United States Prevention, Pesticides EPA712-C-08-022
Environmental Protection And Toxic Substances October 2008
Agency (7101)
&EPA Fate, Transport and
Transformation Test
Guidelines
OPPTS 835.6300
Forestry Dissipation
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INTRODUCTION
This guideline is one of a series of test guidelines that have been
developed by the Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances
(OPPTS), United States Environmental Protection Agency for use in the testing
of pesticides and toxic substances, and the development of test data to meet the
data requirements of the Agency under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
(15 U.S.C. 2601), the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act
(FIFRA) (7 U.S.C. 136, et seq.), and section 408 of the Federal Food, Drug and
Cosmetic (FFDCA) (21 U.S.C. 346a).
OPPTS developed this guideline through a process of harmonization of
the testing guidance and requirements that existed for the Office of Pollution
Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) in Title 40, Chapter I, Subchapter R of the Code
of Federal Regulations (CFR), the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) in
publications of the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) and in the
guidelines published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD).
For additional information about OPPTS harmonized guidelines and to
access this and other guidelines, please go to http://www.epa.gov/oppts and
select "Test Methods & Guidelines" on the left side menu.
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OPPTS 835.6300 Forestry dissipation.
(a) Scope—(1) Applicability. This guideline is intended for use in meeting testing
requirements of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) (7 U.S.C. 136, et
seq.). It describes procedures that, if followed, would result in data that would generally be of
scientific merit for the purposes described in paragraph (b) of this guideline.
(2) Background. The source materials used in developing this OPPTS test guideline are
OPP 164-3 Dissipation studies for forestry uses, OPP 160-4 General test standards, and OPP 160-5
Reporting and evaluation of data (Pesticide Assessment Guidelines, Subdivision N - Chemistry:
Environmental Fate, EPA report 540/9-82-021, October 1982). Additional guidance on properly
designing field studies, including information on the conceptual model approach to environmental
testing, may be found in OPPTS 835.6100, Terrestrial field dissipation.
(b) Purpose. Data from a residue dissipation study, conducted under actual use conditions,
will indicate the extent and rate of pesticide residue dissipation and mobility in both aquatic and
terrestrial environments which are encompassed in forestry sites.
(c) General considerations.—(1) Uses supported by study data. Data from a field
dissipation study for forestry uses support any end-use products intended for forestry use.
(2) Endangered species. Field studies should not be conducted in critical habitats or areas
containing or suspected to contain endangered or threatened plants or animals that may be threatened
by the test to be conducted.
(3) Environmental chemistry methods. Procedures and validity elements for independent
laboratory validation of environmental chemistry methods used to generate data associated with this
study can be found in 850.6100. Elements of the original addendum as referenced in 40 CFR
158.1300 for this purpose are now contained in 850.6100. These procedures, if followed, would
result in data that would generally be of scientific merit for the purposes described in 40 CFR
158.1300.
(d) Combined testing. Dissipation studies for forestry uses may be combined with field
accumulation studies in aquatic non-target organisms provided that the elements of the test method
for each study are met.
(e) Test method—(1) Test substance. The test substance should be a typical end-use
product.
(i) If the applicant's product is an end-use product, the test substance should be a product
whose formulation is typical of the formulation category (e.g., wettable powder, emulsifiable
concentrate, granular product) to which the product belongs.
(ii) If the applicant's product is a manufacturing-use product that legally could be used to
make an end-use product intended for forestry use, the test substance should be a product
representative of the major formulation category which includes that end-use product. If the
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manufacturing-use product is usually formulated into end-use products comprising two or more
major formulation categories, a separate study should be performed with a typical end-use product
for each such category.
(2) Test procedures—(i) Sites. A dissipation study should be conducted in at least one
location representative of the areas in which the pesticide product would usually be used. Studies at
additional sites may be necessary if the product is intended for use in forest sites with substantially
differing characteristics.
(ii) Application. The test substance should be applied using the method of application stated
in the directions for use specified on the product label and the highest rate recommended on the
label.
(iii) Environmental components. The level of pesticide residues should be measured in the
following items: (A) Foliage (if the pesticide is foliar-applied).
(B) Leaf litter.
(C) Soil under leaf litter.
(D) Exposed soil.
(E) Standing (pond) water.
(F) Moving (stream) water.
(G) Sediments from both ponds and streams.
(iv) Controls. Test control samples of the environmental components described in paragraph
(e)(2)(iii) of this section should be obtained from the intended sites of application immediately prior
to application of the test substance and, to the extent possible, from adjacent untreated areas at
intervals during the course of the study and at the termination of the study.
(v) Sampling intervals. (A) For exposed soil, soil under leaf litter, and foliage, sampling
times should include, at a minimum, pre-application (control), date of application, and three samples
within the first week post application for each single or multiple application of the test substance.
(B) Sediments. For sediments, standing (pond) water, and moving (stream) water, sampling
should include, at a minimum, pre-application (control,) date of application, and immediately post-
application for each single or multiple application of the test substance.
(vi) Test duration. Residue data should be collected until patterns of decline of the test
substance and patterns of formation and decline of degradation products are established in the media
sampled or the maximum times specified below, whichever comes first: 12 months after the last
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application for soil and leaf litter, six months after the last application for sediment, and one month
after the last application for water (pond and stream.)
(vii) Dissipation curves. Decline curves should be constructed for residues in leaf litter, soil,
foliage, and standing water.
(3) Protocol development.. Simons (paragraph (g)(2) provides general information and an
overview of problems that have occurred in a forest environment in association with use of an
insecticide for control of a forest pest. Pesticide residues in organisms and physical environment
and dissipation of the residues are discussed. Roberts et al (paragraph (g)(3)) gives protocols for the
study of pesticide dissipation in a forest ecosystem. Giles (paragraph (g)(4)) provides experimental
procedures for conducting terrestrial/aquatic (forest) dissipation studies. Studies contained in the
reference are more extensive than generally called for. Szeto et al (paragraph (g)(5)) provides
protocols for residues in Douglas-fir needles and forest litter following an aerial application of
acephate (Orthene.) J. Environ. Sci. Health (B) 13:87-103. Maguire and Hale (paragraph (g)(6))
provides protocols for fenitrothion sprayed on a pond: kinetics of its distribution and transformation
in water and sediment. J. Agr. Food Chem. 28:372-378. Peiper (paragraph (g)(7)) contains studies
on residue analysis of carbaryl on forest foliage and in stream water using HPLC. Bull. Environ.
Contam. Toxicol. 22:167-171.
(f) Reporting and evaluation of data. Reporting units should be in the metric system, but
the English system may be used in addition. The systems should not be mixed (e.g.,
kilograms/acre).
(1) Test method. A statement regarding the test method used, including a full description of
the experimental design and procedures.
(2) Test substance. The test substance should be identified including:
(i) Chemical name and percentage of active ingredient, molecular structure of the active
ingredient, and qualitative and quantitative description of the chemical composition, and the names
and quantities of known contaminants and impurities.
(ii) Manufacturer and lot and sample numbers of the test substances.
(iii) Properties of the test substance, including physical state, pH, and stability.
(3) Control values. Due to the wide diversity of pesticide properties, use patterns, and
organisms likely to be exposed in the field environment, specific reporting elements for control
values (as to source, sampling regime, and total number submitted) will depend upon the complexity
and variability of the environment in which the test is to be conducted.
(4) Test equipment. A description of the test equipment used, and photographs or detailed
descriptions of nonstandard equipment.
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(5) Water. Characteristics of water obtained from a use site should be reported (e.g., pH,
temperature, oxygen content, flow rate, and percent suspended solids).
(6) Soils. Characteristics of soils/sediments should be reported, including texture (percent
sand, silt, and clay), percent organic matter, moisture content, pH, cation exchange capacity, and
bulk density (under field conditions).
(7) Decline curves. Decline curves of residues in each major substrate analyzed;
(8) Field test data. Field test data, including:
(i) Precipitation (accumulated from first application to each sampling).
(ii) Water table.
(iii) Grade (slope).
(iv) Application time.
(v) Sampling time.
(vi) Dates and stages of pest development.
(vii) Application-to-sampling intervals for each treatment.
(viii) Depth, weight, or volume of each sample, and weights and volumes of aliquots taken
for analysis.
(ix) When water flow is measured, flow data expressed in terms of volume or linear flow.
(9) Analysis and identification of degradation products Analysis and identification of
pesticide residues in field studies should be reported only for those degradation products that were
found to form in the laboratory studies. This position is taken because the purpose of field studies is
to derive levels of degradation products as a result of pesticide use under field conditions.
(10) Calculation and tabular, graphic information. The principal mathematical equations
used in generating and analyzing data, as well as representative calculations using these equations.
When rates of formation and decline of parent compounds or their degradates are reported in any
test, data should be expressed as amounts, concentrations, and corresponding percentages. Rate
constants, when appropriate, should be reported in conjunction with rate data. Tabular data, as well
as graphs for decline curves and soil sorption, should be submitted.
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(g) References. The following references contain supplemental information for developing a
protocol for conducting forest field dissipation studies:
(1) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, (2008). OPPTS 850.6100 Independent
Laboratory Validation of Environmental Chemistry Methods.
(2) Simons, P.E.K. 1977. Dispersal and toxicology for the insecticide fenitrothion;
predicting hazards of forest spraying. Residue Rev. 68:1-31.
(3) Roberts, J.R., Greenhalgh, R., and Marshall, W.K., (eds.) 1977. Proceedings of a
Symposium of Fenitrothion: The Long-term Effects of it use in Forest Ecosystems. (Natl. Res.
Council Can.: Ottawa, Canada)NRCC/CNRC No. 16073:573-614.
(4) Giles, R.H., Jr. 1970. The Ecology of a Small Forested Watershed Treated with the
Insecticide Malathion-S 35. Wildlife Monographs. No 24. The Wildlife Society. Washington,
D.C.
(5) Szeto. S.Y., H.R. MacCarthy, P.C. Oloffs and R.F. Shepherd. 1978. Residues in
Douglas-fir needles and forest litter following an aerial application of acephate (Orthene.) J.
Environ. Sci. Health (B) 13:87-103.
(6) Maguire, RJ. and EJ. Hale. 1980. Fenitrothion sprayed on a pond: kinetics of its
distribution and transformation in water and sediment. J. Agr. Food Chem. 28:372-378.
(7) Peiper, G.R. 1979. Residue analysis of carbaryl on forest foliage and in stream water
using HPLC. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 22:167-171.
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