Application of Electron Affinity Analyses to
Oxidation of Pesticides in Water
J.H. DOUGHERTY, Engineer
Roy F. Weston, Inc.
Newtown Square, Pennsylvania
C. A. BUESCHER, JR., Assistant Professor
R. T. SKRINDE, Associate Professor
Environmental and Sanitary Engineering
Washington University
St. Louis, Missouri
INTRODUCTION
The recent development of synthetic pesticides has been another step in
man's continuing effort to control his environment. The use of the various pesticides which are presently available has helped to increase agricultural output and
in the control of insects and other forms of lower life which are detrimental to
man's well being.
However, some have warned that caution must be exerted in the use of these
new environmental control chemicals or otherwise there is the possibility that the
hidden dangers of these pesticides could eventually control man (1,2). The late
Rachel Carson in her book, Silent Spring, stated her opinions concerning the
catastrophic results which could occur if proper precautions are not taken.
At present, man is beginning to exert caution by controlling the amount of
pesticides which he ingests in his daily food supply. The Food and Drug Administration has established maximum permissible limits on many pesticides which
are commonly used in the production of food and food products (3); not included,
though, in man's food supply, is water.
There have been numerous reports ofthe presence of pesticides in the nation's
waterways (4,5,6,7). In recent weeks the report of the presence and possible
effects of pesticides in the lower Mississippi River is in the nation's spotlight and
undoubtedly will have a direct bearing in future legislative action (8). Pesticides
are generally not applied directly to the waterways but find their way into streams
and rivers by runoff and leaching from the soil of agricultural lands, accidental
spills, and improper treatment of the wastewater streams from plants manufacturing pesticides. Usually the concentration of pesticides is in minute quantities
(parts per billion or less) due in part to the low solubility of these organic pesticides in water.
Present water treatment methods have not proven effective in significantly
removing pesticides from water (7,9). Neither has the development of new
methods which are economically feasible for removing pesticides kept pace with
the tremendous increase of the usage of pesticides.
Due to the extremely small quantities of pesticides normally found in water,
present analytical methods have usually lacked the sensitivity required to qualitatively and quantitatively measure pesticides without using the carbon filter
concentrating technique. At present there are no accepted standard methods for
the analytical determination of pesticides found in water.   The forthcoming
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