Improving Analytical Techniques for Monitoring Contaminants

In 2005, the Pacific Basin Chemical Societies sponsored a symposium,"Rational Methods for the Selection and Use of Agrochemicals: Risk Modeling, Monitoring and Management." At this meeting the SBRP , through its program at UC Davis, supported a session "Improving Analytical Techniques for Monitoring Contaminants." The attendees of the symposium were environmental chemists, toxicologists, risk modelers, and analytical chemists, from academic, government or research institute laboratories, as well as regulators and industry representatives. About 75 participants represented various countries in the Pacific Basin, the U.S., Canada, Uruguay, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, China, Korea, Viet Nam, Fiji, India and Thailand as well as European countries such as Germany and the Czech Republic.

The overall goal of the symposium was to generate a set of rational principles for selection of the best agrochemicals to use in particular scenarios and to encourage the registration of new chemicals with reduced risk. The session supported by Superfund focused on advances in rapid monitoring methods with an emphasis on immunoassay techniques. Approaches to, and examples of faster, cheaper and more sensitive methods were presented. Within the scope of the symposium, monitoring methods are important for providing needed data for modeling of pesticide fate and human exposure. Such modeling efforts can lead to important information for assessing and managing risk due to pesticides.

Overall, the presentations gave a comprehensive picture that illustrated needs in risk modeling, approaches to improved monitoring and outlined some successful management approaches. Presentations in the section on monitoring illustrated the use of immunoassay by both developed and developing countries. It was gratifying to see these technologies utilized by developing countries to help them overcome trade barriers, and to decrease occupational exposure and general population exposure from food. The symposium will be published as a series of papers in an American Chemical Society Symposium Series Book later this year.