Chemical Detection
Pesticides
Identify pesticides used on illegal marijuana grows.
Defining the Threats
Due to their hazardous properties and threat to public and environmental health, pesticide use is heavily regulated by organizations like the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the European Commission, and the European Food and Safety Authority.
Danger by the Drop
With only marijuana plant yield in mind, cultivators use dangerous amounts of pesticides at grow sites with often devastating results. Animals that happen upon these grow sites only need to ingest a small, sometimes just a few drops, of these pesticides for it to be fatal.
The presence of these pesticides also pose a risk to responding law enforcement and those tasked with area clean up and reclamation after a seizure. Oftentimes, helicopters must be used to air-lift garbage, irrigation piping, and other refuse from sites.
The Critical Need to ID Hazardous Materials
With the presence of pesticides, hazardous materials protocols must be followed to properly identify, dispose, and clean waste at sites. At an average cost of $40,000 for site cleanup (before hazardous material disposal) properly identifying hazardous materials is important not only for safety, but for efficiently using funds for cleanup efforts.
On-Demand Webinar
Field Detection of Pesticides: Suicide, Seizures and Sickness
Watch this new on-demand webinar to learn more about dangerous grow operations cropping up in our national parks and forestry areas and how mass spectrometry technology can indentify dangerous and lethal pesticides to keep first responders and remediation crews safe.
Article
Micro Mass Spec in the Cannabis Field: A Q&A With 908 Devices
In an interview with Analytical Cannabis, our own Joe Gallo, explained how the MX908 has revolutionized the pesticide detection process and allowed for swift action and remediation, preventing further harm and protecting the ecosystem thanks to on-site insights within seconds.
Review the Resources
We’ve put together a few resources to outline the hazard of pesticides and how the MX908 can help:
White Paper
Pesticide Detection and Identification at Illegal Marijuana Grows
According to a report by the United States Forest Service, over 1,000 marijuana cultivation sites had been dismantled between 2017-2020. A single site cleanup by USFS resulted in more than 11,000 lbs. of trash, 1,250 lbs. of fertilizer, and numerous toxic chemicals.
Mission Brief
Expanded capability for toxic pesticide detection and identification
Download this Mission Brief to see which pesticides can be identified and the benefits of the MX908 for this application.
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