Sources of aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) in urban and rural catchments in Ontario, Canada: Glyphosate or phosphonates in wastewater?

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) 2015-09, Vol.204, p.289-297
• Main Authors: Struger, J., Van Stempvoort, D.R., Brown, S.J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acesulfame; AMPA; Cities; Corridors; Environmental Monitoring; Fluctuation; Glycine - analogs & derivatives; Glycine - analysis; Glyphosate; Herbicides; Herbicides - analysis; Isoxazoles; Ontario; Organophosphonates - analysis; Pollution abatement; Rivers - chemistry; Rural; Surface water; Surface waters; Sweetening Agents - analysis; Tetrazoles; Thiazines - analysis; Transportation; Waste water; Wastewater - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2015.03.038

Correlation analysis suggests that occurrences of AMPA in streams of southern Ontario are linked mainly to glyphosate in both urban and rural settings, rather than to wastewater sources, as some previous studies have suggested. For this analysis the artificial sweetener acesulfame was analyzed as a wastewater indicator in surface water samples collected from urban and rural settings in southern Ontario, Canada. This interpretation is supported by the concurrence of seasonal fluctuations of glyphosate and AMPA concentrations. Herbicide applications in larger urban centres and along major transportation corridors appear to be important sources of glyphosate and AMPA in surface water, in addition to uses of this herbicide in rural and mixed use areas. Fluctuations in concentrations of acesulfame and glyphosate residues were found to be related to hydrologic events. •Widespread occurrence of glyphosate and AMPA in surface waters of southern Ontario.•Linked to applications of glyphosate in urban and rural settings.•Supported by lack of correlation between AMPA and the wastewater tracer acesulfame.•Contrasts with view that AMPA found in the environment is derived from wastewater.•AMPA more persistent than glyphosate and both fluctuated with hydrological cycles. The occurrence of AMPA in streams in southern Ontario is linked mainly to glyphosate rather than wastewater sources.