Scientific Opinion on the setting of health‐based reference values for metabolites of the active substance terbuthylazine

摘要

The Panel on Plant Protection Products and their Residues was requested to establish health‐based reference values for groundwater metabolites ( 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) of the active substance terbuthylazine based on the available evidence, unless the evidence was considered insufficient to do so. The request was accepted under the explicit circumstance that the reassessment would be made according to a different methodology than the routine methodology currently applied for the assessment of metabolites in groundwater. While for metabolites 2, 4 and 5, it was concluded that the reference values for terbuthylazine are applicable, substance‐specific reference values could not be derived for metabolites 3 and 6. The applied threshold of toxicological concern ( ) approach has shown that metabolites 3 and 6 are of potential concern for consumer health, since at least one representative groundwater leaching scenario results in exposure above the relevant threshold. Moreover, other sources of exposure to 3 and 6 could not be excluded with certainty. It is therefore recommended to address the specific toxicities of metabolites 3 and 6.