Impact of Pesticides on Environment, Biodiversity & Public Health
Jean-Marc Bonmatin's work focuses mainly on:
- Measuring exposure to pesticides,
- The mechanisms of action of pesticides and their effects on living organisms,
- Assessing the risks of pesticides to the environment, biodiversity and health.
Jean-Marc Bonmatin interviewed in National Geographic magazine
Published on Nov. 7, 2025
Jean-Marc Bonmatin interviewed in N.1297 of Science & Vie: "Duplomb Law: what alternatives are there to acetamiprid?"
Published on Oct. 31, 2025
Elodie Papin's article (in French), published in October 2025, discusses effective alternatives to neonicotinoid insecticides (alternatives available in 96% of cases in France).
Jean-Marc Bonmatin co-author of an article on the human exposome
Published on Oct. 22, 2025
The article published in Environmental Research (impact factor 7.7) identifies eight key themes for integrating the exposome into risk assessment. These include multiple sources and routes of exposure, chemical mixtures, temporal, spatial and social dynamics of exposure, and the eco-exposome. Integrating the exposome can improve risk assessment and management by better reflecting the complexity of real-world exposures.
Three main classes of pesticides have been the subject of intensive study:
- neonicotinoid insecticides (neurotoxic)
- phenylpyrazole insecticides (neurotoxic)
- SDHI fungicides (mitotoxic and neurotoxic)
By developing new, highly sensitive analytical techniques (LC-MS-MS), Jean-Marc Bonmatin and his colleagues have demonstrated that these pesticides contaminate all environmental compartments (air, soil, water). These pesticides are also present in our food and drinks, which is the main route of exposure for human health. These studies are supported by the ANR (FR) and the FRM (FR).
For a holistic view of the issue surrounding these pesticides, Jean-Marc Bonmatin co-founded an international network of around sixty independent experts (from 25 countries): the Task Force on Systemic Pesticides, of which he has been vice-president since 2010. In 2019, he also co-founded Holimitox, a national research network for the study of pesticides that are toxic to mitochondria.
Research has shown that chronic exposure to low doses of these pesticides poses lethal risks to bees and pollinators, as well as deleterious sublethal effects on many terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates, vertebrates (fish, birds, etc.) and humans. These studies have been supported by the Triodos Foundation (NL).
Thanks to his multidisciplinary expertise, Jean-Marc Bonmatin has been appointed to several national expert committees (Scientific Council of ANSES 2020-2023 and ITSAP 2010-2020) and international committees (OECD 2006-2020, IUCN 2010-2020, IPBES 2014-2017).
Jean-Marc Bonmatin is also co-author of the free software TOXIBEES (in French), designed primarily for farmers. This software allows users to determine the toxicity to bees and environmental behaviour of about 300 pesticide molecules which are registrated for the French market. The software provides a ‘toxiscore’ (from A to E) and alternative solutions with less impact, thanks to an interactive risk assessment graph (exposure & toxicity). These studies were supported by the Ecophyto II+ plan via Bee Friendly (FR).
Jean-Marc Bonmatin continues his studies on the toxicity of pesticides on bees by developing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques in collaboration with Frédéric Szeremeta, a research engineer from the ‘Metal Complexes and MRI’ team at the laboratory. He recently presented his results at the Apimondia 2025 congress (Copenhagen, DK). These studies are supported by the Foundation Lune de Miel (FR).
Jean-Marc Bonmatin disseminates scientific and technical information from his research to the scientific community, professionals and various stakeholders (conferences for parliamentarians, NGOs, etc.). He also disseminates simplified information to the general public.