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The Canadian Atmospheric Network for Currently Used Pesticides (CANCUP) was the first comprehensive, nationwide air surveillance study of pesticides in Canada. This paper presentsthe atmospheric occurrence and distribution of pesticides including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), organophosphate pesticides (OPPs), acid herbicides (AHs), and neutral herbicides (NHs) during the spring to summer of 2004 and 2005 across agricultural regions in Canada. Atmospheric concentrations of pesticides varied within years and time periods, and regional characteristics were observed including the following: (i) highest air concentrations of several herbicides (e.g., mecoprop, triallate, and ethalfluralin) were found at Bratt's Lake, SK, a site in the Canadian Prairies; (ii) the west-coast site at Abbotsford, BC, had the maximum concentrations of diazinon; (iii) the fruit and vegetable growing region in Vineland, ON, showed highest levels for several insecticides including chlorpyrifos, endosulfan, and azinphos-methyl; (iv) high concentrations of atrazine and metolachlor were measured at St. Anicet, QC, a corn-growing region; (v) the Kensington site in PEI, Canada's largest potato-producing province, exhibited highest level of dimethoate. Analysis of particle- and gas-phase fractions of air samples revealed that most pesticides including OCPs, OPPs, and NHs exist mainly in the gas phase, while AHs exhibit more diversity in particle-gas partitioning behavior. This study also demonstrated that stirred up soil dust does not account for pesticides that are detected in the particle phase. The estimated dry and wet deposition fluxes indicate considerable atmospheric inputs for some current-use pesticides (CUPs). This data set represents the first measurements for many pesticides in the atmosphere, precipitation, and soil for given agricultural regions across Canada.

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Abstract-Farm ponds or dugout waters were monitored for residues of seven major herbicides used in the Canadian prairies from fall of 1987 to spring of 1989. The frequencies of confirmed detection of herbicides in water samples, depending on the time of sampling, in decreasing order were: 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D; 93-100%), diclofop (46-95%), bromoxynil (50-85%), 4-chloro-2-methyl-phenoxyacetic acid (MCPA; 33-70%), triallate (28-63%), dicamba (17-55%), and trifluralin (0-18%). The corresponding frequencies of quantifiable residues (Ն0.05 g/L) were lower, ranging from 75 to 86% for 2,4-D to 0 to 7% for dicamba. Median residues in all water samples were near or below the quantification limits of 0.05 g/L. Maximum residues varied widely and were (g/L): trifluralin (not detectable [ND]-0.11), bromoxynil (0.27-0.33), dicamba (ND-11.2), triallate (0.05-0.87), MCPA (0.12-1.97), 2,4-D (0.64-2.67), and diclofop (0.27-3.47). Maximum residues were seasonal and declined to near or below detection limits by the following sampling time. Median values were two to three orders of magnitude less than the corresponding maximum allowable concentration and interim maximum allowable concentration guidelines for drinking water in Canada and the United States. Maximum values were also less than these guidelines. Only the maximum values for residues of MCPA and 2,4-D approached the guidelines for these herbicides in water used for irrigation.

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