The Standard – August 2019

Welcome to the August 2019 edition of “The Standard,” our newsletter for issues related to environmental, food, water, and human exposure testing. In this issue we highlight regulatory updates to neonicotinoids and cyanotoxin analysis methods, and a proposal for limiting perchlorate in drinking water.

Regulatory Actions by the EU and US EPA on Neonicotinoids Take Effect

Neonicotinoid pesticides have been under increased scrutiny due to their association with colony collapse disorder (CCD) in honeybees. The European Union (EU) was the first region to take regulatory action by enacting a ban in late 2018 on all outdoor use of the controversial neonicotinoids clothianidin, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) very recently announced a cancellation order on 12 pesticide formulations containing either thiamethoxam or clothianidin. The regulatory actions imposed by the EU and US EPA are focused on the key neonicotinoids linked to CCD.

Analyzing Cyanotoxins in Surface Water and Drinking Water

Cyanotoxins are toxic bioactive compounds that are released from planktonic cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) under certain conditions.¹ This can result in harmful algal blooms (HABs) that contaminate water systems and pose risks to public health, aquatic life, and the environment. While there are several classes of cyanotoxins with varying degrees of physicochemical properties and toxicity, microcystins are perhaps the most commonly studied class and are known nephrotoxins.

Proposed Limit on Perchlorate in Drinking Water

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) has proposed a maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 56 parts per billion (ppb) of perchlorate in drinking water. In addition to this proposal, three other regulatory options for perchlorate have been proposed: an MCL of 18 ppb, an MCL of 90 ppb, or no regulation at all.