Roundup... Glyphosate analysis?

Hey folks,
I'm wondering if anyone has ever performed an independant water test of their ground water for glyphosate/roundup residues.

The formula is 41% roundup and 59% OTHER INGREDIENTS.
I'm wondering how could one detect

For instance, I live in a rural area next to a soy/corn farmer. He sprays. How could I obtain a full analysis of all the chemicals present in the water? Would it cost a butt ton? I'm wondering why nobody has ever done that? There's over 350 millions of us in North america and we're all pretty much sprayed with this shit, yet no one tests the water or knows what are the other 59% of OTHER INGREDIENTS? Which could be even worse..

Thanks for the inputs!
Charley as inquiring mind

Hi Charles;

I have not had my artesian spring tested for glyphosate although we did have it tested for quality, 35 years ago. It passed for quality and failed for particulates. We have been drinking it ever since.
I did just read that every California wine even the organic ones showed glyphosate content!  

I suspect its everywhere here. According to this link, .4 parts per billion is allowed and the average is .08 to .33

70% of all our water has it.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.care2.com/greenliving/monsantos-roundup-found-in-70-of-drinking-water.html&ved=2ahUKEwiQ2fWovfjfAhUJC6wKHX0jAHQQFjAMegQIBBAB&usg=AOvVaw1Fse1QG6nAuDbGQeeBUoC5

Yup, I know!

But we are SO MANY! HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS!

And one one or two article?

This shit is spread by the ton every year, and I've been spending the last few days accumulating studies... and it doesn't especially good.

Which is why I'm wondering.
1. Private testing...?
2. Is it possible to test for all chemical presents? Expensive...?
3. Anyone has done it?

I would be very interested to know, and I may very well hunt for a lab soon, then!
I'm in Quebec, canada.

*puts on moderator hat*

Let's be sure to keep this thread oriented at the original question about testing.  If it gets strays into general discussion of toxic gick it will have to move to the cider press.

*removes moderator hat (in case you're wondering, it's purple and sparkly)*

My uncle lived downhill from a corn field and had his water tested and it failed miserably. They had the field switched to grass and it passed.

Charles Laferriere wrote:2. Is it possible to test for all chemical presents? Expensive...?

There are tens of thousands of chemicals in use, some more harmful than others. Every chemical has a chemical fingerprint. When any type of water testing is done, it is searching for particular fingerprints depending on the tests performed. To test for all chemicals is just not practical and it would be cost-prohibitive.

Can I just ask; what do you hope to do with this information?

Starting from the assumption that you are not going to move to the wilds of alaska to get away from the water source, your only options are really to stop using pesticide, or control where they may be entering your land from outside. Most permies are acutely aware of what their neighbours are doing/spraying and also where surface runoff and water flows maybe carrying contaminants.

Personally, I would forget about doing an expensive test (which is unlikely to give you usable/actionable info) and focus on mitigating against known problems. Eg:

Neighbouring farms spray extensively and surface water flows from their land to yours? - Put a swale right on the boundary line to intercept and sink the water. Fill it with woodchips to provide a nice active fungal environment to break down anything unpleasant.

Worried about spray drift? Plant a screening barrier of non-edibles between you and the source.

I don't think you can just request "search for any chemicals in my water".   Not an expert here but I think they have to select for specific things.   I went down this research path last summer and concluded like Michael Cox, that the best we can do at this point is remediation (and activism - just thought I'd sneak that in :)  It's so pervasive I don't even trust rainwater anymore and am probably going to have my collected water tested this summer.   I have a local company I will call who charge a couple hundred dollars to send a technician to collect samples and run some basic tests.  

Here's another company that looks interesting.   They've been primarily a medical testing facility but the website says they're starting water testing, you can order a kit, but it's 8am on saturday so no point in calling right now.     They seem very knowledgeable about our concerns

https://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/

Here's a link to a lab water anslysis I had done on my new well.

https://permies.com/t/76472/Sand-ground-water-casing#751827

It's a somewhat broad analysis, but this test did not screen for glyphosate. The lab does test for glyphosate but it is a separate test that I forgot to ask for. When I retest, I will remember to ask for it.

My new farm is located in a farming community, and a lot of other farmers are spraying and applying who knows what. Interestingly, I thought for sure that I would have nitrate and nitrites in the ground water beneath my farm, but I was surprised to see the results of my sample show zero.

An alternative I chose to moving somewhere that is untainted by human activity is to filter my water. I bought and installed a reverse osmosis filter before I had the water test done. Even though the water appears to be surprisingly clean based on the analysis results, if the ground water were to change as time goes forward, my wife and I at least won't be ingesting any chemicals since we have the filter in place.

"Let's be sure to keep this thread oriented at the original question about testing.  If it gets strays into general discussion of toxic gick it will have to move to the cider press. " <--- I'm not sure how that is relevant? "toxic gick" = ?
I want to know what is being sprayed on my soil.

"To test for all chemicals is just not practical and it would be cost-prohibitive."

Yup my thought too..

Yet, I'd really be curious to know the 59% OTHER INGREDIENTS. It's quite a mess out there.

"Can I just ask; what do you hope to do with this information? "



Eventually, be the new owner of the land and kick the tenants who spray.

pertinent question Charles, and as you guessed the cost of getting a comprehensive water test done will be rather staggering.
Example from a lab here in Arkansas; complete herbicide residuals test of ground water = US $ 379.78 plus taxes.
That test will give you every compound from all herbicides known to be used in Arkansas (except for the dicambia which still needs a test protocol developed).