Chlorpyrifos is widely used to control insect pests on a variety of crops. The potential for inadvertent exposure of pollinators such as honeybees to chlorpyrifos or its degradation product, chlorpyrifos oxon, after application involves the interaction of chemical, physical, biological, and behavioral factors that change with time. A conceptual model was constructed to define the network of routes of exposure in greater detail than has previously been done. This model reflects the scope of the pollinator risk assessment, guides its development, and illustrates the relationships among the potential exposure pathways. It also shows the distinction between primary exposure routes that affect foraging worker bees and secondary exposure of hive adults and immature life stages that receive food collected by foragers or produced by other hive bees. The conceptual model allows detailed consideration of the overall pattern of potential exposure, including the dynamics of exposure to various castes and life stages. It gives insight into the usefulness of honey bees as surrogates for non-Apis pollinators that may be exposed via portions of the network of pathways in the model. The conceptual model also aids in assessing the completeness of the risk assessment and identifying exposure pathways that require further investigation.

Ecological risk assessment for chlorpyrifos in terrestrial systems in North America: Conceptual model for pollinators

246th National Meeting (2013)

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