Modern methodological approaches to the regulation of pesticides in soils

Abstract

In the modern world, which is on the threshold of eight billion people, the issue of food security takes one of the leading places. Due to the limited amount of agricultural land, it is necessary to increase the yield of the fields, which is almost impossible without the use of chemical plant protection products. In turn, the use of pesticides carries huge risks to public health. Application of pesticides in the cultivation of agricultural lands can lead to their transfer into the human body in different ways. Pesticides can be transported with subsurface and lateral runoff into water reservoirs, from where they can reach the centralized water supply or be withdrawn from water sources by residents of settlements close to agricultural fields. Pesticide active volatile ingredients can evaporate from the soil surface and move over long distances. In addition, translocation of pesticides from soil to plants is a source of public health risk, which may result in further transfer of active substances in concentrations exceeding maximum residue levels (MRL) into human foodstuffs. In the same time, persistent pesticides can accumulate in the soil and subsequently lead to disruption of soil functioning. Therefore, hygienic regulation of pesticides is the most important issue in ensuring public safety. In addition to MAC values, it is proposed to use values based on the MAC: maximum allowable application level (MAEL) and safe residual quantity (SRQ). These values would allow to increase the level of protection of the population from potential harms of pesticides used in agricultural practices for specific soil and climate zones.