Earthworm cast production as a new behavioural biomarker for toxicity testing

There is currently a lack of ecotoxicity tests adapted to earthworm species of higher ecological relevance and whose endpoints could be directly related to their ecological role in the soil. We propose a new and relatively simple ecotoxicity test based on the estimation of cast production (CP) by Lumbricus terrestris under laboratory conditions. CP was found to be linearly correlated to earthworm biomass and to be greatly influenced by soil water content. Azinphos-methyl had no effect on CP at all the concentrations tested. Significant decreases were observed at the normal application rate for other pesticides with (imidacloprid, carbaryl, methomyl) or without (ethyl-parathion and chlorpyrifos-ethyl) a clear concentration-effect response. For the highest concentration tested, reduction in CP varied between 35 and 67%. CP is straightforward and rapidly measured and ecologically meaningful. We thus believe it to be of great use as an endpoint in ecotoxicity testing.     

UPLC-串联质谱法快速测定地表水中多种农药残留

采用超高效液相色谱-串联质谱法测定地表水中21种氨基甲酸酯和有机磷农药,通过优化试验条件,使方法在0. 500μg/L～100μg/L范围内线性良好,方法检出限为0. 1μg/L～6. 2μg/L。对空白水样做3个质量浓度水平的加标回收试验,5次测定结果的RSD为0. 3%～9. 5%,回收率为82. 0%～113%。将该方法用于测定徐州某地表水样品,3个水样均为未检出。     

Modelling effects of chemical exposure on birds wintering in agricultural landscapes: The western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) as a case study

We describe an ecotoxicological model that simulates the sublethal and lethal effects of chronic, low-level, chemical exposure on birds wintering in agricultural landscapes. Previous models estimating the impact on wildlife of chemicals used in agro-ecosystems typically have not included the variety of pathways, including both dermal and oral, by which individuals are exposed. The present model contains four submodels simulating (1) foraging behavior of individual birds, (2) chemical applications to crops, (3) transfers of chemicals among soil, insects, and small mammals, and (4) transfers of chemicals to birds via ingestion and dermal exposure. We demonstrate use of the model by simulating the impacts of a variety of commonly used herbicides, insecticides, growth regulators, and defoliants on western burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) that winter in agricultural landscapes in southern Texas, United States. The model generated reasonable movement patterns for each chemical through soil, water, insects, and rodents, as well as into the owl via consumption and dermal absorption. Sensitivity analysis suggested model predictions were sensitive to uncertainty associated with estimates of chemical half-lives in birds, soil, and prey, sensitive to parameters associated with estimating dermal exposure, and relatively insensitive to uncertainty associated with details of chemical application procedures (timing of application, amount of drift). Nonetheless, the general trends in chemical accumulations and the relative impacts of the various chemicals were robust to these parameter changes. Simulation results suggested that insecticides posed a greater potential risk to owls of both sublethal and lethal effects than do herbicides, defoliants, and growth regulators under crop scenarios typical of southern Texas, and that use of multiple indicators, or endpoints provided a more accurate assessment of risk due to agricultural chemical exposure. The model should prove useful in helping prioritize the chemicals and transfer pathways targeted in future studies and also, as these new data become available, in assessing the relative danger to other birds of exposure to different types of agricultural chemicals.     

Comparison of basal cytotoxicity of seven carbamates in CHO-K1 cells

The cytotoxic effects of seven carbamate pesticides, aldicarb, aldicarb sulfone, aldicarb sulfoxide, benfuracarb, pirimicarb, propoxur and thiobencarb, were compared in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cell line of Circetulus griseus. The endpoints evaluated were lysosomal function by neutral red assay and mitochondrial integrity by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT assay). The carbamates tested were evaluated in both serum-free medium and in serum-containing medium. Results demonstrate that CHO-K1 lysosomes appeared more susceptible to propoxur, aldicarb and its metabolites than mitochondria. Aldicarb was the most toxic carbamate pesticide tested on CHO-K1 cells and aldicarb sulfoxide the least. The presence of foetal calf serum (FCS) diminished significantly the cytotoxicity of tested carbamates.     

地表水中SVOCs和氨基甲酸酯类农药同步萃取技术的探讨

采用大体积固相萃取富集地表水中SVOCs和氨基甲酸酯类农药,再以气相色谱-质谱和超高效液相色谱-串联质谱联用对目标物定性定量。通过优化固相萃取条件,使SVOCs在0.500 mg/L~10.0 mg/L之间,氨基甲酸酯类农药在1.00μg/L~100μg/L之间线性良好,方法检出限为0.002μg/L~0.009μg/L,加标回收率分别为70.5%~105%和78.5%~124%。用该方法测定某流域地表水,结果邻苯二甲酸酯类物质、多环芳烃类、酚类、硝基苯环类化合物等SVOCs,以及克百威、仲丁威等氨基甲酸酯类农药检出。