In vitro toxicity of selected pesticides on RTG-2 and RTL-W1 fish cell lines

The rainbow trout fish cell lines RTG-2 and RTL-W1 were used to determine the cytotoxic effects of the pesticides bifenthrin, cypermethrin, cyhalothrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, quinalphos and chlorpyrifos. Cytotoxicity was measured by EROD and beta-Gal enzymatic activities, the neutral red (NR) uptake assay, and the FRAME KB protein (KBP) assay. The beta-Gal activity was unaffected by the pesticide exposure. The EROD activity was induced by cyhalothrin and lambda-cyhalothrin (RTG-2 and RTL-W1) and by bifenthrin (RTL-W1). Dose dependent inhibition responses were observed for EROD activity in cells exposed to quinalphos (RTL-W1) and chlorpyrifos (RTG-2 and RTL-W1). RTL-W1 offered a better response for EROD induction. The EC50 values on EROD endpoint were more sensitive than NR and KBP. The acute fish toxicity of chlorpyrifos and quinalphos depends highly on the species; the species sensitivity distributions cover several orders of magnitude and the values obtained for EROS were within the lowest part of the reported ranges.     

Reduction of toxicity of antimicrobial compounds by degradation processes using activated sludge,gamma radiation,and UV

The occurrence and persistence of pharmacologically active compounds in the environment has been an increasingly important issue. The objectives of this study were to investigate the decomposition of aqueous antimicrobial compounds using activated sludge, γ-irradiation, and UV treatment, and to evaluate the toxicity towards green algae, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, before and after treatment. Tetracycline (TCN), lincomycin (LMC) and sulfamethazine (SMZ) were used as target compounds. Gamma (γ)-irradiation showed the highest removal efficiency for all target compounds, while UV and activated sludge treatment showed compound-dependent removal efficiencies. TCN and SMZ were well degraded by all three treatment methods. However, LMC showed extremely low removal efficiency for UV and activated sludge treatments. Overall, the algal toxicity after degradation processes was significantly decreased, and was closely correlated to removal efficiency. However, in the case of γ-irradiated TCN, UV and activated sludge treated LMC as well as sludge treated SMZ, the observed toxicity was higher than expected, which indicates the substantial generation of byproducts or transformed compounds of a greater toxicity in the treated sample. Consequently, γ-radiation treatment could be an effective method for removal of recalcitrant compounds such as antibiotics.     

纳米RuO2－TiO2光电催化处理农药废水研究

采用自制的负载型纳米RuO₂－TiO₂光催化剂对农药厂生产废水进行光电催化降解试验。考察了煅烧时间、催化剂用量、光辐照强度、电流密度、废水初始pH值和反应时间对废水COD和色度去除率的影响。结果表明，自制光催化剂光电催化性能显著，最佳光电催化活性是同样降解条件下、同样含量的Degussa P－25 TiO₂的1.38倍，是Ru_0.3Ti_0.7O₂的1.81倍。其COD和色度去除率分别为64.3%和95.2%。     

纳米RuO2-TiO2光电催化处理农药废水研究

采用自制的负载型纳米RuO2-TiO2光催化剂对农药厂生产废水进行光电催化降解试验.考察了煅烧时间、催化剂用量、光辐照强度、电流密度、废水初始pH值和反应时间对废水COD和色度去除率的影响.结果表明,自制光催化剂光电催化性能显著,最佳光电催化活性是同样降解条件下、同样含量的Degussa P-25 TiO2的1.38倍,是Ru0.3Ti07O2的1.81倍.其COD和色度去除率分别为64.3%和95.2%.     

Monitoring transport of selected pesticides and phenols in soil columns by high performance liquid chromatography

Abstract

Soil columns were used to study pesticides and phenols transport under rapid infiltration land treatment conditions. An analytical procedure is described for the quantitative determination of atrazine, diuron, carbofuran, phenol, 2,4‐dinitrophenol, 2,4‐dimethylphenol, and 2,4‐dichlorophenol in soil and wastewater. Recoveries of all analytes were greater than 90%. The method detection limits for all analytes were ≤0.03 μg/ml (s/n=4) in wastewater and ≤ 0.1 μg/ml (s/n=5) in soil.     

Acute toxicity assessment of azadirachtin-based pesticides using murine hybridoma and oyster cells

In vitro acute toxicities of azadirachtin-containing pesticides (Neemix and Bioneem), formulated with neem tree extracts, and pure azadirachtin (AZA), the believed active ingredient, were studied using hybridoma and oyster cells and were compared to results obtained using the standard in vivo Daphnia pulex toxicity assay. Neem-based pesticides showed relatively high toxicity to both hybridoma and oyster cells at concentrations of 1 microg AZA/mL and higher. The IC50 values for hybridoma cells were 2.15 microg AZA/mL for Neemix and 1.67 pg AZA/mL for Bioneem. Oyster cells had IC50 values of 2.18 microg AZA/mL for Neemix and 9.46 pg AZA/mL for Bioneem. Purified AZA, however, did not appear to be as toxic as the formulations. D. pulex was also more sensitive to neem-based pesticide exposure than that of pure AZA. The applications and limits of these two in vitro models for testing the acute toxicity of AZA-based pesticides are discussed in comparison with the in vivo D. pulex test.     

Heterogeneous photocatalytic degradation of pesticides using decatungstate intercalated macroporous layered double hydroxides

Decatungstate W₁₀O₃₂ ^4? was efficiently intercalated between the layers of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous Mg₂Al-layered double hydroxide. The structural and textural properties of as-prepared intercalated compound were characterized using different solid-state characterization techniques such as X-ray powder diffraction, FTIR and Raman spectroscopies and electronic microscopy. The photocatalytic properties of immobilized W₁₀O₃₂ ^4? within Mg₂Al structure were investigated using 2-(1-naphthyl) acetamide (NAD) as a model of pesticide. The influence of different parameters such as amount of catalyst, pH and oxygen concentration were investigated. An optimal NAD degradation was obtained for a photocatalyst concentration of 60 mg l^?1. Under our experimental conditions, this heterogeneous photocatalyst induces photodegradation of 60 % of NAD after 17 h of irradiation at 365 nm and at pH 6.6. Interestingly, pesticide photodegradation leads to the mineralization of substrates to H₂O and CO₂ and the photocatalyst can be recycled and reused without any loss of activity over four cycles.     

A comprehensive systematic review of photocatalytic degradation of pesticides using nano TiO2

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This study has systematically reviewed all of the research articles about the photocatalytic degradation of pesticides using titanium dioxide (TiO2)...     

Passive sampling of selected pesticides in aquatic environment using polar organic chemical integrative samplers

Purpose  

Polar chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) were examined for their sampling efficiency of 12 pesticides and one metabolite commonly detected in surface waters. Laboratory-based calibration experiments of POCISs were conducted. The determined passive sampling rates were applied for the monitoring of pesticides levels in Lake Amvrakia, Western Greece. Spot sampling was also performed for comparison purposes.     

Estrogenicity and acute toxicity of selected anilines using a recombinant yeast assay

Suspected estrogen modulators include industrial organic chemicals (i.e., xenoestrogens), and have been shown to consist of alkylphenols, bisphenols, biphenylols, and some hydroxy-substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The most prominent structural feature identified to be important for estrogenic activity is a polar group capable of donating hydrogen bonds (i.e., hydroxyl) on an aromatic system. The present study was undertaken to explore the estrogenic activity and acute toxicity of chemicals containing a weaker hydrogen bond donor group on aromatic systems, i.e., the amino substituent. There is a great deal of chemical similarity between aromatic amines (anilines) and aromatic alcohols (phenols). The chemicals chosen for the current study contained an amino-substituted benzene ring with hydrophobic constituents varying in size and shape. Thus, 37 substituted aromatic amines were assayed for estrogenic activity EC50 and acute toxicity LC50 using the Saccharomyces cerevisiae recombinant yeast assay. While the EC50 of 17-beta-estradiol occurs at the 10(-10) range, the aniline with the greatest activity had an EC50 of 10(-6) M. Thus, anilines, in general, are capable only of very weak estrogenic activity in this assay. A comparison of estrogenic potency between the present group of anilines and a set of previously tested analogous phenols indicated that anilines are consistently less estrogenic than phenols. A comparison of hazard indices (EC50/LC50) of these chemicals revealed that, for the vast majority of anilines, the EC50 and LC50 were in the same order of magnitude. More specifically, estrogenic activity of para-substituted alkylanilines increases with alkyl group size up to 5 carbons in length, after which the acute toxicity of the larger alkyl-substituents precluded the ability of the compound to induce the estrogenic response.     

Leaf-air transfer of organochlorine pesticides from three selected vegetables

The leaf-air transfer of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in three kinds of vegetables, namely lettuce, romaine and garlic leaves was investigated. It was found that although the uptake of OCPs by the three selected vegetables was similar under controlled conditions, the depuration varied significantly among chemicals and plant species in terms of elimination rate, final residue of each OCPs, as well as the effect of temperature on the residue of OCPs in the vegetables. The results indicated that neither QCB nor HCB could be trapped tightly by any of the three selected vegetables, in contrast, p,p'-DDT could be retained effectively by all of them; the retainment of alpha-HCH, gamma-HCH, p,p'-DDE, was dependent on the vegetable species, of which the garlic leaf had the biggest ability to trap them. Our work provided insight into the behavior of OCPs in the agroecosystem.     

Toxicity and removal of pesticides by selected aquatic plants

Pesticides are being detected in water bodies on an increasingly frequent basis. The present study focused on the phytoremediation potential of selected aquatic plants to remove phytosanitary products from contaminated water. We investigated the uptake capacity of Lemna minor (L. minor), Elodea canadensis (E. canadensis) and Cabomba aquatica (C. aquatica) on three pesticides: copper sulphate (fungicide), flazasulfuron (herbicide) and dimethomorph (fungicide). Pesticide toxicity was evaluated by exposing plants to five concentrations (0-1 mg L(-1)) in culture media for 7d using chlorophyll fluorescence as a biomarker. The toxicity of the contaminants was the same for all the aquatic plants studied and occurred in this descending order of toxicity: flazasulfuron>copper>dimethomorph. We found that L. minor had the most efficient uptake capacity, followed by E. canadensis and then C. aquatica. The maximum removal rate (microg g(-1)fresh weight d(-1)) of copper, flazasulfuron and dimethomorph was 30, 27 and 11, respectively.     

Human health effects of selected pesticides, chloroaniline derivatives

The health effects of two pesticides, chlordimeform and propanil, are discussed. Chlordimeform and 2-methyl-4-chloroaniline, a major metabolite of chlordimeform, cause severe hemorrhagic cystitis in humans. In cats, however, only a mild effect on the bladder was noted. The herbicide propanil has produced chloracne in humans, and along with 3,4-dichloroaniline, hyperkeratosis in rabbits. The contaminants 3,4,3',4'-tetrachloroazobenzene and 3,4,3',4'-tetrachloroazoxybenzene are responsible for the chloracnegenic characteristics of propanil, 3,4-dichloroaniline, and methazole.     

Comparative acute toxicities of selected pesticides to Anguilla anguilla

Abstract

The acute toxicities (24, 48, 72 and 96 hr) of eight pesticides to Anguilla anguilla were determined. The organochlorine pesticide, endosulfan was the most toxic, with LC50 values in the range of 0.042 to 0.041 mg/L Endosulfan was followed in order of decreasing toxicity by diazinon, fenitrothion, chlorpyrifos, lmdane, methidathion, trichlorfon and methylparathion. When fishes were exposed to the pesticides tested they exhibited signs of restlessness, erratic swimming, convulsions and difficulty in respiration. This response was more persistent in fishes exposed to organophosphorus pesticides.     

Monitoring of organochlorine pesticides using PFU systems in Yunnan lakes and rivers, China

Polyurethane foam unit (PFU) systems were collected from 11 lakes and three rivers in the Yunnan Plateau, China and, the PFU extrusion liquids were analyzed for organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) by gas chromatography with electron capture detection (GC-ECD). The concentrations of pp'-DDE, HCB and HCHs were undetectable to 1.86 microgl-1 (mean 0.27 microgl-1), undetectable to 0.72 microgl-1 (mean 0.11 microgl-1), and 0.24-21.95 microgl-1 (mean 7.39 microgl-1) respectively in lakes; and those in rivers were undetectable to 0.23 microgl-1 (mean 0.08 microgl-1), 0.68-2.93 microgl-1 (mean 1.70 microgl-1), and 2.71-37.56 microgl-1 (mean 17.01 microgl-1) respectively. Notably, some residue levels of OCPs exceeded the US National Recommended Water Quality Criteria, implying Yunnan has levels of OCPs potentially harmful to human health. Further, the contamination by OCPs showed an obvious spatial distribution pattern. Amongst the lakes, Dianchi, Xingyun, Lugu and Yangzonghai had the highest OCP levels dominated by beta-HCH, whereas among rivers, Nujiang and Lancang Rivers had the highest contents of OCPs dominated by alpha-HCH. This demonstrates that HCHs are the predominant contaminants and some point sources of HCHs may still exist in Yunnan. The pollution levels in Yunnan were compared with other studies, suggesting the PFU method is suitable for long-term on-line monitoring of trace OCPs in aquatic ecosystems. Therefore, continuous studies monitoring OCPs in lakes and rivers are needed to further understand the future trend of contamination.     

Perspectives of the chemical fate and toxicity of pesticides

The wide-spread use of pesticides in modern agriculture has created a need to investigate the chemical transformation of pesticides in plants and animals. This paper reviews the chemical and biochemical fate of various pesticides and other xenobiotics. Photochemical mechanisms appear to be the most common pathways for the abiotic transformation of these chemicals. Biotic transformation includes a large group of biochemical reactions which may result in either deactivation (detoxication) or activation (toxication) of bioactive compounds. The need for quality control in the production of pesticides is also discussed.     

Perspectives of the chemical fate and toxicity of pesticides

Abstract

The wide‐spread use of pesticides in modern agriculture has created a need to investigate the chemical transformation of pesticides in plants and animals. This paper reviews the chemical and biochemical fate of various pesticides and other xenobiotics. Photochemical mechanisms appear to be the most common pathways for the abiotic transformation of these chemicals. Biotic transformation includes a large group of biochemical reactions which may result in either deactivation (detoxication) or activation (toxication) of bioactive compounds. The need for quality control in the production of pesticides is also discussed.     

Monitoring the sonochemical degradation of phthalate esters in water using solid-phase microextraction

The sonochemical degradation of aqueous solutions containing low concentrations of six phthalate esters at an ultrasonic frequency of 80 kHz has been investigated. Ultrasonic treatment was found capable of removing the four higher molecular mass phthalates (di-n-butyl phthalate, butylbenzyl phthalate, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and di-n-octyl phthalate) within 30-60 min of irradiation. The rest (dimethyl phthalate and diethyl phthalate) were more recalcitrant and nearly complete removal could be achieved only after prolonged irradiation times. The relative reactivity of phthalates was explained in terms of their hydrophobicity. Experiments were carried out at an overall initial phthalate concentration of 240 microg l(-1), values of electric power of 75 and 150 W, temperatures of 21 and 50 degrees C and in the presence of NaCl to study the effect of various operating conditions on degradation. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with GC-MS proved to be a powerful analytical tool to monitor the sonochemical degradation of phthalate esters at low microg l(-1) concentration levels, minimising the risk of secondary contamination during sample preparation, a major parameter to consider during phthalates analysis. The advantages as well as disadvantages of using SPME are also highlighted.