November 2009

Dear subscriber:

Are you going to New Orleans for the SETAC Annual Meeting? Stop by booth 47 to meet with Deb Teixeira, Director of Business Development, and Arthur Putt, Senior Technical Consultant, November 19-23, and see poster presentations from our Ecotoxicology Research Directors. You can also meet with Deb Teixeira at the Consumer Specialty Products Association (CSPA) Annual Meeting in Florida, December 6-10th.

Springborn is proud to have been named as a finalist for the Agrow Awards in the “Best Supporting Role” category. The Agrow Awards are designed to acknowledge excellence in the Crop Protection industry. It is an honor to be recognized by industry leaders for our merit in service and our commitment to quality. In October, Springborn sponsored a pesticide industry workshop at the Japan Pesticide Science Society to support the collaboration between JMAFF and the industry to update JMAFF guidelines. Springborn makes a continuous effort to help sustain these types of industry collaborations and work as partners with our clients.

Springborn would like to wish you and your family a happy holiday season.

Springborn Ecotoxicologists Presenting at SETAC

Mark Cafarella, Research Director, has co-authored a poster presentation titled, A modified fish full lifecycle study design, with James Wheeler of Syngenta, to be presented at the SETAC Annual Meeting. Abstract: Fish full lifecycle studies have been routinely conducted to assess chronic effects over the lifecycle of a fish species. Traditional endpoints include survival, growth and reproduction of the parental generation as well as hatching success, survival and growth of the second generation fish. A study design was employed to extend the standard exposure more fully over the two generations; thereby, more fully assessing any potential effects on both generations. The extension of the F1 also allowed for the measurement of non-standard endpoints designed to evaluate potential endocrine-modulated effects in both generations. This test design examined effects over two generations, within the timeframe required for a standard fish life-cycle test without employing a full, 2-generation or multi-generation design. This approach is especially appealing with respect to the number of organisms required, logistics, time to completion and overall study cost.

James Hoberg, Research Director, has co-authored a poster presentation with Peter Sowig, Ph.D., of Bayer CropScience, titled Naturalized, Outdoor Ponds Designed to Assess the Impact of Herbicides on Multiple Species of Aquatic Plants. The presentation describes how Springborn has developed, with advice from BCS, replicated outdoor ponds that allow testing multiple plant species. This system was used to view the sensitivity of nine aquatic plants to a sulfonyl urea (SU) herbicide over an 8-week exposure period. The observations and data from the ponds indicated the exposure systems provide acceptable growth and maturation of the plants and a realistic exposure. The results indicated sensitivity of each species to the SU can be assessed. Additionally, the premise of the experimental design, based on an increased number of species, may provide information that supports establishing a reduced risk factor without compromising the level of ecological protection.

To learn more about these studies, contact info@springbornsmithers.com.

Larval Bee Ring Assays

Michael R. Patnaude, Ph.D., Senior Research Biologist in our Ecotoxicology department, is currently conducting larval bee ring assays. Current guidelines test adult bees, but do not consider the effects on the more sensitive larvae. Zachary Huang (Michigan State University) with support from the ABSTC has improved the honey bee larval rearing method originally developed by Vandenberg and Shimanuki. Springborn is one of three companies in addition to Michigan State University that are participating in the ring testing stage of this assay to assess suitability and repeatability of this assay for evaluating toxicity of test materials. Appropriate-aged larvae are removed from the hive and the larvae are put into individual wells containing diet. Larvae are exposed to test material through the diet. After exposure period the larvae are transferred to fresh wells to undergo pupation. After transfer, the pupa emerge as adults and survival is determined. For more information about this study, please contact info@springbornsmithers.com. Visit Springborn’s Ecotoxicology page to download an overview of the current OECD, OPPTS, and JMAFF guideline numbers.

Biodegradation Guidelines

Visit the Biodegradation page to download the Biodegradation Guideline Overview for OPPTS, OECD, FDA, and FIFRA. This document can help you determine which studies need to be conducted. These studies are available at our facilities in Wareham, MA, or at our Horn, Switzerland facility. To learn more about Springborn’s environmental fate and metabolism testing needs, visit http://www.springbornsmithers.com/fate.

Product Chemistry Guidelines

Springborn’s new Product Chemistry Guideline Overview can help you determine which studies need to be conducted for your new substances. Visit Springborn’s Product Chemistry page to download an overview of the current OPPTS, OECD and EU guideline numbers. This helpful document identifies the various testing requirements for each study type. These studies, as well as customized test methods to suit specific needs, are available at our facilities. For your analytical and product chemistry testing needs, contact info@springbornsmithers.com.

Added Analytical Capacity for Avian Studies

Springborn has established a new analytical laboratory at our Snow Camp facility for Avian Toxicology testing needs. John Yarko, Analytical Chemist, formerly served as Manager of the Analytical Chemistry department in Wareham. Previously, he was the Owner and President of CYAL, Inc, an analytical support laboratory. John has extensive experience in conducting analysis for avian laboratory toxicology studies and ecotoxicology field studies, analyzing agricultural chemicals in wide variety of environmental matrices. John is well known in the Research Triangle Park, NC area, where he has a solid reputation for his work with several agricultural chemical companies. The added analytical equipment includes a GC with several types of detectors (flame ionization, electron capture, nitrogen phase and flame photometric), and two HPLCs with U-V and fluorescence detectors plus a Pickering post-column reactor for carbamates. Mass spec analysis required for avian studies will continue to be conducted at Wareham laboratory. The additional laboratory space and equipment improves efficiency in the scheduling and conduct of our avian studies, and increases overall analytical capacity. Visit the Avian Toxicology page for more details about our Snow Camp facility.

Smithers Viscient Endocrine Webinar

Smithers Viscient held a free educational webinar on September 30th to discuss important points for in vitro, in vivo, and ecotox testing in the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program. Mark Cafarella, Research Director, Ecotoxicology, presented the ecotox data. To hear and view the presentations, download the recording of the EDSP webinar. Recently, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) instructed the U.S. EPA to consider Other Scientifically Relevant Data (OSRD) and existing toxicity data, rather than conducting new tests, to determine whether a chemical exhibits the potential to interact with the estrogen, androgen or thyroid (EAT) hormone systems. For companies seeking assistance in Evaluation of Existing Data visit the Viscient site to learn more about Viscient’s AIM™ Consulting Services.