One year of OPTIMA!
Human Health, Environmental and Socioeconomic Life-Cycle Analysis & Risk Assessment
The objective of WP6 of OPTIMA is to perform an extended Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), combined with Human and Ecological Risk Assessment (HERA) using Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), of the complete IPM system for the three different disease-crop combinations. All components of the IPM system (DSS, disease detection system, selected PPPs and new smart sprayers) will be assessed. WP6 has a duration of 34 months (started in February 2019).
A series of skype meetings were conducted with project partners from Italy (Terre Da Vino, University of Torino), Spain (UMA-UPC), France (Invenio, Irstea) to organize the work and to collect data by filling up specific questionnaires to develop both the extended LCA and HERA for the three crops (vineyards, apple orchards and carrots in open field). Further data regarding pesticide physico-chemical and toxicological characteristics has been collected from the literature and databases.
A state of the art of LCA applied to all three crops was conducted and opportunities to improve and contribute to new knowledge were identified. With the information already provided, including the detailed information of pesticides used, life cycle inventories are underway. In addition, life cycle impact assessment focused on pesticide application and modelling is being developed.
From the list of pesticides used in vineyard crops, searches of effect data in Draft Assessment Reports (DARs) and Renewal Assessment Reports (RARs) of the respective active ingredients (a.i.) and literature searches for effect data of the a.i. and/or commercial formulations were performed. This search aims to allow the estimation of Predicted Exposure Concentrations (PECs), through the software PERSAM, and the identification of potential gaps on effect data on the pesticides used in the three model crops.
A similar procedure is being performed regarding human health based on Risk-based Corrective Actions Approach, with a specific focus on modelling routes of exposure and combination with toxicity data obtained.
