Fate and Effects of Agrochemicals

Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology

© Fraunhofer IME

Environmental risk assessment of pesticides

In this business area, we assess and investigate plant protection products (PPPs) for their environmental risk according to national and international legislation covering the registration of PPPs, e.g. EC 1107/20091*. Further to the determination of intrinsic substance properties, special emphasis is placed on the development and application of targeted studies addressing specific concerns, including both standardized and higher-tier studies for risk assessment.

Experimental work is supported and finalized by exposure and effect modeling, expert reports and consultations.

Our experience with studies carried out for pesticide manufacturers and our activities for and in cooperation with governmental agencies allows us to act as a scientific mediator between industry and regulatory bodies in the context of study assessments or when an optimal test strategy has to be defined.

*Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market and repealing Council Directives 79/117/EEC and 91/414/EEC

Research topics

Research, development and services

Standard Risk Assessment -
GLP studies and calculations according to guidelines (OECD, OPPTS, JMAFF)

physical-chemical properties

fate (e. g. exposure modeling kinetic analyses according to FOCUS; metabolism in soil, water/sediment; photolysis, bioaccumulation)

effects on organisms in water and soil

supply and distribution of reference soils (Refesol-program of the
German Federal Environment Agency) for product testing

Higher Tier Risk Assessment -

development, implementation and performance of e.g.:

- tests with non-standard species (species-sensitivity-distributions)

- fish full life cycle tests

- microcosm and mesocosm studies

- lysimeter studies

- "fate"-ocosms

outdoor soil degradation

substance specific modification of standard fate studies

exposure modeling (inverse modeling, GIS analyses, substance specific scenarios)

effects modeling (population, food webs)

All studies, including higher tier simulation studies, can be carried out
using 14C radiolabeled test substances.

Expert reports / risk assessment