Pesticide presence in stream water, suspended sediment and biofilm is strongly linked to upstream catchment land use and crop type.

Pesticide pollution can present high ecological risks to aquatic ecosystems. Small streams are particularly susceptible. There is a need for reproducible and readily available methods to identify aquatic regions at risk of pesticide contamination.

Quantifying Effects and Ingestion of Several Pristine Microplastics in Two Early Life Stages of Freshwater Mussels.

Microplastics have been found in freshwater systems, and in turn have been detected in freshwater bivalves. However, there is limited research that defines the toxicity of bicroplastics to native freshwater bivalves that have long been imperiled in North America. Our objective was to determine whether a suite of pristine microplastics has an adverse effect on two early life stages of unionid freshwater mussels.

New insights into pesticide occurrence and multicompartmental monitoring strategies in stream ecosystems using periphyton and suspended sediment.

Streams are susceptible to pesticide pollutants which are transported outside of the intended area of application from surrounding agricultural fields. It is essential to monitor the occurrence and levels of pesticides in aquatic ecosystems to comprehend their effects on the aquatic environment. The common sampling strategy used for monitoring pesticides in stream ecosystems is through the collection and analysis of grab water samples.

Characterizing the Microplastic Content of Biosolids in Southern Ontario, Canada.

The application of biosolids to agricultural land has been identified as a major pathway of microplastic (MP) pollution to the environment. Very little research, however, has been done on the MP content of biosolids within Canada. Fifteen biosolid samples from different treatment processes (liquid, dewatered, pelletized, and alkali-stabilized) were collected from 11 sources across southern Ontario to quantify and characterize the MP load within them.

Optimizing Sex Ratios of Hyalella azteca to Reduce Variability in Reproduction and Improve Reproductive Toxicity Test Methods.

Standard toxicological test methods with Hyalella azteca incorporate both lethal and sublethal (growth, reproduction) endpoints, although lethal endpoints are often favored in routine testing. However, sublethal endpoints are important to consider because they are ecologically relevant and are often more sensitive than lethality. It is difficult to achieve robust data for reproduction in H.