Annegaaike Leopold - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Annegaaike Leopold
Journal of Applied Toxicology
The present study evaluated the hypothesis that dietary quality used in historical studies may im... more The present study evaluated the hypothesis that dietary quality used in historical studies may impact the effects of chemical stressors on premetamorphic development and metamorphosis due to suboptimal nutritional quality. A modified Amphibian Metamorphosis Assay (AMA) was performed in which Nieuwkoop and Faber (NF) Stage 47 tadpoles of Xenopus laevis were exposed for 32 days to iodide (I−)‐deficient FETAX solution supplemented with <0.025, 0.17, 0.52, 1.58, and 4.80 μg I−/L (measured concentrations 0.061, 0.220, 0.614, 1.65, and 4.73 μg I−/L) and fed a pureed Frog Brittle (FB) diet. An AMA guideline benchmark group (four replicates) exposed to dechlorinated tap water and fed standard Sera Micron Nature® (SMN) diet was evaluated concurrently. Developmental delay, observed as changes in stage distribution or median developmental stage, occurred in FB treatments with 0.061, 0.220, and 0.614 μg/L I−, respectively. Developmental rates and hind limb length of the 1.65 and 4.73 μg/L I−...
Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 2021
Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021:480–483 Debates, Dilemmas, and Discoveries (3D) offers rapid pub... more Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021:480–483 Debates, Dilemmas, and Discoveries (3D) offers rapid publication on compelling and timely issues. Contributions should answer the “so what?” question and should encourage readers to think, challenge them to do better science, and motivate them to excel in the ways in which they apply science to environmental assessment and management. The new feature will provide a platform to: report on progress in fi eld and laboratory research explore new or emerging research questions provide opinions and perspectives on a range of environmental topics debate issues spotlight management policies and practices share challenges and insights on biology, chemistry, ecology, engineering and sustainability Guidelines and Submission: Manuscripts should be concise and written for a broad audience of policy makers, scientists, and business professionals. Manuscripts are limited to 1000 words and may include no more than 1 table or fi gure and up to 6 references. Manuscripts are subject to review and approval by the 3D Editors. Submit any questions and manuscripts directly to the 3D Editors (ieam3d@setac.org). In a Nutshell. . . Debates, Dilemmas, and Discoveries 480
Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 2020
Ecotoxicology, 2005
The long-term risks of pesticides to wildlife in the EU currently are assessed by comparing the l... more The long-term risks of pesticides to wildlife in the EU currently are assessed by comparing the lowest no-observed-effect concentration (NOEC) determined from the suite of endpoints measured in existing avian and mammalian laboratory reproduction tests with estimated exposure concentrations by calculating Toxicity to Exposure Ratios (TERs). Regulatory authorities experience difficulties when assessing long-term risks because of the lack of accepted methods to improve the ecological realism of exposure and toxicity estimates and understand risks at a population level. This paper describes an approach for interpreting existing avian and mammalian toxicity test data that divides breeding cycles into several discrete phases and identifies specific test endpoints as indicators of direct pesticide effects possible at each phase. Based on the distribution of breeding initiation dates for a species of concern and the dates of pesticide applications, this approach compares the phase-specific toxicity endpoint with the expected pesticide exposure levels during each of the breeding phases. The fate of each breeding attempt is determined through a series of decision points. The cumulative reproductive response of individuals in a breeding population based on this decision framework provides a means of examining the estimated risks over the course of the breeding season and deriving an overall metric of the impact of the pesticide on reproduction. Research needed to further improve the approach is discussed.
This special series of six papers (this introductory paper and 5 other papers) is about the Focus... more This special series of six papers (this introductory paper and 5 other papers) is about the Focused Topic Meeting on Endocrine Disruption Chemical Testing; Risk Assessment Approaches and Implications (4 – 6 February, 2014, Raleigh, North Carolina). The workshop was composed of five sessions that each dealt with a specific topic. Broadly speaking the following themes were addressed: a) the status of the USEPA Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program, b) how data from both EDSP-directed testing and other sources may be interpreted and applied in regulatory settings and c) approaches for moving beyond estrogen, androgen and thyroid pathways to address current challenges and expanding future approaches to EDC testing. The series of publications summarizes the knowledge presented and discussed at the Focused Topic Meeting and organizes the information by session. Where relevant, the summaries are enhanced beyond the original ideas of the presentations during the meeting. It is the intention...
Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 2021
Kicking pellet emissions to the curb. Tsui et al. A status update and recommended solutions for r... more Kicking pellet emissions to the curb. Tsui et al. A status update and recommended solutions for reducing the environmental release of microplastics pellets, a major source of plastics contaminating aquatic systems.
Environment International, 2019
In the past few decades, there has been a dramatic increase in scientific publications dealing wi... more In the past few decades, there has been a dramatic increase in scientific publications dealing with contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and the escalating publication rate makes it close to impossible for individual researchers to get an overview of the field. Assuring the relevance and quality of the research conducted in any research field is a crucially important task. The rapidly increasing publication rates imply that review papers will play a progressively more central role to that end. The aim of the present paper is to critically assess whether reviews dealing with contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are effective vehicles for a healthy dialogue about methodological weaknesses, uncertainties, research gaps and the future direction of the field. We carried out a tiered content-analysis of CEC review papers. Relevant papers were identified through searches in Web of Science (Clarivate), leading to the identification of 6391 original research papers of which 193 are review papers. We find that the majority of CEC reviews are written as if they are comprehensive, even though this clearly is not the case. A minority (~20%) take a critical-analytical approach to the reviewing task and identify weaknesses and research gaps. The following widespread tendencies in CEC research papers are commonly noted as concerning: to equate removal of CECs to 'decreased concentrations in the effluent'; to focus on parent substances and not concern oneself with degradation products; to focus on most commonly studied substances rather than those of most concern; to not deal with the corollary of our inability to detect or assess the risk for all substances, and to give insufficient attention to uncertainties and the unknown. Several critical-analytical reviews are among the highest cited, which suggests that they have the potential to function as effective vehicles for a healthy dialogue on these topics. On the other hand, it would appear that the concerns expressed in these reviews have a limited impact, as the same concerns are repeated over time. This might be due to a tendency among review authors to express their concerns implicitly, instead of clearly spelling them out. Our study suggests that CEC reviews presently fail to provide adequate and reliable guidance regarding the relevance and quality of research in the field. We argue that the overwhelming number of publications in combination with a lack of quality criteria for review papers are reasons to this failure: it is well documented that choices made during the reviewing process have a major impact on the outcome of a review. These choices include: search engine; the criteria used to include or exclude papers; the criteria used to assess the quality of the data generated in the research papers included; the criteria used for the choice of substances/ organisms/ technologies reported on. The lack of transparent procedures makes it very difficult, if not impossible, to assess the quality of the findings presented or to put those findings in context. In this light, it is noteworthy that criteria for a good review paper are rarely spelled out by peer-reviewed journals or included in instructions on scientific writing. The dramatic increase in publications is a challenge for the entire research community, particularly for research fields that are expected to provide policy-relevant data. We argue that only when peer-reviewed journals start specifying quality criteria for review papers, can such papers be relied upon to provide adequate and strategic guidance on the development of CEC research. We anticipate that our findings and conclusions are valid for many other research fields.
Environmetrics, 1997
... Research Article. HOW TO MEASURE NO EFFECT. PART I: TOWARDS A NEW MEASURE OF CHRONIC TOXICITY... more ... Research Article. HOW TO MEASURE NO EFFECT. PART I: TOWARDS A NEW MEASURE OF CHRONIC TOXICITY IN ECOTOXICOLOGY. INTRODUCTION AND WORKSHOP RESULTS. NELLY VAN DER HOEVEN 1,* ,; FRANK NOPPERT 2 ,; ANNEGAAIKE LEOPOLD 3. ...
1 Strategies for selecting biodegradation simulation tests and their interpretation in persistenc... more 1 Strategies for selecting biodegradation simulation tests and their interpretation in persistence evaluation and risk assessment
Journal of Applied Entomology, 1990
ABSTRACT Methods have been developed for rearing Oedothorax apicatus (Aranaea, Erigonidae) and fo... more ABSTRACT Methods have been developed for rearing Oedothorax apicatus (Aranaea, Erigonidae) and for testing of the initial toxicity of residues of pesticides to spiders of this and related species (Erigonidae, Linyphiidae) according to IOBC/WPRS standards. Deltamethrin, fenitrothion and maneb appeared to be harmless to moderately harmful to males and females of O. apicatus in a preliminary initial toxicity test using this method. Methode zur Bestimmung der Toxizität von Pestiziden auf Spinnen der Familien Erigonidae und Linyphiidae Entsprechend den Richtlinien der IOBC/WPRS wurden eine Zuchtmethode für Oedothorax apicatus und ein Verfahren zur Prüfung der Anfangstoxizität von Pestizidrückständen auf diese und verwandte Spinnenarten (Erigonidae, Linyphiidae) entwickelt. Deltamethrin, Fenitrothion und Maneb, die nach diesem Verfahren getestet wurden, erwiesen sich als schonend bis mittelstark schädigend (nach der Bewertungsskala der IOBC/WPRS) für Männchen und Weibchen von O. apicatus.
Integrated environmental assessment and management, Jan 27, 2017
A SETAC Pellston Workshop(®) "Environmental Hazard and Risk Assessment Approaches for Endocr... more A SETAC Pellston Workshop(®) "Environmental Hazard and Risk Assessment Approaches for Endocrine-Active Substances (EHRA)" was held in February 2016 in Pensacola, Florida, USA. The primary objective of the workshop was to provide advice, based on current scientific understanding, to regulators and policy makers; the aim being to make considered, informed decisions on whether to select an ecotoxicological hazard- or a risk-based approach for regulating a given endocrine-disrupting substance (EDS) under review. The workshop additionally considered recent developments in the identification of EDS. Case studies were undertaken on 6 endocrine-active substances (EAS-not necessarily proven EDS, but substances known to interact directly with the endocrine system) that are representative of a range of perturbations of the endocrine system and considered to be data rich in relevant information at multiple biological levels of organization for 1 or more ecologically relevant taxa. The...
…, 1998
Abstract The NOEC (no observed effect concentration) is widely used as summary statistic of ecoto... more Abstract The NOEC (no observed effect concentration) is widely used as summary statistic of ecotoxicity tests. In setting standards for risk evaluation, it is normally applied as if it were an estimate of the NEC (no effect concentration). Recently, a workshop was organized in the ...
Reference Module in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences, 2019
Endocrine disruption has been a prominent area of research in the environmental sciences for the ... more Endocrine disruption has been a prominent area of research in the environmental sciences for the past three decades. In response to public concern, numerous regulatory programs and testing strategies have been developed around the world to identify potential endocrine disruptors, to assess their impact on wildlife and humans, and to regulate them either through hazard or risk assessment. The primary focus of endocrine disruption research has been on estrogen, androgen, thyroid, and steroidogenesis modalities. While there are ongoing efforts to develop and validate traditional assessment approaches, new approach methodologies has accelerated chemical testing for endocrine activity.
Environmental Science & Policy
Abstract Society critically depends on scientific expertise to inform and justify action on many ... more Abstract Society critically depends on scientific expertise to inform and justify action on many complex issues. Scientific debates drive science, but the processes of informing policy are commonly designed with the assumption of scientific consensus, for example about the nature of chemical risk. We are concerned that this design may result in the manufacturing of consensus through the exclusion of potentially valuable epistemic perspectives. This paper studies the scientific controversy around a group of chemicals (endocrine disruptors, EDs) as a case of science-for-policy dispute in complex fields with large scientific uncertainties. We conducted two focus groups with scientists from either side of the dispute and analyzed the dominant narratives about ED research and regulation that emerged from the conversation in each group. We found starkly contrasting narratives, which, to the best of our understanding, are both based on valid and epistemically sound concerns: one story was about the insurmountable complexity of environmental endocrine impacts, and concerns about normatively inappropriate industry influence on regulation; the other about barriers to efficient and effective science for policy processes. Archetypes from each group’s narrative were used as tools to discredit the epistemic authority of the disputing side and present their own side as the sole authority to inform regulation, thus striving to manufacture consensus to gain epistemic authority. Our study suggests that the expectation of consensus in areas with large uncertainties incentivizes scientists to use questionable methods to gain epistemic authority, else they themselves risk being closed out of the decision space. We conclude that there is a need to redesign processes where science advises policy so as to improve their capacity to draw on a plurality of scientific expertise, while safeguarding against the influence of normatively inappropriate forces and epistemically flawed approaches.
Long term exposure of skylarks to a fictitious insecticide and of wood mice to a fictitious fungi... more Long term exposure of skylarks to a fictitious insecticide and of wood mice to a fictitious fungicide were modelled probabilistically in a Monte Carlo simulation. Within the same simulation the consequences of exposure to pesticides on reproductive success were modelled using the toxicityexposure-linking rules developed by R.S. Bennet et al. (2005) and the interspecies extrapolation factors suggested by R. Luttik et al. (2005). We built models to reflect a range of scenarios and as a result were
In the European Union, first-tier assessment of the long-term risk to birds and mammals from pest... more In the European Union, first-tier assessment of the long-term risk to birds and mammals from pesticides is based on calculation of a deterministic long-term toxicity/exposure ratio (TER lt). The ratio is developed from generic herbivores and insectivores and applied to all species. This paper describes two case studies that implement proposed improvements to the way long-term risk is assessed. These refined methods require calculation of a TER for each of five identified phases of reproduction (phase-specific
Journal of Applied Entomology, 1990
Methods have been developed for rearing Oedothorax apicatus (Aranaea, Erigonidae) and for testing... more Methods have been developed for rearing Oedothorax apicatus (Aranaea, Erigonidae) and for testing of the initial toxicity of residues of pesticides to spiders of this and related species (Erigonidae, Linyphiidae) according to IOBC/WPRS standards. Deltamethrin, fenitrothion and maneb appeared to be harmless to moderately harmful to males and females of O. apicatus in a preliminary initial toxicity test using this method. Methode zur Bestimmung der Toxizität von Pestiziden auf Spinnen der Familien Erigonidae und Linyphiidae Entsprechend den Richtlinien der IOBC/WPRS wurden eine Zuchtmethode für Oedothorax apicatus und ein Verfahren zur Prüfung der Anfangstoxizität von Pestizidrückständen auf diese und verwandte Spinnenarten (Erigonidae, Linyphiidae) entwickelt. Deltamethrin, Fenitrothion und Maneb, die nach diesem Verfahren getestet wurden, erwiesen sich als schonend bis mittelstark schädigend (nach der Bewertungsskala der IOBC/WPRS) für Männchen und Weibchen von O. apicatus.
Presentations in session one of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Nor... more Presentations in session one of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) North America Focused Topic Meeting: Endocrine Disruption (February 4 – 6, 2014) described where the science and the regulations have arrived and identified the key challenges that lie ahead. The first presentation gave an overview of where the endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) issue currently stands in terms of science and policy. It introduced the significant debate about whether suspected EDCs should be evaluated using a hazard-based or a risk-based approach. Subsequent presentations provided a synopsis of the US-EPA Endocrine Disruption Screening Program (EDSP), including a description of the legislative origins of the program, its risk-based nature, its evolution and its future through the input of multi-stakeholder advisory groups. A presentation was given about the current status of potential regulatory activities in the European Union (EU) relative to EDCs and the fact that it is ...
Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management
Journal of Applied Toxicology
The present study evaluated the hypothesis that dietary quality used in historical studies may im... more The present study evaluated the hypothesis that dietary quality used in historical studies may impact the effects of chemical stressors on premetamorphic development and metamorphosis due to suboptimal nutritional quality. A modified Amphibian Metamorphosis Assay (AMA) was performed in which Nieuwkoop and Faber (NF) Stage 47 tadpoles of Xenopus laevis were exposed for 32 days to iodide (I−)‐deficient FETAX solution supplemented with <0.025, 0.17, 0.52, 1.58, and 4.80 μg I−/L (measured concentrations 0.061, 0.220, 0.614, 1.65, and 4.73 μg I−/L) and fed a pureed Frog Brittle (FB) diet. An AMA guideline benchmark group (four replicates) exposed to dechlorinated tap water and fed standard Sera Micron Nature® (SMN) diet was evaluated concurrently. Developmental delay, observed as changes in stage distribution or median developmental stage, occurred in FB treatments with 0.061, 0.220, and 0.614 μg/L I−, respectively. Developmental rates and hind limb length of the 1.65 and 4.73 μg/L I−...
Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 2021
Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021:480–483 Debates, Dilemmas, and Discoveries (3D) offers rapid pub... more Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021:480–483 Debates, Dilemmas, and Discoveries (3D) offers rapid publication on compelling and timely issues. Contributions should answer the “so what?” question and should encourage readers to think, challenge them to do better science, and motivate them to excel in the ways in which they apply science to environmental assessment and management. The new feature will provide a platform to: report on progress in fi eld and laboratory research explore new or emerging research questions provide opinions and perspectives on a range of environmental topics debate issues spotlight management policies and practices share challenges and insights on biology, chemistry, ecology, engineering and sustainability Guidelines and Submission: Manuscripts should be concise and written for a broad audience of policy makers, scientists, and business professionals. Manuscripts are limited to 1000 words and may include no more than 1 table or fi gure and up to 6 references. Manuscripts are subject to review and approval by the 3D Editors. Submit any questions and manuscripts directly to the 3D Editors (ieam3d@setac.org). In a Nutshell. . . Debates, Dilemmas, and Discoveries 480
Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 2020
Ecotoxicology, 2005
The long-term risks of pesticides to wildlife in the EU currently are assessed by comparing the l... more The long-term risks of pesticides to wildlife in the EU currently are assessed by comparing the lowest no-observed-effect concentration (NOEC) determined from the suite of endpoints measured in existing avian and mammalian laboratory reproduction tests with estimated exposure concentrations by calculating Toxicity to Exposure Ratios (TERs). Regulatory authorities experience difficulties when assessing long-term risks because of the lack of accepted methods to improve the ecological realism of exposure and toxicity estimates and understand risks at a population level. This paper describes an approach for interpreting existing avian and mammalian toxicity test data that divides breeding cycles into several discrete phases and identifies specific test endpoints as indicators of direct pesticide effects possible at each phase. Based on the distribution of breeding initiation dates for a species of concern and the dates of pesticide applications, this approach compares the phase-specific toxicity endpoint with the expected pesticide exposure levels during each of the breeding phases. The fate of each breeding attempt is determined through a series of decision points. The cumulative reproductive response of individuals in a breeding population based on this decision framework provides a means of examining the estimated risks over the course of the breeding season and deriving an overall metric of the impact of the pesticide on reproduction. Research needed to further improve the approach is discussed.
This special series of six papers (this introductory paper and 5 other papers) is about the Focus... more This special series of six papers (this introductory paper and 5 other papers) is about the Focused Topic Meeting on Endocrine Disruption Chemical Testing; Risk Assessment Approaches and Implications (4 – 6 February, 2014, Raleigh, North Carolina). The workshop was composed of five sessions that each dealt with a specific topic. Broadly speaking the following themes were addressed: a) the status of the USEPA Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program, b) how data from both EDSP-directed testing and other sources may be interpreted and applied in regulatory settings and c) approaches for moving beyond estrogen, androgen and thyroid pathways to address current challenges and expanding future approaches to EDC testing. The series of publications summarizes the knowledge presented and discussed at the Focused Topic Meeting and organizes the information by session. Where relevant, the summaries are enhanced beyond the original ideas of the presentations during the meeting. It is the intention...
Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 2021
Kicking pellet emissions to the curb. Tsui et al. A status update and recommended solutions for r... more Kicking pellet emissions to the curb. Tsui et al. A status update and recommended solutions for reducing the environmental release of microplastics pellets, a major source of plastics contaminating aquatic systems.
Environment International, 2019
In the past few decades, there has been a dramatic increase in scientific publications dealing wi... more In the past few decades, there has been a dramatic increase in scientific publications dealing with contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and the escalating publication rate makes it close to impossible for individual researchers to get an overview of the field. Assuring the relevance and quality of the research conducted in any research field is a crucially important task. The rapidly increasing publication rates imply that review papers will play a progressively more central role to that end. The aim of the present paper is to critically assess whether reviews dealing with contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are effective vehicles for a healthy dialogue about methodological weaknesses, uncertainties, research gaps and the future direction of the field. We carried out a tiered content-analysis of CEC review papers. Relevant papers were identified through searches in Web of Science (Clarivate), leading to the identification of 6391 original research papers of which 193 are review papers. We find that the majority of CEC reviews are written as if they are comprehensive, even though this clearly is not the case. A minority (~20%) take a critical-analytical approach to the reviewing task and identify weaknesses and research gaps. The following widespread tendencies in CEC research papers are commonly noted as concerning: to equate removal of CECs to 'decreased concentrations in the effluent'; to focus on parent substances and not concern oneself with degradation products; to focus on most commonly studied substances rather than those of most concern; to not deal with the corollary of our inability to detect or assess the risk for all substances, and to give insufficient attention to uncertainties and the unknown. Several critical-analytical reviews are among the highest cited, which suggests that they have the potential to function as effective vehicles for a healthy dialogue on these topics. On the other hand, it would appear that the concerns expressed in these reviews have a limited impact, as the same concerns are repeated over time. This might be due to a tendency among review authors to express their concerns implicitly, instead of clearly spelling them out. Our study suggests that CEC reviews presently fail to provide adequate and reliable guidance regarding the relevance and quality of research in the field. We argue that the overwhelming number of publications in combination with a lack of quality criteria for review papers are reasons to this failure: it is well documented that choices made during the reviewing process have a major impact on the outcome of a review. These choices include: search engine; the criteria used to include or exclude papers; the criteria used to assess the quality of the data generated in the research papers included; the criteria used for the choice of substances/ organisms/ technologies reported on. The lack of transparent procedures makes it very difficult, if not impossible, to assess the quality of the findings presented or to put those findings in context. In this light, it is noteworthy that criteria for a good review paper are rarely spelled out by peer-reviewed journals or included in instructions on scientific writing. The dramatic increase in publications is a challenge for the entire research community, particularly for research fields that are expected to provide policy-relevant data. We argue that only when peer-reviewed journals start specifying quality criteria for review papers, can such papers be relied upon to provide adequate and strategic guidance on the development of CEC research. We anticipate that our findings and conclusions are valid for many other research fields.
Environmetrics, 1997
... Research Article. HOW TO MEASURE NO EFFECT. PART I: TOWARDS A NEW MEASURE OF CHRONIC TOXICITY... more ... Research Article. HOW TO MEASURE NO EFFECT. PART I: TOWARDS A NEW MEASURE OF CHRONIC TOXICITY IN ECOTOXICOLOGY. INTRODUCTION AND WORKSHOP RESULTS. NELLY VAN DER HOEVEN 1,* ,; FRANK NOPPERT 2 ,; ANNEGAAIKE LEOPOLD 3. ...
1 Strategies for selecting biodegradation simulation tests and their interpretation in persistenc... more 1 Strategies for selecting biodegradation simulation tests and their interpretation in persistence evaluation and risk assessment
Journal of Applied Entomology, 1990
ABSTRACT Methods have been developed for rearing Oedothorax apicatus (Aranaea, Erigonidae) and fo... more ABSTRACT Methods have been developed for rearing Oedothorax apicatus (Aranaea, Erigonidae) and for testing of the initial toxicity of residues of pesticides to spiders of this and related species (Erigonidae, Linyphiidae) according to IOBC/WPRS standards. Deltamethrin, fenitrothion and maneb appeared to be harmless to moderately harmful to males and females of O. apicatus in a preliminary initial toxicity test using this method. Methode zur Bestimmung der Toxizität von Pestiziden auf Spinnen der Familien Erigonidae und Linyphiidae Entsprechend den Richtlinien der IOBC/WPRS wurden eine Zuchtmethode für Oedothorax apicatus und ein Verfahren zur Prüfung der Anfangstoxizität von Pestizidrückständen auf diese und verwandte Spinnenarten (Erigonidae, Linyphiidae) entwickelt. Deltamethrin, Fenitrothion und Maneb, die nach diesem Verfahren getestet wurden, erwiesen sich als schonend bis mittelstark schädigend (nach der Bewertungsskala der IOBC/WPRS) für Männchen und Weibchen von O. apicatus.
Integrated environmental assessment and management, Jan 27, 2017
A SETAC Pellston Workshop(®) "Environmental Hazard and Risk Assessment Approaches for Endocr... more A SETAC Pellston Workshop(®) "Environmental Hazard and Risk Assessment Approaches for Endocrine-Active Substances (EHRA)" was held in February 2016 in Pensacola, Florida, USA. The primary objective of the workshop was to provide advice, based on current scientific understanding, to regulators and policy makers; the aim being to make considered, informed decisions on whether to select an ecotoxicological hazard- or a risk-based approach for regulating a given endocrine-disrupting substance (EDS) under review. The workshop additionally considered recent developments in the identification of EDS. Case studies were undertaken on 6 endocrine-active substances (EAS-not necessarily proven EDS, but substances known to interact directly with the endocrine system) that are representative of a range of perturbations of the endocrine system and considered to be data rich in relevant information at multiple biological levels of organization for 1 or more ecologically relevant taxa. The...
…, 1998
Abstract The NOEC (no observed effect concentration) is widely used as summary statistic of ecoto... more Abstract The NOEC (no observed effect concentration) is widely used as summary statistic of ecotoxicity tests. In setting standards for risk evaluation, it is normally applied as if it were an estimate of the NEC (no effect concentration). Recently, a workshop was organized in the ...
Reference Module in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences, 2019
Endocrine disruption has been a prominent area of research in the environmental sciences for the ... more Endocrine disruption has been a prominent area of research in the environmental sciences for the past three decades. In response to public concern, numerous regulatory programs and testing strategies have been developed around the world to identify potential endocrine disruptors, to assess their impact on wildlife and humans, and to regulate them either through hazard or risk assessment. The primary focus of endocrine disruption research has been on estrogen, androgen, thyroid, and steroidogenesis modalities. While there are ongoing efforts to develop and validate traditional assessment approaches, new approach methodologies has accelerated chemical testing for endocrine activity.
Environmental Science & Policy
Abstract Society critically depends on scientific expertise to inform and justify action on many ... more Abstract Society critically depends on scientific expertise to inform and justify action on many complex issues. Scientific debates drive science, but the processes of informing policy are commonly designed with the assumption of scientific consensus, for example about the nature of chemical risk. We are concerned that this design may result in the manufacturing of consensus through the exclusion of potentially valuable epistemic perspectives. This paper studies the scientific controversy around a group of chemicals (endocrine disruptors, EDs) as a case of science-for-policy dispute in complex fields with large scientific uncertainties. We conducted two focus groups with scientists from either side of the dispute and analyzed the dominant narratives about ED research and regulation that emerged from the conversation in each group. We found starkly contrasting narratives, which, to the best of our understanding, are both based on valid and epistemically sound concerns: one story was about the insurmountable complexity of environmental endocrine impacts, and concerns about normatively inappropriate industry influence on regulation; the other about barriers to efficient and effective science for policy processes. Archetypes from each group’s narrative were used as tools to discredit the epistemic authority of the disputing side and present their own side as the sole authority to inform regulation, thus striving to manufacture consensus to gain epistemic authority. Our study suggests that the expectation of consensus in areas with large uncertainties incentivizes scientists to use questionable methods to gain epistemic authority, else they themselves risk being closed out of the decision space. We conclude that there is a need to redesign processes where science advises policy so as to improve their capacity to draw on a plurality of scientific expertise, while safeguarding against the influence of normatively inappropriate forces and epistemically flawed approaches.
Long term exposure of skylarks to a fictitious insecticide and of wood mice to a fictitious fungi... more Long term exposure of skylarks to a fictitious insecticide and of wood mice to a fictitious fungicide were modelled probabilistically in a Monte Carlo simulation. Within the same simulation the consequences of exposure to pesticides on reproductive success were modelled using the toxicityexposure-linking rules developed by R.S. Bennet et al. (2005) and the interspecies extrapolation factors suggested by R. Luttik et al. (2005). We built models to reflect a range of scenarios and as a result were
In the European Union, first-tier assessment of the long-term risk to birds and mammals from pest... more In the European Union, first-tier assessment of the long-term risk to birds and mammals from pesticides is based on calculation of a deterministic long-term toxicity/exposure ratio (TER lt). The ratio is developed from generic herbivores and insectivores and applied to all species. This paper describes two case studies that implement proposed improvements to the way long-term risk is assessed. These refined methods require calculation of a TER for each of five identified phases of reproduction (phase-specific
Journal of Applied Entomology, 1990
Methods have been developed for rearing Oedothorax apicatus (Aranaea, Erigonidae) and for testing... more Methods have been developed for rearing Oedothorax apicatus (Aranaea, Erigonidae) and for testing of the initial toxicity of residues of pesticides to spiders of this and related species (Erigonidae, Linyphiidae) according to IOBC/WPRS standards. Deltamethrin, fenitrothion and maneb appeared to be harmless to moderately harmful to males and females of O. apicatus in a preliminary initial toxicity test using this method. Methode zur Bestimmung der Toxizität von Pestiziden auf Spinnen der Familien Erigonidae und Linyphiidae Entsprechend den Richtlinien der IOBC/WPRS wurden eine Zuchtmethode für Oedothorax apicatus und ein Verfahren zur Prüfung der Anfangstoxizität von Pestizidrückständen auf diese und verwandte Spinnenarten (Erigonidae, Linyphiidae) entwickelt. Deltamethrin, Fenitrothion und Maneb, die nach diesem Verfahren getestet wurden, erwiesen sich als schonend bis mittelstark schädigend (nach der Bewertungsskala der IOBC/WPRS) für Männchen und Weibchen von O. apicatus.
Presentations in session one of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Nor... more Presentations in session one of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) North America Focused Topic Meeting: Endocrine Disruption (February 4 – 6, 2014) described where the science and the regulations have arrived and identified the key challenges that lie ahead. The first presentation gave an overview of where the endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) issue currently stands in terms of science and policy. It introduced the significant debate about whether suspected EDCs should be evaluated using a hazard-based or a risk-based approach. Subsequent presentations provided a synopsis of the US-EPA Endocrine Disruption Screening Program (EDSP), including a description of the legislative origins of the program, its risk-based nature, its evolution and its future through the input of multi-stakeholder advisory groups. A presentation was given about the current status of potential regulatory activities in the European Union (EU) relative to EDCs and the fact that it is ...
Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management