Workgroups
Projects Related to the Workgroups
![Photo: Shira Bezalel](https://www.sfei.org/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_sm/public/projects/SBezalel-20181122-A7301974.jpg?itok=3apVjgBR&c=c0e9d9f30ca160c04443cf919702b389)
Plastics, in their various chemical composition and sizes, pose serious challenges to the vitality of California's ecosystems. Once escaped into the environment, plastic contamination persists for very long periods and breaks down into ever smaller pieces, becoming more readily available to wildlife and populations who live, work, and play in those same habitats.
![Photo credit: Shira Bezalel](https://www.sfei.org/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_sm/public/projects/Marsh%20by%20Shira%20Bezalel%20%281%29.jpg?itok=5b7tsZER&c=f4d097581d8fe3ca6a78ba488fee8df2)
Despite California's data-rich environment, there are still many obstacles when trying to access and understand pesticide data at the nexus of water quality, ecological effects, and human health. We recognize a need to fill data gaps, not necessarily by collecting new data, but by better leveraging information already technically in the public domain. The goal of this project is to bring pesticide reporting, occurrence, and toxicity data together in ways that yield insights and meet the expressed needs of stakeholders in clear, efficient, credible, and repeatable ways.
![PFAS Family Tree with precursor transformation pathways identified.](https://www.sfei.org/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_sm/public/projects/PFAS%20FIGURE.jpg?itok=xnnbQmSz&c=b0f771f4b6d3d43b67666b8a9e0328ba)
A recent analysis of PFAS in the surface waters of SF Bay was conducted to understand the occurrence, fate, and potential risks to ecological and human health. Eleven of 40 PFAS were detected at part per trillions (ppt) concentrations in ambient water collected in 2021 from 22 sites in the Bay. Seven PFAS (PFPeA, PFHxA, PFHpA, PFOA, PFBS, PFHxS, and PFOS), were found in at least 50% of samples. Concentrations of PFAS in the Bay were generally consistent with similar studies globally for surface water. Sustained, multi-matrix monitoring of this important class of contaminants of emerging concern is a high priority for the RMP.
![Monitoring San Francisco Bay for microplastics - photo by Plus M Productions](https://www.sfei.org/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_sm/public/projects/SFBayMicroplastics_research1_photo4_preview.jpeg?itok=uoR8ZrBA&c=28d207b7c5a0fd337098c4f5648226f4)
Plastic pollution is gaining global recognition as a threat to the resilience and productivity of ocean ecosystems. However, we are only just beginning to understand the scope and impacts of microplastic particles (less than 5 mm) on coastal and ocean resources, and the San Francisco Bay Area is no exception. A preliminary study of nine water sites in San Francisco Bay, published in 2016, showed greater levels of microplastics than the Great Lakes or Chesapeake Bay.
![](https://www.sfei.org/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio_sm/public/projects/pulse13backcover.jpg?itok=HC2Tp3VY&c=1f64562500333563b23eaead1616fa94)
More than 100,000 chemicals have been registered or approved for commercial use in the US. For many of these chemicals, major information gaps limit evaluations of their potential risks, and environmental monitoring of these chemicals has not been required by regulatory agencies. Nevertheless, researchers and government agencies have begun to collect occurrence, fate, and toxicity data for a number of these chemicals.
Publications related to the Workgroups
The Institute has collectively produced more than 1300 reports, articles, and other publications over the course of its 24-year existence. The following list represents those publications associated with this individual program and its focus areas.
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Year of Publication: 2024
Continuous Suspended Sediment Monitoring in South and Lower South San Francisco Bay Year Two (2023) Report. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2024 . Report No.: 1188.
(1.51 MB) .
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Investigation of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) in wastewater effluent, influent, biosolids and environmental matrices in San Francisco Bay. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2024 . Report No.: 1196.
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Microplastics Monitoring and Science Strategy for San Francisco Bay 2024 Revision. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2024 . Report No.: 1144.
(818 KB) .
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Modeling Stormwater Loads of Contaminants of Emerging Concern: Literature Review and Recommendations. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2024 . Report No.: 1131.
(468.55 KB) .
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Selenium Concentrations in Water and Clams in North San Francisco Bay, 2019-2020. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2024 . Report No.: 1116.
(970.15 KB) .
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Where the rubber meets the road: Emerging environmental impacts of tire wear particles and their chemical cocktails. Science of the Total Environment [Internet]. Science of the Total Environement; 2024;927. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969724012920?via%3Dihub
(4.66 MB) .
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Year of Publication: 2023
2023 RMP Sediment Cruise Report. Livermore, CA: Applied Marine Sciences; 2023 . Report No.: 1168.
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Assessment of Long-Chain Polyethoxylate Surfactants in Wastewater Effluent, Stormwater Runoff, and Ambient Water of San Francisco Bay, CA. ACS ES&T Water [Internet]. American Chemical Society; 2023;3(4):1233-1242. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsestwater.3c00024 .
Bathymetric change analysis in San Francisco Bay, California, from 1971 to 2020 [Internet]. Santa Cruz, CA: United States Geological Survey Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center; 2023 . https://www.usgs.gov/data/bathymetric-change-analysis-san-francisco-bay-california-1971-2020 .
Bathymetric change analysis in San Francisco Bay, California, from 1971 to 2020 [Internet]. United States Geological Survey; 2023 . https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/619aeb70d34eb622f692f986 .
Concentrations of Select Commonly Used Organic UV Filters in San Francisco Bay Wastewater Effluent. San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2023 . Report No.: 1111.
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Conceptual Understanding of Fine Sediment Transport in San Francisco Bay. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2023 . Report No.: 1114.
(46.2 MB) .
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Continuous Suspended Sediment Monitoring in South and Lower South San Francisco Bay Year One Report for 2022. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2023 . Report No.: 1135.
(1.62 MB) .
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