Long-Term Objectives:

1. Determine the extent snd potential impacts of pesticide contamination in ground and surface water.

2. Develop and evaluate Best Management Practices for preventing off-site movement of pesticides.

3. Develop and/or utilize computer tools for modeling, mapping, and decision support

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Short-Term Objectives:

1. Build the laboratory capability for efficient and accurate determination of pesticides in environmental matrices under the EPA Good Laboratory Practices Guidelines.

2. Establish coperative relationsips with other organizations working in the pesticides/environment area, including public and private institutions, interest groups, and others.

3. Build a database of existing information on pesticides in surface and ground water, environmental veriables such as soil and landscape features, and use this data in evaluating models to predict the environmental fate of pesticides.

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Accomplishments:

1. Acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment for pesticide detection including gas cbromatography-mass spectrometry, high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection, and immunoassay. Two FTE technicians currently funded for this work (1.5 soft, 0.5 hard).

2. Co-chair of annual conference on Agricultural Impacts on the Environment in North Carolina

3. Well water surveys for pesticides conducted in three counties as part of several projects.

4. Participating in or directing 11 projects funded at state or federal levels for a total of $5,118,135.

5. Speaker and/or trainer in more than 40 sessions around the state for pesticide licensing, agent training, and public meetings.

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Significance:

Dr. McLaughlin has developed an Extension program to educate and assist the citizens of North Carolina in the extent, causes, importance,and prevention of pesticide contamination of surface and ground water. This includes home residents, agricultural workers and producers, citizen interest groups, and local, state, and federal agency staff. Activities include training sessions, speaking at public meetings, articles in various journals and newsletters, fact sheets, and electronic media (email, Enews, radio, t v.). Dr. McLaughlin has also been very active in pursuing funds to implement problem-oriented water quality programs around the state. His research program focuses on the extent and magnitude of pesticide contamination in surface and ground water, finding the primary sources and causes, and measuring the impacts of alternative end recommenced best management practices on non-point source pollution. Computer models are also in use as tools to predict the impacts of agricultural, residential, and recreational land uses on water quality. He has also played the primary role in the construction and maintenance of a large turfgrass Iysimeter system for studying nutrient and pesticide fate in a golf green.

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Future Plans:

1. Make decision-support tools available through the NCSU World Wide Web site.

2. Assist in implementing the State Pesticide Management Plans to Protect Water Quality.

3. Train "trainers" throughout the state to teach water quality protection and improvement.

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