Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME
Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME
© Fraunhofer IME

© Fraunhofer IME

Environmental Risk Assessment of Agrochemicals

We investigate and assess the environmental risk of plant protection products according to national and international legislation covering their registration (especially EC 1107/2009). While also applying standardized test procedures we focus on the development and application of targeted higher-tier studies such as fish life cycle tests and mesocosm studies, including chemical analysis.

Our experimental work is supported and augmented by statistics, and exposure and effect modeling. In the scope of national and international projects and committees, we contribute to the improvement of methods and strategies aiming to quantify the environmental risks of plant protection products and to minimize uncertainties.

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.

Research, development and services

Standard-Risk-Assessment

- GLP studies and calculations according to international guidelines (OECD, OPPTS and JMAFF) relating to physicochemical properties, fate (e.g. kinetic analyses and exposure modeling according to FOCUS, degradation and transformation in soil and water/ sediment, photolysis, hydrolysis and bio­accumulation)

- Effects on water/sediment/soil organisms

Higher Tier Risk Assessment (HTRA)

-  Development, implementation and performance of experi­mental studies and models, e.g. lysimeter studies, fate-o-cosms

-  Outdoor soil degradation, substance-specific modification of standard studies

-  Exposure modeling (inverse modeling, GIS analysis, substance-specific scenarios)

-  Ecotoxicological tests with non-standard species (for SSD approach) or with modified exposure (e.g. pulsed expo­sure), fish full life cycle tests, microcosm and mesocosm studies

-  Effect modeling (organisms-level: toxicokinetics and toxico­dynamics), populations and food webs)

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

Evaluations and expert reports on HTRA studies carried out by other institutions

Research and development projects and expert reports on general and specific issues relating to the environmental risk assessment of plant protection products