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The purpose of the course is to ensure that you can explain the fate and effect of xenobiotics in agriculture and that you can use the practical and theoretical tools for performing a thorough environmental risk assessment of these substances.
After having followed the course and passed the exam, students can
give an account for the xenobiotic chemicals that are used in agriculture (pesticides) and that appear as contaminants in agriculture (pharmacological compounds, hormone-like chemicals, heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants and environmentally harmful natural chemicals)
explain the degradation (aerobic and/or anaerobic) and sorption processes of xenobiotics in soil, water and atmosphere and give an account for the factors that influence these processes
explain the transport mechanisms of xenobiotic chemicals in soil, groundwater, watercourses and atmosphere including the transport between the agro-ecosystem and the natural eco-systems
apply modeling tools for degradation kinetics, sorption and leaching to data examples and on basis hereof estimate half-lives, sorption coefficients and predicted environmental concentrations (PEC)
use SAR and QSAR models on ecotoxicological test-data and with these estimate the toxicity of xenobiotics for aquatic and soil organisms as well as higher level organisms
analyse possible unwanted effects of agricultural xenobiotics on humans and livestock on basis of literature data
apply laws and regulations to real life data on xenobiotics in the agricultural environment and discuss which restrictions/interventions could be applied
The course covers both the xenobiotic compounds that are applied in agriculture on purpose (pesticides) or unintentionally (for instance medicinal substances, hormones, hormone-like substances and heavy metals). These last mentioned substances may reach agricultural soil through sludge, whereas the more persistent organic pollutants may end up in milk and fatty tissue due to atmospheric precipitation of these compounds on agricultural crops. The course will also cover natural chemicals that may occur in environmentally harmful concentrations. The course will also deal with processes such as sorption to soil, biotic and abiotic transformation, leaching to groundwater. Laboratory exercises on sorption and degradation of xenobiotics and computer exercises with modeling and risk assessment software are included as well.
Bachelor degree in biology, geology, geography, agriculture or similar education.
Course manager: Inge S. Fomsgaard, senior scientist PhD, AU-DJF. Experts in the individual areas will conduct the teaching, i.e. Peter Wiberg-Larsen, Biologist, PhD;
Bo Vangsø Iversen, senior scientist PhD; Niels Henrik Spliid, senior scientist
Lectures, laboratory and modelling exercises, case studies and excursion
English/Danish, depending on international participation.
Tentative, might be changed
Selected chapters from the following books
A. Van Leuwen and Hermens. Risk Assessment of chemicals: an introduction. Kluwer Academic Pub., 1995, 374 p.
Baird and Cann. Environmental Chemistry (3. ed) Freeman, New York, 2005
Mervyn-Richardson. Environmental Xenobiotics. !995
B. Hand outs of articles from scientific reports
Oral examination based on the curriculum (weighting two thirds) and on the project report (weighting one third), which will be assesed jointly using the Danish 7-grade scale. The examination lasts 30 minutes. Students may choose to be examined in either Danish or English. Internal examiner. Internal examiner.
