ANSES opinion on the relevance of metabolites in EDCHs

ANSES published on February 2, 2021 an Opinion on the determination of the relevance for waters intended for human consumption for the metabolites of pesticides: metolachlor OXA (CGA 51202), metolachlor ESA (CGA 354743) and metolachlor NOA 413173 (SYN 547627).

The presence of pesticide residues and their metabolites in water is governed by European directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water for human consumption.

This text calls for research into pesticides and their relevant metabolites and sets quality limits in EDCH at 0.1µg/L per individual substance and 0.5µg/L for the sum.

However, the Directive does not provide criteria for identifying the relevance of a metabolite.

The lack of a precise definition leads to different strategies from one Member State to another.

The notion of relevance in EDCHs is not defined in the French regulation, the current position is to consider that all detected pesticide metabolites are relevant.

Thus, in order to respond to local management issues, the DGS referred the matter to ANSES to define and establish criteria for assessing the relevance of pesticide metabolites in EDCHs (referral No. 2015-SA0252). We communicated the results of this work to you following the publication of the Notice of 30 January 2019.

In this opinion, the metabolites ESA (CGA 354743) and OXA (CGA 51202) of S-metolachlor had been classified as "relevant for EDCH" on the basis of a lack of data on their "pesticide" activity and a lack of robustness of certain data that did not allow to conclude on their genotoxic potential.

This assessment was carried out while the European re-evaluation procedure for S-metolachlor was underway. Since then, additional data have been transmitted by the notifier at the request of EFSA within the framework of this European procedure.

The DGS then referred the matter to the ANS to re-evaluate the relevance of metolachlor ESA (CGA 354743) and metolachlor OXA (CGA 51202) in the light of these new data and to assess the relevance of a third metabolite of metolachlor, metolachlor NOA 413173 (SYN 547627).

On the basis of the additional European data and the complementary literature search, and according to the methodology developed in the opinion of 30 January 2019 (decisional scheme for determining relevance), the conclusions of the ESC "Waters" are as follows:

- metolachlor OXA (CGA 51202) is considered as a metabolite not relevant for EDCH.

- metolachlor ESA (CGA 354743) and metolachlor NOA 413173 (SYN 547627) are considered relevant metabolites for EDCH.

Please be aware that Phytocontrol has the national approval of the Ministry of Health for the realization of sampling and analysis of water health control.

We offer you the analysis of a wide range of pesticides and metabolites on your fresh waters, natural mineral waters and carbogas waters. You will find details of our accreditations on our COFRAC technical appendix N°1-6066.

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