Semi-field methods for the environmental risk assessment of pesticides in soil : SETAC Workshop PERAS, Coimbra, Portugal

Based on discussions at the 2007 SETAC Europe PERAS Workshop in Coimbra, Semi-Field Methods for the Environmental Risk Assessment of Pesticides in Soil presents a timely summary of state-of-the-art higher-tier terrestrial risk assessment of plant protection products (PPPs). Influential regulators, academics, and industry scientists provide a comprehensive, science-based view to guide regulatory authorities and manufacturers in assessing the higher-tier terrestrial risks of PPPs in the environment. The book includes a clear description of how to perform a higher-tier terrestrial risk assessment and provides a single reference on the subject. It examines various types of semi-field methods for soil assessment, including the use of terrestrial model ecosystems for pesticide risk assessment. In addition, the text also explores legislative and regulatory issues and offers technical recommendations. The book provides guidance on how to assess the soil risks of pesticides in the environment and explains how to use semi-field methods to access how pesticides may lead to spatial and temporal changes in soil biological communities and the larger agricultural landscape. Cover Page 1 Title Page 4 ISBN 9781439828588 5 Contents 7 List of Figures 10 List of Tables 12 Acknowledgments 13 About the Editors 14 Workshop Participants 18 Executive Summary 21 Extended Summary 25 Chapter 1: Introduction 35 1.1 Scope of the Workshop 35 1.2 Background 36 Chapter 2: Ecological Considerations 39 2.1 Scope 39 2.2 Short Overview of "Typical" Soil Organism Communities 40 2.2.1 The Structure of the Soil Biocoenosis 40 2.2.2 Functions of Soil Organisms 42 2.2.3 The Interaction between Structure and Function 43 2.3 Quantitative Description of Soil Organism Communities 45 2.3.1 Horizontal Distribution 50 2.3.2 Vertical Distribution 50 2.3.3 Variability in Time 51 2.4 Potential Effects of Pesticides on Soil Organism Communities 52 Chapter 3: Legislative and Regulatory Background to the Assessment of Risks from Plant Protection Products in Soil 57 3.1 Current Regulatory Position in Europe Regarding Soil Testing for PPPs 57 3.2 Possible Future Regulatory Developments in Europe Regarding Soil Testing for PPPs 61 3.3 Example of the Regulatory Use of Higher-Tier Methods in the Risk Assessment Framework for Soil: The Dutch Proposal for Risk Assessment of Persistent Plant Protection Products in Soil 65 3.3.1 Introduction 65 3.3.2 Tiered Approach for the Exposure Assessment 66 3.3.3 Tiered Approach for the Effect Assessment 67 3.3.4 Semi-Field Tests with Carbendazim 68 Chapter 4: Overview and Evaluation of Soil Semi-Field (Higher-Tier) Methods 71 4.1 Scope 71 4.2 Classification of Existing Semi-Field Approaches 72 4.3 Presentation of Semi-Field Methods 74 4.4 Evaluation of Semi-Field Methods 81 4.4.1 Ecological Criteria 81 4.4.2 Performance Criteria 84 4.5 Recommendations 85 Chapter 5: Technical Recommendations 87 5.1 Fate and Exposure 87 5.2 Effects 88 5.3 Sampling 93 5.4 Statistics 95 Chapter 6: Research Needs 99 6.1 Protection Goals and Risk Assessment Scheme 99 6.2 Basic Ecological Research 100 6.3 Uncertainties in Extrapolation 100 6.4 Experimental Setup, Sampling, and Analysis 101 6.4.1 Soil Hydrology 101 6.4.2 Core Size, Size of Populations, and Equilibration 101 6.4.3 Application 102 6.4.4 Statistics and Sampling 102 6.4.5 Study Duration 103 6.4.6 Summarizing and Evaluating 103 References 105 Appendix 1: Workshop Program 115 Appendix 2: Draft Method for Terrestrial Semi-Field Tests (Indoor and Outdoor Terrestrial Model Ecosystems) 117 Introduction 117 Initial Considerations 118 Principles of the Test 119 Validity of the Test 121 Description of the Method 121 TME Facility 121 Reuse of Model Ecosystem Containers 121 Coring Site for the Terrestrial Model Ecosystems 122 Soil Cores 122 Organisms to Include 122 Maturation Time 123 Test Design 123 Recovery 124 Procedures 124 Application 124 Irrigation 126 Sampling 126 Biological Measurement 127 Analysis of Test Chemical 127 Data and Reporting 128 Data Handling and Statistical Analysis 128 Appropriate Levels of Taxonomic Resolution 129 Reporting Requirements 129 Appendix 3: Workshop Sponsors 131 Index 133 Back Page 138 9781439828588