AERU AGRICULTURE & ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH UNIT
 

Pesticide, biopesticide and veterinary substances databases

AERU have extensive experience collating data on physical, chemical and ecotoxiological properties of substances used in agricultural production systems. This includes substances used for crop protection such as pesticides and bio-pesticides, and those to treat livestock, such as veterinary medicines. This data has been compiled into a set of databases that are freely available online and are used to support regulatory risk assessments and support numerous decision support tools. Three databases have been developed which are outlined below.

Pesticide Properties DataBase (PPDB)

The PPDB is a comprehensive relational database of pesticide physicochemical and ecotoxicological data. It has been developed by the Agriculture and Environment Research Unit (AERU) at the University of Hertfordshire, from the database that originally accompanied the award winning EMA (Environmental Management for Agriculture) software (also developed by AERU), with additional input from the EU-funded FOOTPRINT project, and a wide range of partners and collaborating individuals.

View the PPDB

Bio-Pesticides DataBase (BPDB)

Biopesticides can be described as crop protection products that have been derived from natural sources. They include naturally occurring chemicals, pheromones, bacteria, fungi and insect predators. Whilst in many instances the environmental risks of these substances are considered to be less than that of the more traditional chemical pesticides this is not always the case. Data to support risk assessments is scarce and currently there is no single, reliable comprehensive data source.

The University of Hertfordshire’s is a respected source of data for both the more traditional agricultural pesticides (PPDB) and veterinary substances (VSDB). To compliment these, we can now offer the BioPesticide DataBase (BPDB) which is a comprehensive relational database of data relating to pesticides derived from natural substances.

View the BPDB

Veterinary Substances DataBase (VSDB)

Veterinary pharmaceuticals are biologically active and potentially persistent substances which are recognised as a continuing threat to environmental quality. Whilst the environmental risk of agricultural pesticides has had considerable attention in recent decades, risks assessments for veterinary pharmaceuticals have only relatively recently began to be addressed. Risk assessments and risk modelling tend to be inherently data hungry processes and one of the main obstacles to consistent, accurate and efficient assessments is the need for a reliable, quality and comprehensive data source.

The University of Hertfordshire’s Pesticide Properties Database (PPDB) provides this data source for agricultural pesticides and this has in recent years become a respected and relied on resource. To compliment the PPDB, we can now offer the VSDB which is a comprehensive relational database of physicochemical and toxicological data for veterinary substances.

View the VSDB

Publications

  • Lewis, K.A. & Tzilivakis, J. (2019). Wild bee toxicity data for pesticide risk assessments. Data4(3). DOI
  • Lewis, K. & Tzilivakis, J. (2017). Development of a data set of pesticide dissipation rates in/on various plant matrices for the Pesticide Properties DataBase (PPDB). Data2(3), 28. DOI
  • Lewis, K.A., Tzilivakis, J., Warner, D. & Green, A. (2016). An international database for pesticide risk assessments and management. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal22(4): 1050-1064. DOI
  • Lewis, K. & Green, A. (2011). The Pesticide Properties DataBase. Chemistry International33(3): 30-31.
  • Green, A., Lewis, K.A. & Tzilivakis, J. (2009). Pesticide Properties Database: An overview. Presented at the FOOTPRINT Final Conference, Giessen, Germany, 18-19 March 2009.
  • Lewis, K.A., Green, A. & Tzilivakis, J. (2009). Pesticide Properties Database: Usage and Uptake. Presented at the FOOTPRINT Final Conference, Giessen, Germany, 18-19 March 2009.
  • Lewis, K.A., Green, A. & Tzilivakis, J. (2009). The Pesticide Properties DataBase: Beyond FOOTPRINT. Presented at the FOOTPRINT Final Conference, Giessen, Germany, 18-19 March 2009.
  • Lewis, K., Green A. & Tzilivakis J. (2007). A Pesticide database holding fate and ecological values. Report DL24 of the FP6 EU-funded FOOTPRINT project, 28p.
  • Lewis, K., Green, A. & Tzilivakis, J. (2007). Development of an improved pesticide properties database for risk assessment applications. EFITA/WCCA Conference Glasgow, July 2007.

Contact

Dr Andy Green

University of Hertfordshire
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University of Hertfordshire, 2023.