BOLTON — A preliminary water-quality study shows chemicals like caffeine, Deet and different kinds of pesticides are found in Lake George.
The levels are so low and the samples were so few, it’s not clear how concerning these chemicals are for the lake, but scientists hope the results will spur further study and encourage the public to consider what they put on their lawns, how good their septic systems are working and what they flush down the toilet.
The research was done last year by Syracuse University, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and the Upstate Freshwater Institute, with the help of citizen science volunteers. The academic organizations looked at 18 lakes around New York, including Lake George.
MaryGail Perkins, of Upstate Freshwater Institute, and Teng Zeng, of Syracuse University, presented the initial findings at the Lake George Association’s 134th annual meeting Friday, held at the Lake George Club.
The chemicals the groups looked for are called “contaminants of emerging concern,” and were divided into categories: pharmaceuticals, household products and herbicides/pesticides.
“Most of these are unregulated in recreational waters,” Perkins said. “Concentrations were measured in nanograms per liter. … They’re very, very tiny. These nanogram concentrations are the equivalent of one grain of sugar in 35 swimming pools.”
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