The widespread occurrence of organic
micropollutants (OMPs) is
a challenge for aquatic ecosystem management, and closing the gaps
in risk assessment of OMPs requires a data-driven approach. One promising
tool for increasing the spatiotemporal coverage of OMP data sets is
through the active involvement of citizen volunteers to expand the
scale of OMP monitoring. Working collaboratively with volunteers from
the Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment Program (CSLAP), we conducted
the first statewide study on OMP occurrence in surface waters of New
York lakes. Samples collected by CSLAP volunteers were analyzed for
OMPs by a suspect screening method based on mixed-mode solid-phase
extraction and liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry.
Sixty-five OMPs were confirmed and quantified in samples from 111
lakes across New York. Hierarchical clustering of OMP occurrence data
revealed the relevance of 11 most frequently detected OMPs for classifying
the contamination status of lakes. Partial least squares regression
and multiple linear regression analyses prioritized three water quality
parameters linked to agricultural and developed land uses (i.e., total
dissolved nitrogen, specific conductance, and a wastewater-derived
fluorescent organic matter component) as the best combination of predictors
that partly explained the interlake variability in OMP occurrence.
Lastly, the exposure-activity ratio approach identified the potential
for biological effects associated with detected OMPs that warrant
further biomonitoring studies. Overall, this work demonstrated the
feasibility of incorporating citizen science approaches into the regional
impact assessment of OMPs.
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