In this 2-part article series, we explore the various aspects of dissipation studies and how they are used in risk assessment.

Used to collect field data on a pesticide's behavior within a real-world environment, dissipation studies are an important part of environmental exposure and the regulatory process. Aquatic dissipation studies, as the name suggests, focus on pesticide behavior when present in water-based environments that could range from rivers and lakes to rice paddies or cranberry bogs.

Waterborne’s long history of managing aquatic field dissipation studies has led us to develop sampling procedures that apply to a broad range of environments and their respective challenges, such as aggressive alligators. The variables within study environments themselves often need innovative solutions for atypical sampling requirements. We've learned that, while these studies can be quite complex with a number of environmental variables to monitor, our focus remains on the extent of potential degradation and mobility of pesticide active ingredients and their degradates in the natural aquatic landscape under typical use conditions. 

Aquatic dissipation studies are particularly useful in...

>> Read the full article

Waterborne's own Amy Ritter, Waterborne Risk Assessment Team leader, recently presented on Spray Drift Modeling Tools during a workshop held in Brasília, Brazil, on September 18th and 19th. The Workshop was a joint venture between CropLife Brazil, EMBRAPA (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) and CERSA (Center of Excellence for Regulatory Science in Agriculture) and was created to understand and discuss mitigation feasible strategies to reduce pesticide exposure from runoff, erosion and drift. 48 experts from around the world attended the workshop, including experts and stakeholders from agriculture research organizations, academia, the pesticide industry, and regulatory authorities.

The workshop included presentations on the following topics:

• Brazilian agricultural practices and their potential mitigation measures;
• Basic concepts of mitigation measures into pesticide risk assessment; and Quantitative tools for mitigation measures in the context of ERA of pesticides.

>> Read the full article

On October 16th, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in the case the City of San Francisco brought against the U.S. EPA. The heart of the case relates to the City's push for better-specified pollution levels allowed for facilities like wastewater treatment plants under the Clean Water Act. Spurring this lawsuit is an EPA order for the City to reduce stormwater pollution flowing into San Francisco Bay. While there has not been a ruling yet, this is a case worth following. Find more information, here.

Fall's crisp air and changing leaves are a signal that we're switching our decor and style to the yellows, oranges, and reds of the season. One of the hallmarks of a fall tableau is the happy-looking sunflower. Known for their bright yellow petals and towering height, sunflowers are a staple within the agricultural and floral industries. But beyond their beauty and food capacities, these yellow flowers are environmentally valuable for both ecosystems and sustainable agriculture through their contributions to improved soil health and biodiversity support.

One of the most significant environmental benefits of sunflowers is their ability to clean contaminated soil through phytoremediation. Their adeptness at absorbing heavy metals like lead, arsenic, and uranium from the soil has made them a star in environmental restoration projects. In fact, sunflowers were used to absorb radioactive materials from contaminated soil and water after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. While not many environmental situations rank on the same level as Chernobyl, planting sunflowers in polluted areas can help soil rehabilitate over time, reducing the need for more invasive and costly methods of soil decontamination.



Sunflowers are also gaining traction as a tool against climate change...

>> Read the full article

SETAC North America's 45th Annual Meeting is in Fort Worth, Texas, this week and Waterborne has a team of experts in attendance. In addition to meeting with clients and colleagues, our team has been delivering oral presentations, and presenting posters. We'll have a complete summary of the event in next month's newsletter. In the meantime, you can see all of our presentations and poster abstracts here:

>> Explore Waterborne's SETAC Abstracts