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: 2020
Sampling and Quality Assurance and Quality Control: A Guide for Scientists Investigating the Occurrence of Microplastics Across Matrices. Applied Spectroscopy. 2020;74(9). .
Sediment Monitoring and Modeling Strategy. Sediment Monitoring and Modeling Strategy. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2020 . Report No.: 1016.
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Special Study on Bulk Density. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2020 p. 43. Report No.: 975.
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Summary of Water Year 2017 precipitation, discharge, and sediment conditions at selected locations in Arroyo de la Laguna watershed, with a focus on Arroyo Mocho. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2020 . Report No.: 912.
(1.36 MB) .
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Suspended-sediment Flux in the San Francisco Estuary; Part II: the Impact of the 2013–2016 California Drought and Controls on Sediment Flux [Internet]. Estuaries and Coasts. Estuaries and Coasts; 2020 . Report No.: 1137. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12237-020-00840-y .
Think Global, Act Local: Local Knowledge Is Critical to Inform Positive Change When It Comes to Microplastics. Environmental Science & Technology [Internet]. 2020;. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.est.0c05746# .
Year of Publication: 2019
2018 RMP Sediment Data Quality Assurance Report. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2019 .
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2018 RMP Tissue Data Quality Assurance Report. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2019 .
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Calibration of the Multivariate AZTI Marine Biotic Index (M-AMBI) for Potential Inclusion into California Sediment Quality Objective Assessments in San Francisco Bay. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2019 . Report No.: 939.
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Characterization of brominated, chlorinated, and phosphate flame retardants in San Francisco Bay, an urban estuary. Science of the Total Environment [Internet]. 2019;652:212-223. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004896971833969X?dgcid=coauthor .
Conceptual Model to Support PCB Management and Monitoring in the San Leandro Bay Priority Margin Unit - Final Report. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2019 . Report No.: 928.
(12.81 MB) .
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Microplastic Strategy Update. Richmond, CA: San Francisco Estuary Institute; 2019 . Report No.: 951.
(1.9 MB) .
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