Hazard and risk assessment of chemicals for terrestrial ecosystems

Risk assessment for terrestrial ecosystems represents a great challenge due to their complexity. Pragmatic approaches, such as independent assessments for soil and 'above soil' organisms, are unrealistic. This communication presents a workable alternative, extending the role of the hazard identification. For each chemical, a set of selected ecological receptors and exposure routes is considered. Terrestrial vertebrates, soil-ground-foliar dwelling invertebrates, plants, and soil micro-organisms, are potential receptors subjected to direct and indirect exposures. Direct exposures cover those related to the emissions during the Life Cycle of the chemical. Indirect exposures focus on those occurring after the emission, related to the fate and behaviour of the molecule in the environment. Direct exposures are regulated by the production-use-disposal patterns. Indirect exposures are regulated by intrinsic (physicochemical, biological) properties. Hazard identification considers the toxicological profile and the exposure potential for each receptor, and selects the key receptors for the assessment. Risk analysis includes, for each receptor, all potential exposure routes and the corresponding timings. Food chain biomagnification is quantified on the basis of toxicokinetic data and a three vertebrate species model, suitable for top-predators and humans. A higher tier approach, considering the lack of homogeneity of the exposure and probabilistic assumptions, can also be conducted.