Exposure to pesticides in a lagoon ecosystem

This work is the first step of a research project on environmental distribu tion and fate of pesticides in a coastal lagoon ecosystem. The Orbetello la goon (central Italy) has been chosen because of its morphologic and geograp hic characteristics. A number of chemicals (mainly insecticides and herbici des) have been selected as model compounds depending on the uses in the cat chment area and of the main physico-chemical properties relevant for the en vironmental fate patterns Pesticides loads were quantified through a study of the agricultural land u se in the catchment basin. The environmental scenario, in agreement with th e precautionary principle, was created according to worst case conditions. The environmental concentrations are assessed with multimedia fate models a nd a first evaluation of the hazard due to pesticide use has been assessed through Toxicity Exposure Ratios (TERs). The predictive evaluation has been compared with the results of a multitrial biomarker analysis.