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Publication on validation of a method to determine transformation of chemicals in manure

Manure is widely used as a fertilizer and applied to agricultural land. It may contain highly active chemicals like veterinary medicinal products or biocides, which enter the environment by this pathway. This is recognized by several regulatory frameworks, however, a detailed method for examining the transformation of chemicals in manure was lacking. The present publication […]

New test guideline: Anaerobic transformation of chemicals in liquid manure

New test guideline: Anaerobic transformation of chemicals in liquid manure

On 30 June 2022, the OECD published test guideline No. 320: ‘Determining anaerobic transformation of chemicals in liquid manure’. This guideline describes a standardised method to investigate transformation of chemical substances in pig and cattle liquid manure under anaerobic conditions. The experiments are performed to determine the rate of transformation of the test substance, the […]

Publication on enhanced ready biodegradability screening tests

In persistence assessment, enhanced ready biodegradability tests (eRBT) are used to close the gap between screening tests and complex simulation tests. However, only few data from such tests are available, and neither guidance on the design and interpretation of eRBTs, nor suitable validity criteria have been established so far. In a practical testing programme, five […]

Review of the environmental fate and effects of two UV filter substances

Sunscreens containing UV filter substances, such as octocrylene (OCR) and butyl-methoxydibenzoylmethane (BMDBM), have been increasingly used to protect human skin against UV radiation. Both substances have been detected in monitoring studies in the freshwater and marine environment, and there has been concern about potential effects on aquatic organisms. In the present work, the environmental fate […]

Review on the environmental fate and effects of water-soluble synthetic organic polymers

Because of their usually high molecular weight, polymers are generally considered as being of low environmental concern and are, therefore, exempted from registration and evaluation within REACH. This exemption is currently being reviewed by the European Commission. Against this background, data on the environmental fate and effects of selected water-soluble synthetic organic polymers used in […]

New publication: Development of a test method for transformation of pharmaceuticals and biocides in manure

Spreading of manure on agricultural soils represents an important pathway by which veterinary medicinal and biocidal products enter the environment. To assess their environmental impact in the context of authorisation processes, experimental testing of transformation of these compounds in manure is considered in regulatory guidance documents. However, there is no standardised experimental test method available […]

Improved strategy to assess chemical persistence at the water-sediment interface

The environmental fate of a compound is determined by transformation and distribution processes, which are strongly dependent on the specific environmental conditions. Biodegradability of chemicals in different environmental compartments is one of the major determinants of their environmental fate and therefore plays a crucial role in regulatory decision-making. Simulation studies according to OECD 308 (aquatic […]

Transformation of veterinary pharmaceuticals and biocides in liquid manure

Veterinary medicinal products administered to animals are excreted with urine and faeces. For animals housed in stables, the resulting manure is collected and stored before being spread onto agricultural land. Disinfection products used to sanitize stables are also transferred into the manure. Therefore, the spreading of manure is an important pathway of introducing veterinary medicines, […]

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Intelligence-led Assessment of Pharmaceuticals in the Environment (iPiE)

Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) of medicines for human use can be released to the environment during the manufacturing process, following use by patients or when unused medicines are disposed of in an incorrect manner. As APIs are biologically active compounds, concerns have been raised about the potential effects of APIs in the environment on human […]

Optimized strategies for risk assessment of industrial chemicals through integration of non-test and test information (OSIRIS)

OSIRIS (Optimized Strategies for Risk Assessment of Chemicals based on Intelligent Testing) develops integrated testing strategies (ITS) which can be used for the European Union regulation REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) to significantly increase the use of non-testing information for risk assessment of industrial chemicals and regulatory decision making. This includes alternative […]