ABSTRACT
This chapter provides knowledge on methods to determine artemisinin in soil and water samples and explores a risk assessment of artemisinin, just as if it was a commercial chemical. As Artemisia annua is cultivated in fields, and artemisinin released directly to the environment, we use the risk assessment paradigm that exist for pesticides. As the environmental fate evaluation revealed exposure of the soil environment to artemisinin in the areas surrounding A. annua fields and potential leaching to surface waters through drains, the known ecotoxicities to soil- and water-living organisms are evaluated. The physicochemical properties of the chemical substance are the first to consider in risk assessment, as this reveals the potential toxicity, mobility, and degradation in the environment. From an environmental fate perspective, the production of artemisinin in the field without any process to control or reduce the exposure is high.
