Estimating Environmental Concentrations of Pesticides and Hazard Categories Using Exposure Modelling

Gyula Dura*, Veska Kambourova**, Kosta Vassilev**, Maria Tasheva**, Lubomir Simeonov***

* National Institute of Environmental Health, of “József Fodor” National Center for Public Health, Budapest, Hungary
** National Centre of Hygiene, Medical Ecology and Nutrition, Sofia, Bulgaria
*** Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Central Laboratory for Solar-Terrestrial Influences, Sofia, Bulgaria
 
Corresponding author: Gyula Dura
National Institute of Environmental Health, “József Fodor” National Center for
Public Health,
H-1097 Budapest, Gyáli út 2-6. Hungary
Tel.: (+36) 1 218-3158
Fax: (+36) 1 215-0148



Keywords:
Pesticides, exposure modelling, USES, HESP, Mackay’s fugacity Level I, PEC/NEC hazard quotient, estimated human daily intake.

Abstract:
Modelling investigation have been performed for determination of estimated concentrations of pesticides in water and for hazard categories. Estimated human daily intake, predicted environmental concentration (PEC) and hazard categories for aquatic life were evaluated by USES for 275 pesticides and by HESP model for 99 of them. Calculation of PEC was performed for 313 pesticides with Mackay Level I model.
    It may be concluded from the PEC data that 80% of the herbicides have the potential to be present in ground water in more than 50% of applied dose, 76% and 52% of the fungicides and insecticides, respectively. The comparison of predicted and real concentration demonstrated that PEC exceeded measured concentrations of almost all pesticides detected in Danube and tributaries’ water. Comparison of hazard classification showed that hazard categories obtained by HESP are higher than by USES. There is a correspondence in the ranging by hazard obtained by two models. These results demonstrated that both models may be used for ranging pesticides by hazard.
    Human daily intake calculated by HESP is higher than this by USES. There is good correspondent in hazard. Some calculated daily intake by HESP is higher then ADI. The appropriate use and limitations of the models should be emphasised.


Received: 16 June 1998
Accepted: 03 December 1998

Posted: 2 March 1999

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