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PELMO
About PELMO
General Information
PELMO is a one dimensional simulation model simulating the vertical movement of pesticides in soil by chromatographic leaching. The first version of PELMO was released in 1991 (Klein, 1991). PELMO is based on the US-EPA’s PRZM 1 model ( Carsel et al, 1984), but was improved with regard to the requirements of the German authorities responsible for the registration of pesticides. The actual version used for the FOCUS simulations is PELMO 3.2.
PELMO developer: Michael Klein (klein@ime.fraunhofer.de)
Affiliation: Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology
PELMO web site: https://www.ime.fraunhofer.de/en/Research_Divisions/Division_AE/Software_E/focus-pelmo.html
Short Model Description
After the release of the first version of PELMO in 1991 the runoff routines were upgraded and routines for estimating the volatilsation of pesticides were added in 1995. (version 2.01) PELMO 2.01 was validated within a joined project of the Industrieverband Agrar (IVA), the German Environmental Protection Agency and the Fraunhofer-Institut für Umweltchemie und Ökotoxikologie in Schmallenberg shared by the KfA Jülich and the SLFA Neustadt (Klein et al, 1997). In 1998 a complementary tool was added to PELMO 2.01 in order to enable the transformation of the applied a.i. to possible metabolites and to allow for further metabolism including the formation of CO2 (PELMO 3.0; Jene, 1998). Recently, additional validation tests in lysimeters and field plots have been performed (Fent et al, 1998). The PELMO version that is used for the implementation of the FOCUS-scenarios was developed in 1999 (PELMO 3.2). It was necessary to slightly change the format of the scenario data files and the handling of leap years because of the needs of the FOCUS-scenarios. A number of changes were also made in the output routines to make sure that the present version of FOCUSPELMO is echoed in the output according the decisions of the Focus version control group. Minor changes were also made in the routine that is estimating soil temperatures based on air temperatures to make sure that the results are correct also for soil depths below 1.0 m. Finally, the runoff routine in PELMO was c alibrated based on field experiments by introducing a new parameter in the model (“fraction of soil water available for runoff”).
Table 1 Summary of the processes in PELMO. [* = turned off for the FOCUS scenarios]
Process | Approach |
water movement | capacity-based water flow (tipping bucket approach) using a daily time step for all hydrological processes, preferential flow and capillary rise are not considered |
pesticide movement | convection dispersion equation based on a daily time step |
crop simulation | changing root zone during growing season, changing foliage (areal extent) during growing season, crop interception of water*, crop interception of pesticides*, foliar washoff*, foliar degradation* |
degradation in soil | first order degradation rate, correction of rate constant with depth, soil moisture and soil temperatures |
pesticide sorption to soil | Kd, Koc, Freundlich equation for sorption option for increase of sorption with time option for automated pH-dependence* |
pesticide volatilization (from soil) | simple model using Fick’s and Henry’s law |
runoff | Soil Conservation Service curve number technique |
soil erosion* | Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation |
soil temperature | an empirical model that uses air temperatures |
plant uptake | simple model based on soil concentrations |
pesticide applications | applications may be foliar sprays, applied to the soil surface, or incorporated into the soil; for soil incorporated applications a variety of soil distributions can be specified |
metabolism | a sophisticated scheme with up to 8 metabolites (A -> B as well as A -> B <> C) may be simulated simultaneously with the parent |
Role and Place in FOCUS scenarios calculation
The major objective of FOCUS is to implement a harmonised approach for European Tier 1 risk assessments according to Council Directive 91/414/EEC. The process implementation of each model was adjusted and harmonised scenario definitions were implemented in windows shells around the individual simulation models. Similar to PRZM PELMO has advantages in a computer environment with limited hardware recourses. On standard PCs (e.g. Pentium III, 400 MHz, 64 MB) the typical computing time for a standard Tier 1 run with 9 scenarios is about 5 to 10 minutes. FOCUSPELMO allows efficient and user friendly calculations for compounds up to eight metabolites.
Current use outside FOCUS
PELMO is offically used by the Umweltbundesamt (UBA, the German Environmental Protection Agency, and the Biologische Bundesanstalt (BBA, Federal Biological Research Centre, www.jki.bund.de) to assess the leaching potential of pesticides within the registration process in Germany for about ten years. Special scenarios describing the German climate and soil conditions are used for this purpose. It is possible to do PELMO simulations according to the German procedure using FOCUSPELMO as all necessary input files are provided within the FOCUSPELMO package.
Excerpt of existing model documentation
Model documentation
- Anderson, E.A. (1978): Initial Parameter Values for the Snow Accumulation and Ablation Model. Part IV.2.2.1, National Weather Service River Forecast System - User's Manual, NWS/NOAA, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Silver Springs, MD., March 31, 1978.
- Carsel, R.F., C.N. Smith, L.A. Mulkey, J.D. Dean, and P. Jowise (1984). User's manual for the pesticide root zone model (PRZM): Release 1. EPA-600/3-84-109. U.S. EPA, Athens, GA.
- Haith, D.A., and R.C. Loehr (Eds.) (1979): Effectiveness of Soil and Water Conservation Practices for Pollution Control. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Athens, GA. EPA-600/3-79-106.
- Jene, B. (1998): PELMO 3.00 Manual extension, Staatliche Lehr- und Forschungsanstalt für Landwirtschaft, Weinbau und Gartenbau, D-67435 Neustadt/Wstr.
- Klein, M.: PELMO(1995): Pesticide Leaching Model, User manual version 2.01. Fraunhofer-Institut für Umweltchemie und
- Ökotoxikogie, D57392
- OECD (1997): Approved draft proposal for an updated OECD guideance document No. 106: Adsorption/Desorption. OECD Guidlines for Testing of Chemicals, 1-44.
- PRZM 2.0 and 3.12 manuals.
References for PELMO applications
- Fent, G., B. Jene and R. Kubiak (1998). Performance of the Pesticide Leaching Model PELMO 2.01 to predict the leaching of bromide and 14C-Benazolin in a sandy soil in comparison to results of a lysimeter- and field study. Staatliche Lehr- und Forschungsanstalt für Landwirtschaft, Weinbau und Gartenbau (SLFA) Neustadt. Poster Abstract 6B-030, IUPAC Congress Book of Abstracts, London 1998
- Hassink, J., Klein, M., Klein A. and W. Kördel (1993): Fate of Herbicides in Soils under Different Types of Land use. BCPC 827-834
- Klein M. (1994), Evaluation and Comparison of Pesticide Leaching models for Registration Purposes, Results of Simulations performed with the Pesticide Leaching Model, Journal of Environmental Science & Health, A29(6),1197-1209 (1994)
- Klein M. (1997), Statistical distribution of pesticide concentrations in leachate - results of a Monte-Carlo analysis performed with PELMO, Chemosphere, 35, 379-389
- Klein M. (1998): Comprehensive tracer studies on the environmental behaviour of pesticides: the lysimeter consept in F. Führ, R.J. Hance, J.R. Plimmer, J.O. Nelson (eds.), ACS Symposium series 699, 246-258, Washington.
- Klein M. (1999):Monte-Carlo Analysis Using Pesticide Fate Models, J. Pesticide Sci. 24, 55-59.
- Klein, M. and H. Klöppel (1993), Usefulness of models for the prediction of run-off events - comparison with experimental data, The science of the Total Environment, Supplement.
- Klein, M., Hosang, J., Schäfer, H., Erzgräber, B., Resseler, H. (2000): Comparing and evaluating pesticide leaching models. Results of simulations with PELMO, Agricultural Water Management 44 (1-3) (2000) pp. 263-281
- Klein, M., Müller, M., Dust, M., Görlitz, G., Gottesbüren, B., Hassink, J., Kloskowski, R., Kubiak, R., Resseler, H., Schäfer, H., Stein B. and H. Vereecken (1997), Validation of the pesticide leaching model PELMO using lysimeter studies performed for registration, Chemosphere 35 No 11, 2563-2587.
Download PELMO
Download PELMO
Warning (valid for all FOCUS_PELMO versions) : The user has to take care that application rates are always defined in chronological order. FOCUS PELMO does not check the dates or warn the user about unreasonable application patterns.
Latest Version : FOCUS_PELMO_6.6.4gw_6.6.1soil
Package | FOCUS_PELMO_6.6.4_September2021.zip (21/September/2021, 8 MB) replacing the 09/June/2021 version (see Advice below) |
Test Results | These can be found in the package zip file |
Getting started: The scenarios defined in this download package and shell generate tier 1 groundwater outputs that are in accordance with European Commission, 2014. Sanco/13144/2010 version 3, 613pp and Generic Guidance for Tier 1 FOCUS Ground Water Assessments (version 2.3) The package also delivers Tier-3A PEC soil as defined in EFSA, 2017. EFSA guidance document for predicting environmental concentrations of active substances of plant protection products and transformation products of these active substances in soil. EFSA Journal 2017;15(10):4982, doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4982, 115 pp. (https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/4982)
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Comments |
Advice for users associated with PEC soil assessments When using PELMO to calculate Tier-3A PEC soil, users need to take note of what is outlined in the release notes and follow the instructions that have been included there. This will ensure correct model simulations for delivering the PECsoil described in the EFSA, 2017 guidance. It is planned that future releases of PELMO will include resolutions for each point highlighted in the release notes for which a work around instruction has been given.
Information (16/January/2024) Advice (21/September/2021): If you already installed the earlier PELMO download package that was dated 09/June/2021 then it’s possible and appropriate to continue to use that installation. You should however not make use of the shell wpelmo.exe functionality ‘AppDate recommendations for the selected crop’. If you are a user that wishes to use this functionality of the shell, please use the installation package now available, dated September 2021. This package contains a corrected ‘Crop_interception.tab’ file, that means appropriate AppDate recommendations are now made, which was not always the case with the June installation package.
Advice (25/August 2021): When existing PSM-files are loaded into the shell DegT50-values of metabolites in the first row (e.g. A1) are shown also for respective metabolites in the second row (i.e. A2). This only occurs when using the new “formation fraction view” of the shell. It’s a pure display problem, information in all input and output files are nevertheless stored and processed correctly. The user can easily check this by switching to the traditional “formation rate view” where this display issue does not occur. This will be fixed within the next release of the software. For the time being it is recommended to use the traditional “formation rate view” when existing PSM-files are modified where metabolites need to be defined in the bottom row (i.e., A2,B2,C2,D2). |
Version : FOCUS_PELMO_5.5.3
Package | FOCUS_PELMO_5.5.3.zip (27/May/2013, 7 MB) |
Test Results | Word |
Getting Started | |
Comments | The scenarios defined in this download package and shell generate tier 1 outputs that are in accordance with Sanco/13144/2010 version 1, 604pp and Generic Guidance for Tier 1 FOCUS Ground Water Assessments (version 2.0) |
FOCUS_PELMO_4.4.3
Package | FOCUS_PELMO_4.4.3.zip (11/Apr/2011, 7 MB) |
Test Results | Word |
Getting Started | |
Comments | The scenarios defined in this download package and shell generate tier 1 outputs that are in accordance with Sanco/13144/2010 version 1, 604pp and Generic Guidance for Tier 1 FOCUS Ground Water Assessments (version 2.0) |
FOCUS_PELMO_3.3.2
Package | FOCUS_PELMO_3.3.2.exe.zip (25/Jul/2002, self extracting file into 15 files, 15.3 MB) |
Test Results | HTML, Word |
Getting Started | |
Comments | Warning (25/August/2005): Option "Relative application dates" may lead to unwanted changes of the application dates in the input file.
When reloading pesticide input files into the shell, that use the option "relative application dates", the listbox indicating "before/after" the respective crop status is not always updated (left blank). If the file is saved again the application dates in the input file are changed compared to the initial version of the input file. Workaround: Warning (23/June/2004) : The maturation and harvest dates in Sevilla are swapped. The user should not consider relative application dates for the following location/growth stage combination:
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FOCUS_PELMO_2.2.2
Package | FOCUS_PELMO_2.2.2.exe.zip (1/Oct/2001, self extracting file into 19 files, 17.5 MB) |
Test Results | HTML, Word |
Getting Started | |
Comments | Warning (23/June/2004) : The maturation and harvest dates in Sevilla are swapped. The user should not consider relative application dates for the following location/growth stage combination:
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FOCUS_PELMO_1.1.1
Package | FOCUS_PELMO_1.1.1.zip (5/Dec/2000, 6 files, 41 MB) |
Test Results | HTML, Word |
Getting Started | |
Comments | Important Note (19/Dec/2000) : The license agreement which is included in the FOCUS PELMO 1.1.1 package (file PELMO License Agreement) does not apply until further notice.
Warning (22/Jan/2001) : There is an error in the format of one of the FOCUS PELMO 1.1.1 scenario data files. Simulations using the combination strawberry and Sevilla are currently not running. Instead PELMO writes a short error message into the file ECHO.PLM. This problem has no influence on any other combination of crops and locations. The bug will be fixed soon. Warning (06/Mar/2001) : A small bug has been discovered in FOCUS_PELMO_1.1.1 that may lead to some confusion if simulations are performed using the combination "Thiva/apples/recommended irrigation". Because of wrong headers in a number of meteorological data files "irrigation for grass (+alfafa)" is written into the PELMO echo file instead of "irrigation for apples". However, that does not influence any simulation result, FOCUSPELMO is always using the correct irrigation pattern (apples). NOTE : the installation procedure for this version of FOCUS_PELMO is slightly different from the latest version ! |