A STUDY OF THE DISTRIBUTION AND FATE OF MSMA IN CRAYFISH AND BLACKBERRIES

The arsenical herbicide, MSMA (monosodium salt methanearsonic acid) is used in the control of Johnson grass and other undesirable grasses along secondary highway rights of way in much of the southeastern and southcentral United States. In addition to commercial farms, crayfish are commonly harvested from ditches on or adjacent to sprayed areas. Previous bioassay studies done in this laboratory indicate that crayfish are resistant to relatively large doses of MSMA (48 hour TLM 5100 mg/1). Thus, concern had arisen over possible bioconcentration of MSMA in crayfish to levels that could pose a hazard to consumers. This study focuses on (1) rates of uptake of MSMA by crayfish in both edible and inedeble tissues (2) the translocation of MSMA to the fruit of maturing blackberries, and (3) the rate and extent of MSMA demethylation in soil cultures. Accumulation of MSMA was found to occur at low levels in both crayfish and blackberris with the greater concentration in the berry. Recommendations for prevention of accumulation of potentially hazardous levels center in preventing direct application of the herbicide to crayfish habitat or the leaves of blackberries with ripening fruit. The greatest cause for concern appears to lie with the possiblity of a spill of concentrate into crayfish growing waters. /FHWA/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored by Louisiana Department of Highways and conducted in cooperation with DOT, Federal Highway Administration.
• Corporate Authors:

  Tulane University

  Department of Environmental Health Sciences
  New Orleans, LA  United States  70118
• Authors:
  • Mason, J W
  • Abdelghani, A A
  • Anderson, A C
  • Englande, A J
• Publication Date: 1976-12

Media Info

• Pagination: 98 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aquatic life; Environmental impacts; Grasses; Hazards; Herbicides; Road shoulders
• Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00176574
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Federal Highway Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-LA-77-200 Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: La. Study 74-IM
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 19 1978 12:00AM