Vol.
31 No. 4
July-August 2009
Development of a Pesticide Ecological Risk Assessment and Training Module
The Chemistry and the Environment Division
Committee has agreed to support continued development of “e-Valuate,” an Internet-based pesticide ecological risk-assessment and training module. Under the first part of this project (2004-011-1-600), a draft pesticide ecological risk-assessment and training module was funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Pesticide Programs with support from FAO/AGPP (Plant Protection Service of FAO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), the FAO-IAEA Joint Division for Agriculture, and IUPAC. This early version used a relative risk exposure assessment paradigm.
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The current version of e-Valuate is designed to follow the EPA methodology for ecological risk assessment. In this version, the relative-risk methodology has been replaced with the user-friendly EXPRESS (EXAMS-PRZM Exposure Simulation Shell) modeling platform. The Pesticide Root Zone Model (PRZM) and Exposure Analysis Modeling System (EXAMS) are pesticide fate and transport models developed by EPA. EXPRESS is designed to make complex pesticide fate and transport models much easier to use and to bring more sophisticated levels of risk assessment within reach of many countries.
e-Valuate includes descriptions of methods for ecological risk assessment and risk characterization, models and tools for simulation of pesticide exposure, methods of risk management, information on safe usage and disposal of pesticides, risk-assessment training materials and presentations, a pesticide glossary, and a library of pesticide websites. English and Spanish versions have been developed.
The second phase of this project will provide support for development of PRZM cropping scenarios in conjunction with regulatory officials and others from developing countries. These new scenarios will be designed to incorporate soil, weather, and agricultural practices in developing countries. IUPAC leadership in this project is ideal because of its long history of working on international pesticide issues.
For more information and comments, contact Task Group Chair Ronald Parker, <[email protected]>.
www.iupac.org/web/ins/2008-011-2-600
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last modified 1 July 2009.
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