Certification of the European reference soil set (IRMM-443--EUROSOILS). Part I. Adsorption coefficients for atrazine, 2,4-D and lindane.

The European Commission has characterised and certified a set of six European soils (the EUROSOILS) under the number IRMM-443. After a successful validation and trial period with a preliminary batch it was decided to produce a new batch of certified reference materials. Part I of this paper describes the certification of adsorption coefficients for atrazine, 2,4-D and lindane in these soils. The adsorption coefficients were determined according to OECD Test Guideline 106. Additionally, the underlying principles for the value assignment process according to the GUM and their practical application to the numerical data obtained during the certification exercise according to ISO Guide 34 and 35 are discussed.

Certification of the European Reference Soil Set (IRMM-443--EUROSOILS). Part II. Soil-pH in suspensions of water and CaCl2.

IRMM-443 re-groups a set of six European Reference Soils (EUROSOILS), which had been certified for their adsorption coefficients for atrazine, 2,4-D and lindane (Certification of the European Reference Soil Set (IRMM-443-EUROSOILS)-Part I. Adsorption coefficients for atrazine, 2,4-D and lindane. Sci Total Environ, in press). The certification of these parameters was complemented by an additional certification of pH in suspension as well by the determination of indicative values for total nitrogen, organic and total carbon content. While Part I explained the principles of the value assignment process and discussed their application to the adsorption coefficients, Part II presents the certified values for pH as well as the indicative values for N(tot), C(tot) and C(org). In addition, the assessment of uncertainty components for stability and homogeneity, which have been included in the final uncertainty budget, is discussed.

Effects of three fungicides alone and in combination on glutathione S-transferase activity (GST) and cytochrome P-450 (CYP 1A1) in the liver and gill of brown trout (Salmo trutta).

In order to evaluate the gill glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity as a biomarker of effect of fungicide exposure in juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta), the fungicides propiconazole [(R,S)-1-[2-(2,4-diclophenyl)-4-propyl-1,3-dioolan-2-ylmetyl]-1H-1,2,4-triazole] and fenpropimorph [(+/-)-cis-4-[3-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-2-metyl propyl]-2,6 dimetylmorfolinc] were administrated in the water separately and together in a static system (80 microg/l for each pesticide) for 5 days. The combined fungicides gave a significant decrease in gill GST activity towards 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB), whilst hepatic GST-activity was not significantly changed. Furthermore, continuous exposure to 540 ug/l thiabendazole[2-(thiazol-4'-yl)benzimidazole] in a flow-through system for 4 days significantly increased the gill glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity towards CDNB, whilst hepatic GST and cytochrome P450 (CYP 1A) activities were not increased by the treatment.

Sorption of bentazone, dichlorprop, MCPA, and propiconazole in reference soils from Norway.

Sorption-desorption kinetic and isotherm studies were performed by the batch equilibrium technique in three Norwegian soils. The soils were a fine sandy loam, a loam, and a soil of highly decomposed organic material. Two commercially formulations were used, Triagran-P and Tilt, containing either a mixture of bentazone [3-isopropyl-1H-2, 1,3-benzothiadiazin-4(3H)-one 2,2-dioxide], dichlorprop [(R)-2-(2, 4-dichlorophenoxy)-propionic acid], and MCPA [(4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)acetic acid], or propiconazole [(+/-)1-(2-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-propyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-ylmethyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole] alone. Sorption-desorption equilibrium occurred within 10 h for all pesticides. The Freundlich isotherms indicated nonlinear sorption of bentazone, dichlorprop, MCPA, and propiconazole. For all pesticides the highest Freundlich adsorption coefficient (K(F)) values were in the soil with highest organic content and lowest pH. For the fine sandy loam and loam, which are representative Norwegian agricultural soils, the results indicate that bentazone, dichlorprop, and MCPA are mobile with KF values ranging from 0.07 to 1.50 mg1-1/n kg(-1) L1/n. Propiconazole is much less mobile with KF values ranging from 27.00 to 36.02 mg1-1/n kg(-1) L1/n in the agricultural soils.

Mobility of dichlorprop in the soil-water system as a function of different environmental factors. II. A lysimeter experiment.

Lysimeter experiments were conducted to study the leaching of [14C]dichlorprop and [3H]water through different soil columns. Results from soil columns collected at Haslemoen showed that an upper silt loam layer (0-18 cm) had higher retention capacity than the underlying sandy loam (35-60 cm) and fine sand (70-95 cm) layers. Leaching through silt clay loam (0-18 cm) columns from Ullensaker was very fast. When the columns received an amount of water corresponding to approximately 10 mm precipitation, up to 50% of the added [14C]dichlorprop leached through the columns. This is probably due to rapid downward movements through macropores (e.g. cracks).