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Pesticide Chemistry



Modelling the environmental behaviour of pesticides


Given the vast range of soil types, use patterns and climatic factors, only a relatively few measurements can be made of the environmental behaviour of a pesticide. For other situations, predictions are required. Two computer simulation models have been developed, CALF for homogeneous soils and PLM for macroporous soils, which allow estimates of the leaching and persistence of a pesticide in soil. Additionally, a database and expert system PETE contains information on over 800 compounds together with prediction capabilities for environmental behaviour (persistence, leaching, plant uptake, volatilisation and bioaccumulation in aquatic systems), and this can be downloaded from the web page.


Modelling movement to drainage at Brimstone Farm of isoproturon applied 17 November 1994 at 2.5 kg/ha.

References:

NICHOLLS, P.H., WALKER, A. & BAKER, R.J. (1982). Measurement and simulation of the movement and degradation of atrazine and metribuzin in a fallow soil. Pesticide Science. 12, 484-494.

NICHOLLS, P.H. & HALL, D.G.M. (1995). Use of the pesticide leaching model (PLM) to simulate pesticide movement through macroporous soils. BCPC Monograph No. 62, Pesticide Movement to Water, 187-192.

NICHOLLS, P.H. (1997) A decision-support system for environmental preregistration assessment. Proc FAO/IAEA International Symposium on the Use of Nuclear and Related Techniques for Studying Environmental Behaviour of Crop Protection Chemicals. Vienna (Austria), 361-370.