George F. Antonius Education B.S., Pesticide Chemistry, University of Alexandria, Egypt, 1969 M.S., Pesticide Chemistry, University of Alexandria, Egypt, 1977 Ph.D., Pesticide Chemistry and Residues Analysis, University of Alexandria, Egypt, 1983 gantonious@gwmail.kysu.edu

• Pesticide Residue Analysis -Fate and dissipation of pesticides in soil, runoff water, groundwater, and on plant tissues. Extraction, cleanup and determination of synthetic and botanical insecticides on vegetables. Soil erosion and runoff are some of the major means by which pesticides enter streams, ponds, or lakes. The Water Quality Project at Kentucky State University (KSU) is evaluating best management practices for the growing of vegetable crops on highly erodible land (10% slope). 
• Insecticides from Wild Tomato - Insects have developed resistance to many, in some cases all, of the synthetic insecticides used for their control. Botanical insecticides offer a partial solution as substitutes for synthetic pesticides, particularly when two or more active components are combined. 
• Performance of Constructed Wetlands for On-site Wastewater Treatment - Surface and groundwater have become off-site sinks and a pressing environmental problem due to agricultural applications of fertilizers and pesticides. Evidence exists that pesticides and fertilizers can move into shallow aquifers underlying the karstic topography in Kentucky through the root zone due to the presence of open conduits. A major goal of the water quality research at Kentucky State University (KSU) is to provide fertilizer and pesticide fate models that can be used in planning landscape modifications for water quality improvements. 

Current Projects

• Enhanced Bioremediation: Soil Amendments and Constructed Wetlands for Pesticide Removal (1999-2003). 
• Botanical Insecticide: Impact on Environmental Quality" (9/1998-8/2001). 
• Insecticides from Wild Tomato: An Alternative for Limited Resource Farmers (1999-2002).
• Dislodgeable Foliar Residues of Organophosphorus Insecticides (1998-2000). 
• Impact of different colored mulches on the nutritional composition of Edible Roots (1996-2000). 
• Developing Programs for Operation and Management of On-site Constructed Wetlands (CW): EPA/319-NPS program. 

Support Staff

• Lisa Hawkins, Research Assistant
• Christine Lee, Research Assistant
• Matthew Patterson, Research Assistant

Herbicide extraction using Soxhlet apparatus	Tipping bucket runoff metering apparatus	Runoff plots at KSU research farm	Formulations containing pyrethrins and PBO	Detection of pesticide residues by gas chromatography

Recent Publications

Antonious, G.F (1999). Efficiency of Grass Buffer Strips and Cropping System on Off-Site Dacthal Movement. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 63: 25-32.

Antonious, G.F, J.C. Snyder, and D.L. Dahlman (1999). Tomato Cultivar Susceptibility to Egyptian Cotton Leafworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Colorado Potato Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). J. Entomol. Sci. 34: 171-182.

George F. Antonious, Matthew E. Byers and John C. Snyder (1998): Residues and Fate of Endosulfan on Field-Grown Pepper and Tomato. J. Pesticide Sci. 54:61-67.

George F. Antonious and Matthew E. Byers (1997): Fate and Movement of Endosulfan Under Field Conditions. Environ. Toxicol. Chemistry 16:644-649.

George F. Antonious, Matthew E. Byers, and William C. Kerst (1997): Residue Levels of Pyrethrins and Piperonyl Butoxide in Soil and Runoff Water. J. Environ. Sci. Health B32: 621-644.

George F. Antonious and Matthew E. Byers (1996): Performance of a Constructed Wetland for On-Site Wastewater Treatment. Trans. Ky. Acad. Sci. 57(2): 120-125.

George F. Antonious, Michael J. Kasperbauer and Matthew E. Byers (1996): Light Reflected from Colored Mulches to Growing Turnip Leaves Affects Glucosinolates and Sugars of Edible Roots. Photochemistry and Photobiology 64(3):605-610.

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