Toxicity of pesticides toward human immune cells U-937 and HL-60

Abstract

The industrialization of the agricultural sector has significantly increased the use of chemicals such as pesticides. Therefore, exposure to them is unavoidable, which makes it necessary to assess their safety for humans at actual exposure doses. This paper aims to determine toxicity of three types of pesticides toward human immune cells (HL-60 and U-937): glyphosate (GLY), deltamethrin (DEL), and chlorothalonil (CHL). Cell viability, membrane integrity, inflammation induction, and antioxidant activity were evaluated to determine differences in cellular response to the tested plant protection agents. In experimental models, all tested substances caused increased mortality of cells after only 24?h. Cell membrane damage was recorded under DEL and CHL influences. The largest disintegration of the cell membrane was due to the action of 100?μg/mL DEL for U-937 and CHL at 1?μg/mL for HL-60. GLY at a concentration of 3,600?μg/mL caused significant peroxidation of U-937 cells’ lipids. CHL-induced inflammation in both types of cells tested. DEL and GLY also induced antioxidant activity in cells. These results lead to the conclusion that the tested pesticides act cytotoxically to the cells of the human immune system in doses to which both farmers and consumers are exposed.     

响应面法优化超临界水氧化处理农药废水

在间歇式超临界水氧化系统中对草甘膦农药废水进行降解实验。选取温度、反应时间、过氧量3个量为因素量，总有机碳(TOC)去除率为响应量进行中心组合设计（CCD）。在实验的基础上，利用响应面分析法（RSM）对实验结果进行分析及参数优化：建立了TOC去除率与各个因素关系的二次多项式数学模型；分析了各个因素单独的及相互作用对TOC去除率的影响；优化结果表明，在温度483℃、反应时间29.2 min、过氧量148.4%的条件下，达到了最佳效果，此时TOC的去除率为100%。     

New bacterial strain of the genus Ochrobactrum with glyphosate-degrading activity

Thirty bacterial strains with various abilities to utilize glyphosate as the sole phosphorus source were isolated from farm soils using the glyphosate enrichment cultivation technique. Among them, a strain showing a remarkable glyphosate-degrading activity was identified by biochemical features and 16S rRNA sequence analysis as Ochrobactrum sp. (GDOS). Herbicide (3 mM) degradation was induced by phosphate starvation, and was completed within 60 h. Aminomethylphosphonic acid was detected in the exhausted medium, suggesting glyphosate oxidoreductase as the enzyme responsible for herbicide breakdown. As it grew even in the presence of glyphosate concentrations as high as 200 mM, Ochrobactrum sp. could be used for bioremediation purposes and treatment of heavily contaminated soils.     

Lichen Conservation in Heavily Managed Boreal Forests

Lichens are an important component of the boreal forest, where they are long lived, tend to accumulate in older stands, and are a major food source for the threatened woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou). To be fully sustainable, silvicultural practices in the boreal forest must include the conservation of ecological integrity. Dominant forest management practices, however, have short‐term negative effects on lichen diversity, particularly the application of herbicides. To better understand the long‐term effects of forest management, we examined lichen regeneration in 35 mixed black spruce (Picea mariana) and jack pine (Pinus banksiana) forest stands across northern Ontario to determine recovery following logging and postharvest silvicultural practices. Our forest stands were 25–40 years old and had undergone 3 common sivilcultural treatments that included harvested and planted; harvested, planted, and treated with N‐[phosphonomethyl] glycine (glyphosate); and harvested, planted, and treated with 2,4‐dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4‐D). Forest stands with herbicide treatments had lower lichen biomass and higher beta and gamma diversity than planted stands that were not treated chemically or control stands. In northwestern Ontario, planted stands that were not treated chemically had significantly greater (p < 0.05) alpha diversity than stands treated with herbicides or control stands. Our results show that common silvicultural practices do not emulate natural disturbances caused by wildfires in the boreal forest for the lichen community. We suggest a reduction in the amount of chemical application be considered in areas where lichen biomass is likely to be high and where the recovery of woodland caribou is an objective. Conservación de Líquenes en Bosques Boreales Manejados Intensivamente     

漂浮负载型光催化剂制备及降解草甘膦研究

以漂珠(FP)为载体,采用溶胶-凝胶-浸渍法制备了漂浮负载型CdS/TiO2/FP复合膜光催化剂,通过SEM、XRD对其结构进行了表征.以甘草膦农药的光催化降解为模型反应,使用不同光源研究了CdS/TiO2/FP的光催化性能,探讨了影响催化剂活性的因素及采用太阳光做光源处理草甘膦的可行性.结果表明,经4层镀膜500℃热处理的20%(w/w)CdS/TiO2/FP光催化剂具有良好的光催化性能,最佳降解条件为:催化剂加入量3 g/L,初始pH 7～9,Fe2 浓度为2.0×10-3 mol/L.通气量200 mL/min.在最佳条件下,对135 mg/L草甘膦溶液降解率可以分别达到96.3%(125 W高压汞灯,60 min)和82.4%(太阳光,180 min).     

草甘膦与镉复合胁迫对玉米幼苗抗氧化酶活性及光合作用的影响

为了探讨草甘膦(PMG)与重金属镉(Cd)复合胁迫对作物(玉米幼苗)生长的影响作用机制。通过温室盆栽试验,分别进行了不同浓度的PMG单一处理(浓度分别设计为0、1.25、2.5、5、10、20 mg·kg~(-1))和不同浓度的PMG(浓度分别为0、1.25、2.5、5、10、20 mg·kg~(-1))与浓度5 mg·kg~(-1)Cd2+的复合处理。采用分光光度法和连续激发式荧光仪分别对玉米幼苗抗氧化酶(过氧化物酶POD、过氧化氢酶CAT、超氧化物歧化酶SOD)、丙二醛(MDA)、叶绿素含量、荧光动力学曲线及相关参数进行了测定。结果表明,单一和复合胁迫分别在PMG浓度为1.25~5 mg·kg~(-1)、1.25~2.5 mg·kg~(-1)时,玉米幼苗通过增大抗氧化酶(SOD、POD、CAT)活性,清除积累过多的活性氧自由基,提高叶绿素含量的合成,加大光合作用速率,促进玉米幼苗的生长;单一和复合胁迫分别在PMG浓度为5~20 mg·kg~(-1)、2.5~20 mg·kg~(-1)时,由于玉米幼苗积累了过多的膜脂过氧化物,导致抗氧化系统损坏,阻碍叶绿素含量的合成,同时也损害了PSII的功能(MO、φPO、ΨO、φEO、φDO、ABS/RC、TRO/RC、ETO/RC、DIO/RC、PIABS),导致玉米幼苗光合作用受到抑制,阻碍幼苗的生长。研究表明,草甘膦单一胁迫和与重金属镉复合胁迫,对玉米幼苗酶活性及光合作用的影响,均随处理浓度的升高表现为双阶段性,低浓度促进,高浓度抑制;与同浓度的PMG单一处理相比,Cd2+的存在,加大了PMG单独存在时的损害作用,使得玉米幼苗对PMG胁迫的敏感浓度点从5 mg·kg~(-1)降低到2.5 mg·kg~(-1)。     

硫脲改性猪粪生物质炭对模拟农田径流中镉和草甘膦吸附特征

为同时去除农田地表径流中的重金属和农药,利用猪粪制备未改性猪粪生物质炭（简称"未改性生物质炭"）和硫脲改性猪粪生物质炭（简称"改性生物质炭"）,分析比较硫脲改性对生物质炭的pH、元素组成、表面含氧官能团和巯基含量等理化性质的影响,并系统地研究了单一和复合污染体系中初始浓度对两种生物质炭吸附水溶液中镉（Cd）和草甘膦效率的影响.结果表明:①与未改性生物质炭相比,改性生物质炭的pH、O/C（原子比）和H/C（原子比）降低,比表面积增大,含氧官能团和巯基含量增加.②与未改性生物质炭相比,改性生物质炭对Cd和草甘膦的吸附能力增强,最大表观吸附量（Q_max）增加了近3倍;随着Cd和草甘膦初始浓度的增加,未改性和改性生物质炭对Cd和草甘膦的吸附量逐渐增加,增加量最高分别达18.52%和7.60%.③单一污染体系中两种生物质炭对Cd或草甘膦的吸附更符合Langmuir等温吸附模型,说明其对Cd或草甘膦的吸附机理是单分子层的吸附起主导作用.④复合污染体系中,未改性和改性生物质炭对Cd的吸附能力分别增加了25.28%和21.26%,未改性生物质炭对Cd的最大表观吸附量增加了29.34%,但改性生物质炭对Cd的最大表观吸附量降低了47.28%;未改性和改性生物质炭对草甘膦的吸附能力减弱,但最大表观吸附量分别增加了2.63和3.45倍.研究显示,硫脲改性猪粪生物质炭作为一项有前景的新技术,为解决实际环境中的复合污染问题提供了经济环保的技术手段.      

Analysis of the toxicity of glyphosate and Faena® using the freshwater invertebrates Daphnia magna and Lecane quadridentata

With the present contribution an evaluation of the toxicity of the pure herbicide glyphosate and its commercial formulation Faena® is reported using the cladoceran Daphnia magna Strauss and the rotifer Lecane quadridentata Ehrenberg. LC₅₀, EC₅₀, NOEC, and LOEC values for each toxicant and for both test organisms are obtained. Regarding acute toxicity, Faena was 11-fold more toxic to L. quadridentata than pure glyphosate and slightly more toxic to D. magna (1.7-fold). Inhibition of esterase activity in L. quadridentata by glyphosate was the most sensitive end-point; the EC₅₀ was 1500-fold smaller than the LC₅₀. The implications of these results and their comparison with established international and national limit values for glyphosate are discussed.     

草甘膦废水有机污染物的微生物降解

生物处理技术,是从自然界中选育菌株来处理废水的原始形式,即利用废水中的有毒污染物作为唯一碳源,微生物利用其进行生长,从而达到使废水降解的效果。以草甘膦废水为唯一碳源,通过选择性富集培养法、驯化培养法、划线分离和纯化,从湖北宜昌某化工集团污水处理厂排污口活性污泥中分离得到菌株XF150。三次驯化过程中,菌株XF150降解草甘膦废水最高降解率达95.52%。经观察形态特征及培养特征,初步鉴定菌株XF150为青霉菌属(Penicillium sp).。由单因子优化法实验法探讨了温度、pH值、底物浓度对菌株XF150降解草甘膦废水的影响,得出菌株XF150降解草甘膦废水的最适条件:温度为30℃、pH为7.0、底物浓度为600mL/L,在最适条件下菌株对草甘膦废水降解率可达84.18%,其矿化程度较高,为草甘膦废水的生物处理技术提供最佳处理方案。     

Glyphosate and Its Degradation Product AMPA Occur Frequently and Widely in U.S. Soils,Surface Water,Groundwater, and Precipitation

Glyphosate use in the United States increased from less than 5,000 to more than 80,000 metric tons/yr between 1987 and 2007. Glyphosate is popular due to its ease of use on soybean, cotton, and corn crops that are genetically modified to tolerate it, utility in no‐till farming practices, utility in urban areas, and the perception that it has low toxicity and little mobility in the environment. This compilation is the largest and most comprehensive assessment of the environmental occurrence of glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) in the United States conducted to date, summarizing the results of 3,732 water and sediment and 1,018 quality assurance samples collected between 2001 and 2010 from 38 states. Results indicate that glyphosate and AMPA are usually detected together, mobile, and occur widely in the environment. Glyphosate was detected without AMPA in only 2.3% of samples, whereas AMPA was detected without glyphosate in 17.9% of samples. Glyphosate and AMPA were detected frequently in soils and sediment, ditches and drains, precipitation, rivers, and streams; and less frequently in lakes, ponds, and wetlands; soil water; and groundwater. Concentrations of glyphosate were below the levels of concern for humans or wildlife; however, pesticides are often detected in mixtures. Ecosystem effects of chronic low‐level exposures to pesticide mixtures are uncertain. The environmental health risk of low‐level detections of glyphosate, AMPA, and associated adjuvants and mixtures remain to be determined.