Quality of Meliponinae honey: Pesticides residues,pollen identity,and microbiological profiles

This study aims at evaluating the quality of honey of Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata Tetragonisca angustula and Scaptotrigona depilis. Pollen analysis was performed to identify the floral resources used for the production of honey, and 19 pollen types were identified. Microbiological analyses identified the presence of coliforms, molds, and yeasts, but Clostridium botulinum was not found. Using the modified “Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe” method followed by ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry determination, eight pesticides were detected in the honey of T. angustula and only two in the honey from S. depilis. The honey of M. q. quadrifasciata did not present pesticide residues. The data pointed out the relevance of good practices to avoid the contamination of honey with sources of microbiological contaminants, which may impair the product's safety for human consumption.     

Validation of a QuEChERS-based gas chromatographic method for analysis of pesticide residues in Cassia angustifolia (senna)

A simple multi-residue method based on modified QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe) approach was established for the determination of 17 organochlorine (OC), 15 organophosphorous (OP) and 7 synthetic pyrethroid (SP) pesticides in an economically important medicinal plant of India, Senna (Cassia angustifolia), by gas chromatography coupled to electron capture and flame thermionic detectors (GC/ECD/FTD) and confirmation of residues was done on gas chromatograph coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The developed method was validated by testing the following parameters: linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), matrix effect, accuracy–precision and measurement uncertainty; the validation study clearly demonstrated the suitability of the method for its intended application. All pesticides showed good linearity in the range 0.01–1.0 μg mL^?1 for OCs and OPs and 0.05–2.5 μg mL^?1 for SPs with correlation coefficients higher than 0.98. The method gave good recoveries for most of the pesticides (70–120%) with intra-day and inter-day precision < 20% in most of the cases. The limits of detection varied from 0.003 to 0.03 mg kg^?1, and the LOQs were determined as 0.01-0.049 mg kg^?1. The expanded uncertainties were <30%, which was distinctively less than a maximum default value of ±50%. The proposed method was successfully applied to determine pesticide residues in 12 commercial market samples obtained from different locations in India.     

Screening of antibiotic residues in fresh milk of Kathmandu Valley,Nepal

The prevalence of two groups of antibiotics; namely penicillin and sulfonamides was studied in fresh milk available in Kathmandu Valley of Nepal. The milk samples (n = 140) were collected from three different sources; individual farmers, cottage dairies and organized dairies of Kathmandu valley. Qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis with rapid screening kits revealed that 23% samples were positive for antibiotic residues in the fresh milk for penicillin and sulfonamide groups (1–256 µg/kg). High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses detected 81% samples positive for amoxicillin (68–802 µg/kg), 41% for sulfadimethoxine (31–69 µg/kg), 27% for penicillin G (13–353 µg/kg), and 12% for ampicillin (0.5–92 µg/kg). Due to the precision and accuracy of liquid chromatography method, it detected more positive samples and consequently presented higher prevalence than the rapid screening kits. The antibiotic residues were found above the maximum residue limits that presented serious threat to consumer health and raised a serious concern regarding the implementation and monitoring of international regulations in developing countries.     

Rapid determination of residues of pesticides in honey by µGC-ECD and GC-MS/MS: Method validation and estimation of measurement uncertainty according to document No. SANCO/12571/2013

A simple and straightforward method for simultaneous determination of residues of 13 pesticides in honey samples (acrinathrin, bifenthrin, bromopropylate, cyhalothrin-lambda, cypermethrin, chlorfenvinphos, chlorpyrifos, coumaphos, deltamethrin, fluvalinate-tau, malathion, permethrin and tetradifon) from different pesticide classes has been developed and validated. The analytical method provides dissolution of honey in water and an extraction of pesticide residues by n-Hexane followed by clean-up on a Florisil SPE column. The extract was evaporated and taken up by a solution of an injection internal standard (I-IS), ethion, and finally analyzed by capillary gas chromatography with electron capture detection (GC-µECD). Identification for qualitative purpose was conducted by gas chromatography with triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (GC-MS/MS). A matrix-matched calibration curve was performed for quantitative purposes by plotting the area ratio (analyte/I-IS) against concentration using a GC-µECD instrument. According to document No. SANCO/12571/2013, the method was validated by testing the following parameters: linearity, matrix effect, specificity, precision, trueness (bias) and measurement uncertainty. The analytical process was validated analyzing blank honey samples spiked at levels equal to and greater than 0.010 mg/kg (limit of quantification). All parameters were satisfactorily compared with the values established by document No. SANCO/12571/2013. The analytical performance was verified by participating in eight multi-residue proficiency tests organized by BIPEA, obtaining satisfactory z-scores in all 70 determinations. Measurement uncertainty was estimated according to the top-down approaches described in Appendix C of the SANCO document using the within-laboratory reproducibility relative standard deviation combined with laboratory bias using the proficiency test data.     

壳聚糖对菠菜中毒死蜱和乐果的降解作用（Effects of Spraying Chitosan on Degradation of Chlorpyrifos and Dimethoate Residues in Spinach）

在露地栽培条件下,研究了叶面喷施壳聚糖水溶液对菠菜中毒死蜱和乐果的降解作用.结果表明,叶面喷施不同浓度的壳聚糖(50、100、200、400mg·L-1)可有效降低菠菜中毒死蜱和乐果残留量,其中较低浓度壳聚糖能更有效地降低菠菜中毒死蜱、乐果的残留量.50mg·L-1壳聚糖使菠菜中毒死蜱残留量较对照降低40.2%,安全间隔期缩短2.07d;100mg·L-1壳聚糖使菠菜中乐果残留量较对照降低46.9%,安全间隔期缩短0.5d.壳聚糖作为一种有机磷农药降解剂应用于蔬菜生产是可行的.     

Sediment quality assessment of Beasley Lake: bioaccumulation and effects of pesticides in Hyalella azteca

Beasley Lake is a Conservation Effects Assessment Program (CEAP) watershed in the intensively cultivated Mississippi Delta, USA. Lake sediment quality at three sites was evaluated in 2004 and 2008 for biological impairment and uptake (animal tissue pesticide residues) from 14 pesticides and three metabolites using Hyalella azteca (Saussure). Eleven pesticides and three metabolites were detected in sediment among the three sites in 2004 and all 17 compounds examined were detected among the three sites in 2008, with the herbicide atrazine having the greatest concentrations. Twenty-eight-day H. azteca survival and growth (mg w/w) indicated no survival effects at any site for either year, but growth impairment occurred in H. azteca exposed to sediments in 2004, whereas growth enhancement occurred in H. azteca exposed to sediments at one site in 2008. Pesticides observed in animal tissue pesticide residues occurred more frequently and in greater concentrations in 2004 compared with 2008. Thirteen pesticides were detected in animal tissue pesticide residues in 2004, with chlorpyrifos occurring in the greatest concentrations, and six pesticides were detected in 2008, with p,p′-DDT occurring in the greatest concentrations. H. azteca tissue pesticide residues of seven pesticides, two herbicides, three insecticides, one insecticide metabolite, and p,p′-DDT, were associated with growth.     

Landbased Pollution Sources and Marine Environmental Quality in the Caribbean

Abstract

The near shore coastal and marine environment of several Caribbean islands is their most biologically productive and economically important zone. However, almost all landbased activities possess the real potential of degrading the quality of near shore waters and ultimately diminishing the utility of the marine resource. This condition is largely attributed to the individual smallness of the islands and their geographic proximity to each other.

Available sanitary water quality data from across the region indicated that while recreational areas are in general safe for water contact activities, bacterial densities in excess of several international criteria are consistently recorded in harbours. Organochlorine pesticide residues were generally in the 5 ng l^?1 range in unfiltered sea water but were significantly higher (1–100) ng g^?1 in limited samples of sediment and biota. Additional data requirements to gain further insight into the current state of the Caribbean environment are also identified.

A summary of the major land based sources of marine pollution (including sewage, industrial effluents and agricultural run-off) in the insular Caribbean is presented.     

A GC method to determine o‐chloroacetophenone residual in soil and vegetable substrates

o‐Chloroacetophenone (CAF) is a peripheral sensory irritant used in open air situations giving rise to human and environmental exposure. An analytical GC method has been developed to determine CAF residual in soil and vegetable substrates at low ppm levels.     

Herbicides interactions with cow manure and field soil organic matter

The direct interaction of the herbicide metazachlor ‐chosen as an example‐ with the soil organic matter has been studied by laboratory incubation of old and young cow manures containing metazachlor. The extraction efficiencies of solvents of increasing polarities indicated the formation of association compounds by bonds weaker than covalent between metazachlor and the organic matter: electron donor‐acceptor complexes, hydrogen bonding complexes, and complexes by both bonding types. Laboratory incubation of metazachlor in soil of low organic matter content indicated that the soil mineral part only had a diluting effect on the soil organic matter capacity to adsorb metazachlor. Similar association compounds were observed in the soil of a cauliflower field crop. Their concentrations were greater in the plots treated with organic fertilizers than in the organic fertilizers untreated plots. The free‐ unbound metazachlor was faster metabolized than the one bound to the soil organic matter, explaining why the organic fertilizer treatments slow down the herbicide soil biodegradation during the main first crop period. Inclusion of metazachlor in the field soil humic acids lattice ‐another kind of herbicide association compound with the soil organic matter‐ occurred at crop end when most of the metazachlor was metabolized; the soil concentrations of this kind of association compound thus was low, so that the release after crop of metazachlor in the environment has no practical significance.     

地表水中抗生素复合残留对水生生物的毒性及其生态风险评价

针对上海地区地表水中混合并持久残留的抗生素对水生态的危害,测试了3种主要被使用的抗生素(磺胺甲恶唑,SMZ;土霉素,OTC;氟苯尼考,FF)对4个不同营养级的水生生物代表种(蛋白核小球藻、费氏弧菌、大型蚤和斑马鱼胚胎)的单一毒性和联合毒性,并进一步对生态风险进行评估来探究抗生素对水生态系统的综合作用。研究表明:水生生物对单一抗生素暴露的毒性敏感顺序为:蛋白核小球藻斑马鱼胚胎费氏弧菌大型蚤。用联合指数(CI)来评价抗生素二元混合物之间的相互作用时发现对于不同水生模式生物,抗生素之间的相互作用方式以拮抗作用(CI1)为主。通过与浓度加和(CA)和独立作用(IA)2个传统模型的预测效果比较,发现CI模型能准确预测到抗生素联合毒性偏离相加作用。由于养殖废水中这3种抗生素的含量均远高于其他水体(如黄浦江、长江口、工厂废水),其对不同营养级的水生生物均表现出较高的风险性,需要对养殖废水采取相应的风险削减措施;相比之下,其他水体中抗生素对费氏弧菌、斑马鱼胚胎、大型蚤均表现出低风险,但是对蛋白核小球藻仍具有一定的风险性,需要警惕抗生素对水体初级生产者的风险性。