillance for previously unmonitored organic contaminants in the San Francisco Estuary

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 46; no. 9; pp. 1102 - 1110
• Main Authors: Oros, Daniel R., Jarman, Walter M., Lowe, Theresa, David, Nicole, Lowe, Sarah, Davis, Jay A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Agriculture; Animals; Applied sciences; Brackish; California; Chemical pollution; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Exact sciences and technology; Fire retardants; Flame Retardants - analysis; Food Chain; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; GC–MS; Industrial Waste; Natural water pollution; Organic compounds; Pesticides; Pesticides - analysis; plasticizers; Plasticizers - analysis; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Rain; Seawaters, estuaries; Tracers; USA, California, San Francisco Bay; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water treatment and pollution; San Francisco Bay; California; United States; North America; America; USA, California, San Francisco Estuary; USA, California; INE, USA, California, San Francisco Bay; Chemical pollution; GC–MS; Fire retardants; Pesticides; Organic compounds; Tracers; Cosmetic; Chemical analysis; Plasticizer; Surveillance; Estuaries; Pollution source inventory; Flame retardant; Qualitative analysis; Water pollution; Seawater; Anthropogenic factor
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/S0025-326X(03)00248-0

The San Francisco Estuary Regional Monitoring Program initiated surveillance monitoring to identify previously unmonitored synthetic organic contaminants in the San Francisco Estuary. Organic extracts of water samples were analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry in full scan mode. The major contaminant classes identified in the samples were fire retardants, pesticides, personal care product ingredients, and plasticizers. Evidence from the literature suggests that some of these contaminants can persist in the environment, induce toxicity, and accumulate in marine biota and in higher food chain consumers. The major sources of these contaminants into the marine environment are the discharge of municipal and industrial wastewater effluents, urban stormwater, and agricultural runoff. As a proactive effort, it is suggested that surveillance studies be used routinely in monitoring programs to identify and prevent potential problem contaminants from harming the marine environment.