Air Sampling

Bratt's Lake, Saskatchewan

Air samples are collected at Bratt's Lake, Saskatchewan in order to determine atmospheric levels of pesticides and their degradation products as well as for the evaluation of different sorbent materials to determine their effectiveness.  Two high volume samplers are used to compare the commonly used polyurethane foam (PUF) to a combination of PUF and several different granular sorbents for the collection of pesticides.  Several pesticides are frequently detected in these air samples including both herbicides (triallate, trifluralin, ethalfluralin) and insecticides (chlorpyrifos).  From the samples collected at this site, yearly trends in pesticide concentration and particle levels can be determined, as well as the most effective sorbents to be used in subsequent sampling periods.