ABSTRACT
In coastal environments where croplands drain directly into tidal creeks, marshes and estuaries, the runoff of agricultural pesticides can have serious impacts on key populations of fish and invertebrates.1 Pesticiderelated fish kills in estuarine waters are not uncommon (Table 9.1). Effective management of this problem has been hindered by the cost and time delay of chemical analysis of water, sediment and tissue samples. Analyses for pesticides by traditional separation chemistry methods typically cost between US $150 and US $300 per sample.2 Extensive monitoring or screening programs with regular, large-scale sampling designs are not affordable for local regulatory agencies. Studies are generally undertaken only in response to reported fish kills. Growers themselves do not have the resources or the expertise to monitor proactively their own runoffs from fields or retention ponds. Even when samples can be analyzed, the time delay between sample collection and availability of analytical results makes rapid intervention and real-time decision making virtually impossible.
