[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6260674,"mediaKeyId","3129018-a7eda3a5e1f0c9a63db676f3a4e6d5d1","parentId",3129018,"title","SPOT review: toxicity screening highlights some persistently impacted sites, multiple endpoints add value","audioSeconds",222,"startMs",718000,"endMs",940000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3129018-a7eda3a5e1f0c9a63db676f3a4e6d5d1&start=718&end=940","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3129018-a7eda3a5e1f0c9a63db676f3a4e6d5d1/thumbnail_718000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6260674/California/SPOT-review-toxicity-screening-highlights-some-persistently-impacted-sites-multiple-endpoints-add-value","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6260674-83c0dd44db21b498a20547c633069c1c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770627890&Signature=id-T7exo5YjIv~191hxzBSG5Uy1BClaLc91OfXnky4MWLzPLHzkxPjsNLaRcmfpLLsMk0obiTKQqNaBFlP454GiZ~iwicvOsbf1T~d1F6UzNAov27YpqcjBE7fd3z2hhKm80EnzkQat9ySf6ClGSxSTRvzzrI-I2Zo8rk9IcVkRyeKXqXZEXkDarhIF28nloykzI6e5BIpan73Ifph3NuWdGRl75hgZ3tetIMvDBnEmobN1dLDegNrVvUfodwtRESvSV0y9niKUoVxrA9-i2iHcN~2GJffnIoUaF4gLflqwZUC6gAsyDgoXB-2vJy5YEwolxXnV5gEQDeEQxtW1hjA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","California Water Quality Monitoring Council","date","2025-04-26T05:06:58.667Z","article","Bushra Khan and Granite Canyon staff summarized SPOT toxicity results through 2024 and explained how toxicity findings feed site selection and NTA prioritization.

\"Toxicity markers are excellent screening tools to prioritize monitoring at the sites with impacted marker response,\" Khan said, describing results from Hyalella (amphipod) survival and growth and Chironomus (midge) endpoints. She noted that Hyalella is measured at all 90 sites while Chironomus is measured at 60 sites.

Key findings: Using 2008–2024 data, most sites showed stable or no trend for the four toxicity markers, but several sites showed upward or downward trends. The addition of growth endpoints and the Chironomus species expanded the number of sites flagged as toxic: Khan reported that, in 2024, 9 sites were identified as toxic by Hyalella survival and that adding Hyalella growth increased the total number of unique toxic sites to 28 (with overlaps among endpoints). Chironomus added three unique sites as toxic in 2024 and overlapped with Hyalella toxicity at six sites.

Why it matters: Presenters and SRC members said the multiple endpoints improve sensitivity to different contaminant mixtures and support prioritizing sites for follow‑up investigations. UC Davis staff emphasized that overlapping positive results across organisms or endpoints suggest a complex contaminant mixture; unique identifications point to the value of adding endpoints or organisms.

Discussion and caveats: SRC members asked about variability in the growth endpoint for Hyalella and whether lab practices could influence year‑to‑year results. Khan defended the growth dataset and the laboratory’s checks on dry weight and standard deviations, while acknowledging that some variability exists in Chironomus endpoints. The SRC recommended continued attention to laboratory QA/QC and targeted follow‑up where endpoints consistently indicate toxicity.

Monitoring changes: For 2025 the SPOT design will continue Hyalella at 65 sites (40 core tier‑2 plus other rotated sites) and Chironomus at 60 sites. Khan said the program will also move some non‑toxic sites to an alternate‑year schedule and prioritize sites that show changing trends for more frequent testing.

Ending: SRC members and program staff agreed toxicity screening remains a primary tool for site prioritization and should remain central to SPOT’s monitoring design; they asked for clearer QA/QC documentation on variable endpoints and for targeted follow‑up on sites with rising toxicity signals.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025 SPoT SRC Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","UC Davis and Granite Canyon staff reported 2008–2024 toxicity results for Hyalella and Chironomus tests, noting most sites are stable but multiple endpoints and growth measures expanded detection of toxic sites and improved prioritization.","taxTitle","California Water Quality Monitoring Council, Boards and Commissions, Executive, California","taxId",76763,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6260684,"UC Davis researchers outline how non‑targeted analysis can augment SPOT monitoring",1930,2511000,4441000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3129018-a7eda3a5e1f0c9a63db676f3a4e6d5d1&start=2511&end=4441","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3129018-a7eda3a5e1f0c9a63db676f3a4e6d5d1/thumbnail_2511000.jpg","/articles/6260684/California/UC-Davis-researchers-outline-how-nontargeted-analysis-can-augment-SPOT-monitoring","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6260684-7c4355a036ed11db43a0664403f46f15/orig.mp4?Expires=1770627890&Signature=LzGsFGSZ2ruQrB16oepeXDpyhaBJ6y8-a6ujmgJhoRtbGlLQhF4l6frSMxELhcRYy1OQwHMDRNWrn7gTE7fXKjGrcyhf3BYXouj8uZG9brKMIfdUSa13tQUMSKy~lQ3FZVo0fQtkvvdkniJTLl42e0nt22FJBx32scrrOjKu7xqqxlKqeCSUfrziRetCKpMd58oBssh~s4FyyZBfz5nfgCSa00ScA-M6OjohRMrt8RmXr69fIIYBmpQ8javKh1HIM1h6w-vqQWBT-Ib6Q-K6UkmbKVToTPSr6q7JmWMY02hJkP8VN0UtFuLe8DUGEkNf2IcDLw8JlM0Tq3I-FrrkUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bushra Khan, project scientist in the Department of Environmental Toxicology at UC Davis and laboratory director of the Granite Canyon Laboratory, told the SPOT Scientific Review Committee that non‑targeted analysis (NTA) can strengthen the program’s ability to find drivers of toxicity and fill gaps in targeted monitoring.

\"The idea here is how NTA can add value to our specific management questions and the design that we have,\" Khan said, describing a workflow that pairs correlation of high‑resolution mass‑spectrometry features with toxicity markers and, separately, a quantitative branch using a purchased standards list.

Why it matters: SPOT is a long‑running statewide sediment monitoring program used to detect chemical trends and prioritize sites for follow‑up. Committee members repeatedly raised concerns about budget constraints and laboratory comparability; Khan and UC Davis collaborators argued that NTA — run consistently and with clear QA/QC — can reveal novel contaminants and provide quantitative data when commercial targeted analyses are not scheduled.

Khan described two primary NTA outputs. The first is a qualitative prioritization that ranks library matches and peak heights, then correlates those features with toxicity markers and land‑use to produce a narrowed list of candidate contaminants for follow‑up. The second is a quantitative branch that uses a preselected list of commercially available standards (about 70 compounds in the pilot) to return concentrations comparable to targeted chemistry for some analytes.

The committee heard pilot results. Anna Furek (UC Davis/Tom Young laboratory) and others applied a prioritization model to 2021–2024 extracts and, in multiple analyses, identified bifenthrin as a major driver of toxicity — a result that mirrors years of targeted data. Khan emphasized that NTA uniquely highlighted chemical fingerprints that differ by region and that adding organisms or endpoints (for example, Chironomus as well as Hyalella toxicity tests) identifies some sites missed by single endpoints.

On quantitative performance, Khan presented site‑level comparisons showing NTA‑derived concentrations for bifenthrin and fipronil that were broadly comparable to targeted results at both high‑ and low‑concentration sites. She acknowledged differences in limits of detection: for example, the SPOT QAPP reports a bifenthrin reporting limit of 0.25 ng/g for targeted analyses and the NTA quantitative LODs used in the pilot were higher (0.5 ng/g for bifenthrin). She also noted cases where targeted labs reported non‑detects while NTA returned quantitative values and said these instances are being investigated under a draft QA/QC protocol.

Committee members pressed on QA/QC and method consistency. \"The short answer is I would need to do a 1‑to‑1 comparison of the lab,\" said Anna Furek when asked about extraction and preparation differences. Several SRC members cautioned that trend analysis requires method and lab consistency over time; UC Davis staff said they are documenting alignment and repeatability steps and working to publish QA/QC guidance for both qualitative and quantitative NTA outputs.

Khan outlined how the two NTA branches would be used operationally: qualitative prioritization to generate candidate contaminant lists for regions or specific management questions (e.g., urban vs. agricultural fingerprints), and the quantitative branch to supply numeric values for key analytes in years when the commercial targeted contract does not cover those compounds. Extracts from NTA runs are archived, Khan said, enabling purchase of a standard later and retroactive quantitation if a compound becomes a priority.

The session closed with several agencies offering collaboration. Anne Cooper Doherty (Safer Consumer Products Program, DTSC) and others said their product‑screening work could help interpret many non‑target matches; Department of Water Quality staff described ongoing PFAS efforts that could be coordinated with NTA outputs.

Khan and UC Davis indicated they will provide draft QA/QC documentation and make the 2021–2024 NTA correlation datasets available for SRC review before the next meeting. The presenters repeatedly stressed that consistent laboratory practice and documented QA/QC are prerequisites for using NTA outputs for trend work or regulatory interpretation.

Ending: UC Davis researchers recommended integrating NTA as a persistent program component — with documented QA/QC and a defined five‑year work plan — so SPOT can detect novel drivers of toxicity and supplement targeted chemistry in gap years.","Bushra Khan, project scientist in the Department of Environmental Toxicology at UC Davis and laboratory director of the Granite Canyon Laboratory, told the SPOT Scientific Review Committee that non‑targeted analysis (NTA) can strengthen the program’s ability to find drivers of toxicity and fill gaps in targeted monitoring.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6260679,"SPOT program: PFAS detected widely at urban tier‑2 sites, but trends need more years of data",217,2052000,1835000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3129018-a7eda3a5e1f0c9a63db676f3a4e6d5d1&start=2052&end=1835","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3129018-a7eda3a5e1f0c9a63db676f3a4e6d5d1/thumbnail_2052000.jpg","/articles/6260679/California/SPOT-program-PFAS-detected-widely-at-urban-tier2-sites-but-trends-need-more-years-of-data","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6260679-0236e10fdcd9bae2c06490f645f90c06/orig.mp4?Expires=1770627890&Signature=JcR0R3sb1IbixgTGORA79Nb8tfatrAtpcJbxMDfwn2UH6qcwZHuDnaSoRBm5MdV~LegIpmydM3rQPw9ogPWgnC7Mblk3LuZHCKB4eChjUdh3nMcdhSMrXfa0wRMZU8PA9AKubnNBKEfE2UD~OjoFmOoi0vuEDeJKJ27k10oZvCx11m6vhN8BrUvfjeTpbyi32w623SPdjqbIzAF4zmr-A2LPIxn-uU43Hrn2rg9lM-4E0bDTVSNxHl2OhqLcVHYB3Yr8DADrKHs1BNWG8mUJ4~So1BrFLYQnzZ3JRlwHG3bNGPcm~rNlz69g0BwuIQfjtksrdjpG1f0S~LWFFukdOA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","UC Davis researchers updating the SPOT monitoring program reported that PFAS compounds were frequently detected at the program’s urban (tier 2) sites in the 2023–2024 paired dataset, and that some sites show complex PFAS fingerprints warranting follow‑up.

\"PFOS ... was detected at 36 out of 40 sites,\" Bushra Khan said when summarizing the 2023–2024 PFAS sediment results measured using EPA Method 1633‑type analyses. She added that PFOA and longer‑chain carboxylates (C10–C14) were also common at urban sites.

Why it matters: PFAS are persistent and bioaccumulative. SPOT staff emphasized that two years of high‑quality data are not yet sufficient to run robust Mann‑Kendall trend analyses for statewide conclusions; program staff said they need two additional years of comparable data before reporting trends.

Details and site results: Khan showed percent‑detection plots and ‘‘sum PFAS’’ comparisons across the 40 tier‑2 urban sites. Three sites — including Bouquet Canyon (Region 4) — had the highest summed PFAS concentrations in 2024, and Bouquet Canyon saw higher total PFAS in 2024 than in 2023. Khan noted these sites also had complex PFAS mixtures and were among sites identified as toxic based on other endpoints; she cautioned that the sites’ overall toxicity is driven by multiple contaminant classes and that PFAS alone were not reported at toxic levels.

Program response and next steps: Presenters recommended continuing PFAS monitoring at the 40 tier‑2 sites to build the time series, and suggested adding a limited number of agricultural and other nonurban sites to the sampling frame to test whether PFAS at smaller numbers of agricultural locations are present and changing. Committee members suggested leveraging other programs and funding (for example, drinking‑water testing and local discretionary funds) to expand PFAS coverage and emphasized coordination on analytical methods.

Collaboration offers: Division of Water Quality staff said they are running PFAS monitoring in drinking wells and water samples with non‑targeted PFAS methods and suggested coordination; the UC Davis team and regional boards discussed seeking external funds to add targeted PFAS monitoring in agricultural areas.

Ending: SPOT will continue PFAS sampling at tier‑2 urban sites; UC Davis staff recommended collecting at least two more years of consistent data before conducting statewide trend tests and urged coordination with drinking‑water and regional monitoring programs to better understand sources and transport.","UC Davis researchers updating the SPOT monitoring program reported frequent detections of PFOS, PFOA and longer‑chain PFAS at urban tier‑2 sediment sites in the 2023–2024 dataset, but said two more years of comparable data are needed before formal trend analysis.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6260668,"SPOT staff present monitoring plan, site rotation and budget tradeoffs; committee urges QA/QC clarity",1381,6274000,7655000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3129018-a7eda3a5e1f0c9a63db676f3a4e6d5d1&start=6274&end=7655","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3129018-a7eda3a5e1f0c9a63db676f3a4e6d5d1/thumbnail_6274000.jpg","/articles/6260668/California/SPOT-staff-present-monitoring-plan-site-rotation-and-budget-tradeoffs-committee-urges-QAQC-clarity","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6260668-8ae96d05a6ff453d8ee0b7815aaf220b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770627890&Signature=ZcsKvrXwmQV-~kM9E9mmbo-rbcDqr4hk2hwW81SEQIMykJJTWY3iqZk0tKr4H1vknOnOvf55wN3L3xYoukcMxLD1Cl-fdabtPwvfFeoPZYrDni8y19PsFbzLOxJZpxpVFTV6J0RKFtLd4bZ3yIR4vIOBn7OEmRU9hwngVluxbfcM0KKDl4Fo7eR4eJCSldNprXNuK-r10W-ni1EfVRD7UnqdjS5xpwBJF0WOzF1ZxL7aFS2xKbm8E3bj5gLqNdB6qxSpENkovwBVRynYnZKpLdQMMJ48eBSJcTMh189Z0RmpR7tEhycTJ55xnWoVTCH27me7ROA1LdRaEFtu82LJAg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Program leads at Granite Canyon and UC Davis presented a proposed sampling and budget plan for SPOT and took SRC input on priorities and trade‑offs.

The plan and costs: Khan described a table used for planning that lists analytes, per‑sample prices and proposed sampling frequencies. Key numbers presented during the meeting include a 90‑site network (40 tier‑2 urban sites), a plan to sample 65 sites for Hyalella toxicity in the coming year (40 core tier‑2 plus rotated sites), and an intended reduction of some suites to longer cycles (PCBs and organochlorines on a 5‑ to 10‑year cycle focusing on hotspots). The team quoted a new metals suite price (five metals) of about $700 per sample (previously shown in program materials as about $306), and an NTA per‑sample price of roughly $3,530 (pilot price cited as $3,000). Khan noted some targeted costs are rising and recommended focusing on tier‑2 hot spots for expensive suites.

Pyrethroids and fipronil: The team recommended continuing pyrethroid monitoring at 40 tier‑2 urban sites in 2025 and debating the temporal scale thereafter. SRC members urged considering DPR priorities and TMDL areas when selecting the 40 sites. On fipronil, committee members noted possible wastewater and recreational sources (pet treatments, dog swimming, sewage treatment plant inputs) and asked staff to explore whether wastewater contributions explain some detections.

Metals and the brake‑pad rule: Participants discussed copper and zinc monitoring in the context of California’s vehicle brake‑pad regulations and potential tire‑derived zinc sources. Several SRC members urged continuing relatively frequent copper monitoring to detect the management response to the copper brake‑pad law and suggested focusing additional sampling in watersheds and locations most relevant to sensitive fish populations.

Budget tradeoffs and deliverables: Panelists said they will continue to produce academic manuscripts but are seeking resources for more accessible products (GIS visualizations, fact sheets, a possible dashboard or fact‑sheet template), and recommended partnering with regional boards and other state programs (CEC, DWQ, DTSC) to leverage funding for extra samples or NTA runs. Several SRC members proposed a centralized, annually updated dashboard or links between SPOT deliverables and the State Water Board/SWAMP webpages so regional managers can access interpreted results.

Ending: The committee generally supported the proposed 65‑site toxicity frame and a tier‑2 focus for targeted chemistry while urging that QA/QC documents (for both targeted and NTA methods) be finalized and shared before program data are used for regulatory comparisons or trend assertions.","UC Davis and Granite Canyon staff presented a proposed SPOT monitoring plan and budget tradeoffs, recommending a 65‑site toxicity frame (40 core tier‑2 sites plus rotated sites), continued pyrethroid monitoring at 40 tier‑2 sites this year, and targeted reductions of some analyte suites to longer cycles to free resources.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

SPOT review: toxicity screening highlights some persistently impacted sites, multiple endpoints add value

UC Davis researchers outline how non‑targeted analysis can augment SPOT monitoring

SPOT program: PFAS detected widely at urban tier‑2 sites, but trends need more years of data

SPOT staff present monitoring plan, site rotation and budget tradeoffs; committee urges QA/QC clarity