1. Are there chemical contaminants (from pesticide runoff) in the sediments at either of these sites (Little Cockroach Bay and Feather Sound) that could be negatively affecting turtle grass regrowth?

Sediment cores and samples were taken at both sites in May and June. The samples from Little Cockroach Bay will be analyzed for Chlordane and DDT, while those from Feather Sound will be tested for polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH).

Chlordane is a manufactured chemical that was used as a pesticide in the United States from 1948 to 1988. Until 1983, chlordane was used as a pesticide on crops like corn and citrus and on home lawns and gardens. Because of concern about damage to the environment and harm to human health, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned all uses of chlordane in 1988. Chlordane sticks strongly to soil particles at the surface and can stay in the soil for over 20 years. It breaks down very slowly and does not dissolve easily in water.

DDT [1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane] was a manufactured chemical widely used to control insects on agricultural crops and insects that carry diseases like malaria and typhus. DDT sticks strongly to soil particles and lasts a very long time; half the DDT in soil will break down in 2–15 years. It does not dissolve easily in water, however, levels of DDT build up in plants and in the fatty tissues of fish, birds, and animals. In 1972, the EPA banned all uses of DDT, except for public health emergencies.

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are a suite of petroleum-based chemicals, many of which are known carcinogens and others that are suspected problem chemicals. Example: Anthracene is used in dye stuffs, insecticides, and wood preservatives.