Contamination of surface water by pesticides and modelling

Abstract

Before protecting surface water from pollution by using crop treatment products, it is necessary to assess the risks of their transfer, evaluate agricultural scenarios and corrective techniques. The complex transfer mechanisms require mathematical models. Solutions must be found to meet the increasing pressure from regulations. Existing models are imperfect and unsuitable for these aims. Work has been undertaken to improve them and, in the short term, find at least a partial answer to the questions asked. In the longer term, new tools are being developed. This paper defines the nature of the problems to be considered in relation to the scale of the study, outlines these two approaches and describes some examples, which illustrate the complexity of the mechanisms.