Crop Protection Chemistry
prof. dr. ir. Pieter Spanoghe
The laboratory of Crop Protection Chemistry, as part of the department of Plants and Crops is particularly experienced in the study of residues of plant protection products in crops and environmental samples (soil, water and air) and the study of side effects of these pesticide treatments.
Current research is carried out in the following fields :
- the development of methods for the determination of pesticides in various matrices (crops, soil, water, air, formulations)
- the presence of pesticide residues in the total diet
- the influence of conservation methods and culinary treatments on the fate of residue levels in food
- the influence of interfering factors on the fate of pesticides (degradation in field and lab experiments, behaviour in soil and plants, metabolic fate)
- the influence of formulation and application aspects on the efficacy of pesticide treatments
- the physicochemical properties of spray solutions
- the effect and the fate of additives and adjuvants (surfactants) on spray performance and contact formation on crops, in water and soils.
- the exposure assessment during and after pesticide application in greenhouses and field-application
- the evaluation of the exposure and risks of pesticide applications
- the development of indicators and models for evaluation of the human and environmental impact of pesticides
- the study of drift during and after pesticide application
- the detection of pesticides in rain water
- the modelling of the fate and behaviour of pesticides in the food chain and the environment