The assessment of spray drift damage for ten major crops in Belgium.
According to the Council Directive 91/414/EC pesticide damage should be assessed by considering the risk for persons arising from occupational, non-dietary exposure and risk to the environment. In this research an assessment for the pesticide damage by droplet spray drift was set up. The percentages of spray drift were estimated with the Ganzelmeier drift curves and the IMAG drift calculator. Knowing the percentages of drift and the applied doses of pesticide formulations in a given crop, the human and environmental exposures (water and bottom) were predicted. Thereupon risk indices were calculated for water organisms, soil organisms and bystanders. A risk index is the ratio of a predicted exposure to a toxicological reference value and gives an indication of the incidence and the severity of the adverse effects likely to occur. Considering the risk index it is possible to define the minimal width of an unsprayed field margin or "buffer zone" to reduce this risk at an acceptable level.
de Schampheleire
M
M
Department of Crop Protection, Laboratory of Phytopharmacy Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University Coupure links 653, BE-9000 Gent, Belgium.
Spanoghe
P
P
Steurbaut
W
W
Nuyttens
D
D
Sonck
B
B
D000818:Animals; D001530:Belgium; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D010316:Particle Size; D010575:Pesticides / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D014919:Wind
D010575:Pesticides; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical