Effects of atmospheric deposition of pesticides onterrestrial organisms in the Netherlands

摘要

At present there is much focus on the atmospheric dispersal ofpesticides. However, there is very little known about the effects ofatmospheric deposition, especially in terrestrial ecosystems. In thestudy described here, a start has been made to clarify the possibleeffects on terrestrial organisms using available data. To realise thisaim a number of assumptions were necessary, which lead to uncertaintiesin the results. Keeping this in mind, however, we could conclude thatthe Maximum Permissible Concentration (MPC) for soil is exceeded for 3out of 60 compounds with a known MPC. The so-called 'Negligible RiskLevel' (NRL) for soil is exceeded for 20 out of 60 compounds. The NRL isexceeded for a number of compounds for all species groups studied (soilorganisms, flying insects, birds and plants). For these species groups,the MPC is exceeded especially for plants (for 11 herbicides). Furtherresearch and refinement is needed in order to assess the risks, followingfrom the exceeding of NRL and MPC. Data are lacking though forestimating effects of fungicides on fungi. The conclusions refer tomid-range effects. Closer to the treated areas, higher depositions maybe expected - one of the aspects for further research, along with therole of the transport of airborne pesticides from abroad.