Accounting for differing exposure patterns between laboratory tests and the field in the assessment of long-term risks of pesticides to terrestrial vertebrates.
Long-term risks of pesticides to birds and mammals are currently assessed by comparing effects thresholds determined in chronic laboratory studies to exposure levels expected to occur in the field. However, there is often a mismatch between exposure patterns tested in the laboratory tests (exposure levels held constant) and those experienced by animals in the field (exposure levels varying over time). Three methods for addressing this problem are presented and discussed. Time-weighted averaging (TWA) converts a variable field exposure regime to a single value that can be compared directly to the laboratory test results. Body-burden modeling (BBM) is applied to both laboratory and field exposure regimes allowing a straightforward comparison of body residue levels expected for each situation. Temporal analysis (TA) uses expert judgment to decide if the length of time exposure exceeds a toxicity threshold is long enough to cause biologically significant effects. To reduce uncertainty in long-term assessments, the conduct of specialized laboratory tests in which test subjects are administered a time-varying exposure that mimics what occurs in the field should be considered. Such tests may also be useful testing the validity of each of these assessment methods.
Fischer
David L
DL
Ecotoxicology Section, Research and Development Department, Bayer CropScience LLC, 17745 South Metcalf Avenue, Stilwell, Kansas 66085, USA. david.fischer@bayercropscience.com
D000818:Animals; D001822:Body Burden; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010575:Pesticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D013995:Time; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D035501:Uncertainty; D014714:Vertebrates
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010575:Pesticides