Disappearance of dimethoate,methamidophos and pirimicarb in lettuce

Abstract

Foliar sprays of dimethoate at 150 or 300 g a.i./ha, methamidophos at 450 or 900 g a.i./ha and pirimicarb at 140 or 280 g a.i./ha were applied for control of the green peach aphid, Myzus pericae (Sulzer), and the lettuce aphid, Nasonovia ribisnigri (Mosley), about 2 weeks before the lettuce started heading, and again about 1 week from harvest. In lettuce, dimethoate partially oxidized to its oxon and pirimicarb converted to its methylamino‐ and/or formyl methylamino‐analogues. Most residues were present in the outer leaves which were exposed directly to the sprays; only traces of residues were detected in samples of the inner head leaves. Total residues disappeared rapidly. Pirimicarb was the least persistent and only traces of residues (<0.01 ppm) were detected in marketable heads. Concentrations of dimethoate, including the oxon and of methamidophos were well below their respective tolerances of 2 and 1 ppra respectively.     

Metabolites of the phenylurea herbicides chlorotoluron, diuron, isoproturon and linuron produced by the soil fungus Mortierella sp.

Phenylurea herbicides are used worldwide, and often pollute surface- and groundwater in concentrations exceeding the limit value for drinking water (0.1 μg l⁻¹). Bacteria degrade phenylurea herbicides by successive N-dealkylation to substituted aniline products. Little is known about the corresponding fungal pathways, however. We here report degradation of chlorotoluron, diuron, isoproturon and linuron by the soil fungus Mortierella sp. Gr4. Degradation was fastest with linuron and resulted in successively dealkylated metabolites and 3,4-dichloroaniline. A major new metabolite was detected that has not yet been fully identified. Thin layer chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy indicate that it is a non-aromatic diol. Degradation of isoproturon, chlorotoluron and diuron involved successive N-demethylation and, in the case of isoproturon and chlorotoluron, additional hydroxylation. A new hydroxylated isoproturon metabolite was detected. The study thus shows that the fungal pathways differ from the bacterial pathways and yield new metabolites of possible environmental concern.     

Biological effect monitoring in dab (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Limanda limanda</Emphasis>) using gene transcript of CYP1A1 or EROD—a comparison

BACKGROUND, AIM, AND SCOPE: Gene expression analyses with real-time (RT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) gains importance in marine monitoring. This new technique has to be compared to the classical approaches like the well known biomarker ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) to test their suitability for monitoring programmes. The goal of the present study is to compare EROD activity and CYP1A1 mRNA expression in the important monitoring fish species dab (Limanda limanda) and to answer the question of whether these parameters reflect the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination of the fish. Further on, glyceraldehyd-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) was investigated as a potential housekeeping gene. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Female dab were caught in the summer of 2004 in the North Sea and in the Baltic. EROD activity was determined in liver samples by a kinetic fluorimetric assay according to a standard protocol. The gene expression of CYP1A (cytochrome P450 1A) and GAPDH were determined by means of RT-PCR. Results were compared to gonado somatic index and to the concentration of PAH metabolite 1OHPyr (1-hydroxypyrene) analysed in the bile fluids of the fish, respectively. RESULTS: Dab from all stations showed a considerable individual variation in the levels of both CYP1A mRNA and EROD. Highest mean values for CYP1A mRNA and EROD were detected in the northern part of the sampling area. In contrast, the PAH metabolite 1OHPyr was found at the highest concentration in fish caught near the German coast. CYP1A mRNA and EROD showed only a minor but significant correlation (r = 0.32, p < 0.05, n = 123). 1OHPyr in bile correlated significantly (p < 0.05) with the amount of GAPDH mRNA content in the liver. DISCUSSION: The significant but low correlation of CYP1A mRNA and EROD activity on an individual basis illustrates that these two parameters are apparently not closely linked. However, maximum EROD values correspond with maximum CYP1A mRNA concentrations when station means are regarded. Because EROD and CYP1A mRNA in dab follow different physiological principles, their application will lead to related but not identical monitoring results. This should be taken into account when future marine monitoring programmes are designed. The results also indicate that PAH are not the crucial factor for CYP1A and EROD levels in dab from the off-shore areas in the North Sea. This is remarkable because the PAH metabolism is known to be CYP1A-dependent and the widely used biomarker EROD has been recommended for monitoring PAH-related effects in fish from the North Sea. Due to a correlation between GAPDH and 1OHPyr, GAPDH was not suitable as housekeeping gene for dab. CONCLUSIONS: Neither the results from EROD nor from CYP1A1 mRNA measurements in dab reflected their exposure to PAH as measured by the PAH metabolite 1OHPyr. Thus, the question arises of whether EROD or CYP1A mRNA is a suitable biomarker at all to indicate PAH exposure in dab from the open North Sea. RECOMMENDATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: For future biological effect monitoring, it is advisable to measure more and predominately independent parameters by RT-PCR and to incorporate more components of the detoxification system.     

Bacterial colonization of the phyllosphere of nineteen plant species and antimicrobial activity of their leaf secondary metabolites against leaf associated bacteria

Summary. The scope of this work was to examine whether leaf constitutive secondary metabolites play a role in determining bacterial colonization of the phyllosphere. To this aim, we surveyed nineteen native or cultivated plant species that share a common bacterial pool in a North Mediterranean area, and estimated the size of total and ice nucleation active (INA) bacterial populations on their leaves. Large differences in the colonization of their phyllosphere were found; the population size of epiphytic bacteria ranged from 7.5 × 10² to 1 × 10⁶ CFU/g fresh weight, in eucalypt and celery, respectively. Species native in Mediterranean-type climate areas, particularly those belonging to the group of aromatic plants, are characterized by scarce presence of INA bacteria. The antibacterial activity of essential oils, surface phenolics and leaf tissue extracts was also estimated against the INA strains P. syringae and E. herbicola, isolated from two of these plant species. E. herbicola proved more sensitive than P. syringae. Of the species examined, oregano [Origanum vulgare L. subsp. hirtum (Link.) Ietswaart], an aromatic plant, had the highest antimicrobial activity, whereas six species showed no activity at all. Further experiments were performed with oregano and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) that represent two extremes in their secondary metabolite content. Both plants were inoculated with P. syringae. By the end of incubation, the bacterial population on bean plants was about 100 times higher than that on oregano leaves. Scanning electron micrographs showed that bacterial growth on oregano leaves was confined to sites away from glandular hairs. Results from the bacterial colonization survey together with those from the toxicity tests showed that all species rich in antibacterial secondary metabolites harbored low leaf bacterial populations. These results provide substantial evidence that leaf secondary metabolites function as constitutive defense chemicals against microbial invasions. However, the fact that species with non- or moderately active leaf secondary metabolites are not always highly colonized suggests mediation of other unknown factors, the contribution of which requires further investigation.     

碳源对O/A-F/F模式积累内源聚合物及反硝化的影响

好氧/缺氧-盛宴/饥饿(O/A-F/F)选择模式能够在好氧段实现活性污泥积累内源聚合物的同时在缺氧段原位利用内源聚合物驱动反硝化.为了深入探究不同的碳源类型对O/A-F/F模式下内源聚合物积累和内源反硝化的影响,实验以乙酸和葡萄糖为主要碳源探究内源聚合物积累和内源反硝化特性以及富集的活性污泥菌群的结构和功能.结果表明,在O/A-F/F选择模式下,当进水化学需氧量(COD)为500 mg·L~(-1)左右时,以乙酸为主要碳源系统(Ac-SBR)和以葡萄糖为主要碳源的系统(Gc-SBR)均能实现40 mg·L~(-1)的硝酸盐氮的内源去除,且各系统均实现了部分短程反硝化.但Ac-SBR实现了更高的亚硝酸盐的积累.乙酸有利于内源聚羟基脂肪酸酯(PHA)积累并驱动内源反硝化过程,PHA产率为0.52,平均反硝化速率(DNR)为9.65 mg·(L·h)-1.Gc-SBR系统能够实现PHA和糖原(Gly)的同时积累,但Gly产率高于PHA产率,分别为0.36和0.17,DNR为4.35 mg·(L·h)-1.Gly是实现内源反硝化过程的主要驱动力,反硝化脱氮贡献率占总量的77%.16S rRNA高通量测序表明Proteobacteria门中的β-Proteobacteria在Ac-SBR中为优势菌纲,菌群丰度为40.56%,而在Gc-SBR中菌群丰度为18.05%.α-Proteobacteria可能在Gc-SBR中贡献了微生物的糖原积累.β-Proteobacteria、Unclassified Bacteroidetes和Lgnavibacteria在Ac-SBR中贡献了内源PHA积累.     

Secondary metabolism — evolution and function: Products or processes?

Summary The distinguishing characteristics of secondary metabolism and its associated metabolites are outlined. Current theories relating to the function of secondary metabolism in plants and micro-organisms are enumerated and the view that consideration of the processes rather than the products may best explain the origins of secondary metabolism is discussed.     

How do slugs cope with toxic alkaloids?

Summary. Arion lusitanicus and other slugs are able to feed on a variety of plants, even those containing toxic secondary metabolites, such as alkaloids. Alkaloids, like sparteine, lupanine, quinidine and atropine are avoided in no-choice feeding experiments only when they are present in concentrations above 1 mg/g food pellet. Alkaloids (sparteine, lupanine, cytisine, quinidine, atropine, senecionine, eserine, and harmaline) are toxic to Arion lusitanicus when injected. LD₅₀ values are 10 to 20 fold higher than in vertebrates indicating that slugs have a high tolerance towards food toxins. The tolerance is higher in young animals than in adult slugs. Injected alkaloids are rapidly detoxified within 72 h. Tolerance and detoxification can be induced by feeding slugs on non-lethal doses of lupin alkaloids. Using isolated microsomal preparations from the digestive gland, active detoxification was observed in vitro. Evidence is presented that cytochrome p450 plays an important role in detoxification of the applied alkaloids. A powerful and inducible detoxification systems appears to be the main mechanism that allows slugs to feed on plants rich in secondary metabolites (when no other food is available), that are usually avoided by other herbivores.     

Volatile metabolites from indoor molds grown on media containing wood constituents

Since volatile mold metabolites are used for the detection of mold growth in buildings, it was interesting to determine whether different indoor mold species show different affinity for the major components of wood, a common building material. Growth and volatile metabolites were studied when Aspergillus versicolor, Penicillium chrysogenum, and P. palitans were grown on laboratory substrates containing the major wood constituents cellulose, xylan and lignin. Microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) were characterized by thermal desorption/gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy. Growth and volatile metabolites varied considerably and there appeared to be complementary substrate specificities for P. chrysogenum, and P. palitans grown on cellulose and xylan. The failure of A. versicolor to produce characteristic MVOCs when grown on media containing wood constituents suggests that systems using volatile metabolites to detect microbial growth in buildings may be fundamentally unreliable for the detection of this species.     

不同基质浓度对ANAMMOX菌短期储存的影响

在15℃±1℃条件下,将厌氧氨氧化菌混培物分别置于基质浓度为0、60、120 mg·L~(-1)添加比例为1∶1的NH+4-N和NO-2-N环境中短期(15 d)储存,探究不同基质浓度对厌氧氨氧化污泥短期保存及恢复的影响.经过短期储存后进行恢复实验,结果表明,1、2、3号反应器(分别对应0、60、120 mg·L~(-1)基质浓度中储存的厌氧氨氧化菌混培物)中的厌氧氨氧化活性分别下降41. 8%、17. 4%、33. 4.%,1、3号分别由于过度内源呼吸和高基质浓度抑制,导致活性下降较大,2号反应器由于基质浓度相对合适,避免了过度内源呼吸和高基质浓度抑制,使得菌种活性在该基质浓度下保留较好;储存期间,3个反应器内均发生内源呼吸消耗自身有机物的情况,导致EPS含量下降50. 9%、41. 7%、23. 7%和粒径下降31. 6%、16. 7%、8. 2%,表明在基质匮乏期菌体通过内源呼吸的方式维持自身的活性,较高的基质浓度可以在一定程度上延缓内源呼吸过程;在恢复期间,3个反应器分别经过15、10、7 d实现脱氮性能和厌氧氨氧化活性的恢复,表明同菌种增殖富集相比,原系统通过菌种活性增强的方式脱氮性能恢复更快.     

聚糖原菌富集实验及其内源过程探究

细胞衰减是微生物内源过程的一个重要组成部分,可分为由细胞死亡引起的数量衰减和由细胞活性降低引起的活性衰减两部分.通过挥发性脂肪酸（VFA）吸收速率(VFAUR)测定、荧光原位杂交技术（FISH）以及LIVE/DEAD细胞染色技术,研究了富集聚糖原菌（GAOs）在序批式反应器（SBR）系统中好氧环境下的衰减特征.结果表明,当T=30℃、进料中m(COD)∶m(P)=100时,SBR系统中GAOs富集比例达94%.测定和计算表明,SBR富集系统中GAOs衰减速率和死亡速率分别为0.132 d^-1和0.034 d^-1,其数量衰减和活性衰减占其细胞总衰减比例分别为26%和74%.可见,GAOs数量衰减只占其细胞总衰减中很小一部分,而绝大部分衰减由活性衰减所引起.