The latest bumper edition of the SPRINT newsletter is out now!
The team are busier than ever writing reports and papers on our findings. We had a successful review meeting in Brussels, which offered a great opportunity to gain feedback from the European Commission and DG Santé and to further explain our research approach and findings relating to #Pesticides and #PlantProtectionProducts.
We’ll be heading back to Brussels for our final meeting soon, where we’ll be welcoming stakeholders and policymakers to contribute to the co-development of science led policy recommendations. The next few months promise to be a whirlwind of activity at SPRINT, and we are wholeheartedly looking forward to it!
For more about our recent activities, including new research on pesticide reduction strategies on-farm, transition success stories, tips on how to minimise your exposure to pesticides in indoor dust, and an exclusive behind the scenes glimpse of the committees that are the backbone of the project, dive into the newsletter here.
We've just published a new batch of our PhD students' latest posters, showcasing their work on the project. Click the images below to take a look at their work, and go to our posters page here to look through the full collection.
SPRINT have been to Brussels for our latest review meeting at the European Commission! 🌍
This periodic review meeting offered a great opportunity to gain feedback from the European Commission and DG Sante and to further explain our research approach and findings relating to #Pesticides and #PlantProtectionProducts.
We left feeling motivated to continue our efforts to make our research impactful and excited for the final year of our project.
The full recording of our second 'ask the author' webinar is now live! Watch it by clicking here.
During this session, Vera Silva shared insights about a recent SPRINT peer-reviewed article, 'Pesticide residues in European sediments: A significant concern for the aquatic systems?'
A concise summary of the article can be found here.
Vera was joined by Aurea C. Chiaia-Hernández, who is based at the University of Bern and specialises in the analysis of organic contaminants in natural systems, including sediments, and their effect on microbial communities.
We're excited to share our latest research from the #SPRINT project: a detailed study on evaluating the risks of plant protection products (PPPs) in water and sediment environments. 💦
This paper introduces an innovative methodology for identifying high-priority PPP mixtures, targeting both water and sediment habitats near agricultural areas.
Full paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969724074795?dgcid=author#s0060
🔹 Key Findings:
There are significant differences in PPP risk rankings based on the approach—European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) vs. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
The EFSA approach was found to offer a more balanced risk assessment by reducing the chances of risk overestimation.
The findings underline the importance of standardising PPP mixture risk assessments to improve ecological safety.
🔹 Methodology Overview: Using data from European and Argentinian case studies, we quantified PPPs in 64 water bodies and sediments. Analytical methods like liquid and gas chromatography helped identify concerning PPPs, which were then ranked by risk quotient and frequency of detection. The top-ranking PPPs were prioritised for further ecotoxicological testing in aquatic ecosystems.
🔹 Implications: This research provides a crucial step towards harmonised guidelines for evaluating PPP mixtures. Adopting a standardised approach could improve ecological outcomes by aligning risk assessments with actual environmental impacts, supporting sustainable agriculture and environmental protection. 🌍
Authors: Nelson Abrantes, Joana Pereira, Ana Belén Muñiz González, Isabel Campos, Irene Navarro, Adrian De la Torre, María Ángeles Martínez Rodríguez, Rima Osman, Chrow Khurshid, Paula Harkes, Esperanza Huerta Lwanga, Francisco Alcón, Josefa Contreras, Isabelle Baldi, Mathilde Bureau, Abdallah Alaoui, Florian Christ, Daniele Mandrioli, Daria Sgargi, Igor Pasković, Marija Polić Pasković, Matjaž Glavan, Jakub Hofman, Trine Nørgaard, Virginia Aparicio, and Vera Silva.
