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Question 1

Know the concept of dose and response? Draw the dose response curve? What does the slope of the curve tell us? Interpretation of dose response relationships? Explain the different values like LD50 etc. – Will be a question!!

Answer 1

1. The toxicity of a chemical substance is determined by quantifying the response of laboratory animals to a series of increasing doses
2. The relationship between the administered dose and animal response is graphically depicted as the dose- response curve
3. The higher the LD50 dose, the less acutely toxic the chemical substance
4. The threshold level is the lowest dose that produces a measurable response in the most sensitive animals (Between NOEL and LOEL)
5. The slope of the dose-response curve is of critical importance: a steep curve indicates only a slight difference between a nontoxic dose and a toxic dose

Question 2

Human risk assessment- Risk assessment is a multi step process. What are the steps?

Answer 2

1. Toxicity assessment: evaluation of intrinsic toxicity or hazard potential of the chemical
2. Exposure assessment: estimation of potential human exposure to the chemical
3. Risk characterization: evaluation of potential risk to humans

Question 3

Routes of exposure- and which route plays are more important role for the consumers and which one for the operators? Question!!!

Answer 3

Plant protection products may enter the human body through:

1. the skin (dermal exposure)
2. the mouth (oral exposure)
3. the lungs (respiratory exposure)

The site of exposure to the plant protection products impacts the rate of absorption into the bloodstream, as well as its distribution pattern

• General public exposure regards mainly residues in food and water (dietary exposure), but also residential exposure
• Occupational exposure occurs during manufacture, transport or use of plant protection products

Skin, Oral, Lungs (respiratory) –> Operator rather skin

Question 4

Which are the factors that influence the dermal exposure? Question!!!

Answer 4

1. Different anatomical sites
2. Warm and moist areas with increased blood vessels
3. Skin condition such as cuts, abrasions and rashes
4. Type of plant protection product formulation

Question 5

What are the toxicological thresholds? Question!!

Answer 5

1. Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI): Threshold for lifespan dietary exposure (= chronic RfD)
2. Acute Reference Dose (ARfD): Threshold set for compounds that pose risk for effects following single or short term dietary exposure, e.g. acute or subacute effects
3. Acceptable Operator Exposure Levels (AOEL): Threshold for repeated non dietary exposure

Question 6

What is Personal protective equipment? Question!!

Answer 6

• Personal protective equipment (PPE) reduces exposure to a plant protection product by creating a barrier between the worker and the hazard, thus representing a risk control measure
• Any device or appliance designed to be worn or held by an individual for protection against one or more health and safety hazards

The PPE for the work with PPPs includes:

1. Head protection
2. Eye and face protection
3. Respiratory protection
4. Protective gloves
5. Protective clothes
6. Protective footwear

Question 7

Define residues? What is a maximum residue level? How are they determined?

Question!!

Answer 7

Residues: traces of plant protection products left in treated products

1. A maximum residue level (MRL) is the highest level of a plant protection product residue that is legally tolerated in or on food or feed
2. An MRL is intended to be a legally enforceable limit to check whether farmers do follow GAP
3. An MRL is not based on the acceptable daily intake (ADI) of a plant protection product residue
4. An MRL is usually derived from data obtained from 8 to 16 field trials
5. In many situations, the MRL is set at the limit of detection of the PPP and its metabolites
6. MRLs are generally set at a level many times lower than a level, which would be expected to have an adverse effect on human health