Fingerprinting pesticides: expanding dioxin source knowledge

Source identification is an important step to reduce or eliminate polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and furan (PCDD/F) emissions to the environment. Pesticide sources are poorly represented in source tracing studies where often only the PCDD/F fingerprint of pentachlorophenol (PCP) is used to characterize pesticide use. Recent studies show that many other pesticides contain PCDD/Fs1, the use of which may represent an important source of PCDD/Fs to the environment. New information also suggests that formation from pesticide derived precursors in the environment may significantly alter the original PCDD/F fingerprint in pesticide products2 a consideration not previously made in source tracing studies. Detailed congener-specific data on the PCDD/F levels in nineteen different pesticide products are presented in this study