我国棉铃虫病毒杀虫剂的研究开发和应用

棉铃虫核型多角体病毒（ＮＰｖ），从分离开始，经过实验室研究到工厂生产商品销售，至今历经了１８个春秋。是中国生防史上第一次使一种昆虫病毒的研究，从技术上的成功转变成商业上的开发成功。从１９８８～１９９３年，总共生产棉铃虫病毒杀虫剂１００ｔ，使用面积７万ｈａ，（１００多万亩）。在防治棉花、烟叶、辣椒和蕃茄等作物上的棉铃虫和烟青虫方面，均获得了有效的控制。本文主要介绍该病毒的基本特性，生产工艺和应用效果，并展望未来的前景。     

工业污染的四大新危害

危害之一：损伤神经系统。英国科学家发现，西方神经系统疾病患者数量在过去20年中激增，这些脑病包括阿尔茨海默氏症、帕金森病及各种中枢神经疾病等。调查结果表明，男性的痴呆率上升了两倍。这些令人担忧的情况与环境中的杀虫剂、工业排放、生活废料、汽车废气及其它污染物浓度的升高有关。在20世纪70年代，英格兰和威尔士由于环境因素而导致的死亡人数约有3000人。但到20世纪90年代末，这一数据已上升到10000人。     

转基因植物产业化进程加速 仅国产抗虫棉直接收益达150亿元

科技部介绍，“国家转基因植物研究与产业化”已取得丰硕成果，为农民增收和农业增效做出了重大贡献。仅转基因抗虫棉就培育出具有国际竞争力并通过商品化生产审批的转基因棉花新品种55个，累计推广1亿多亩，带来直接经济效益150亿元；每亩增收节支150元左右；每年减少化学农药用量2000万-3000万千克，相当于我国化学杀虫剂年生产量的7.5％左右，     

人工草坪昆虫多样性与环境因子的相关性初步研究——以庐山风景区为例

昆虫在自然界中占据着多样性更高、空间尺度更小的生境,对生境的变化也更敏感,开展昆虫多样性与环境因子的相关性研究对生态环境监测和保护具有重要意义。实验中我们选用庐山风景区不同人工草坪进行研究,对它们昆虫群落及环境因子特征进行了随机取样调查,采用多样性指数和典范对应分析（CCA）研究昆虫群落与环境因子之间的相关性。实验共收集了昆虫11目,472头,以直翅目和鳞翅目占优势,其个体数分别占捕获昆虫总个体数的5324%和2278%。CCA分析表明：昆虫与环境因子之间的相关性高达100%,提示环境因子变化影响昆虫的分布,从研究结果看,践踏强度、样地大小、植被类型都对昆虫群落的分布影响很大。为该区域昆虫资源的保护和利用以及人工草坪的设置等相关研究提供科学依据     

拟除虫菊酯杀虫剂对水生态系统的毒性作用

拟除虫菊酯杀虫剂主要用于防治棉田、菜地、果树和茶叶上的农业害虫以及卫生害虫,也用于渔业生产上杀灭寄生虫。近几年来其使用量越来越大,是传统有机磷农药的替代品。它具有高效广谱、低残留的特点,对光稳定,在哺乳动物体内代谢、排泄迅速,但是对水生态系统危害较大。报道了拟除虫菊酯杀虫剂对水生生物的急、慢性毒性和中毒机理的研究进展,阐述了有待研究的方向。     

我国生物资源富甲天下

我国生物资源富甲天下我国大约有总数近１００万种生物，但到现在为止，已为人们发现、分类、定名的只有１２．５万种。占生物总数近９０％的８７．５万种生物人们了解极少，至今尚未命名。这些为人们所极少了解的生物主要集中在无脊椎动物、大多数的昆虫、线虫、节肢动物...     

上海地区蚜虫及其寄主植物多样性研究

为掌握上海地区蚜虫类昆虫组成情况,在野外标本采集及查阅已有文献资料基础上,得到了上海地区蚜虫物种信息数据库。从分类阶元、寄主植物、寄生部位及寄生方式等方面探讨了上海地区蚜虫类昆虫物种多样性。结果表明,上海地区共记录蚜虫8科46属75种,分别占中国已知蚜虫科、属、种数的61.5%、17.2%、6.8%,其中蚜科蚜虫仅占该科中国已知种数的10.0%。上海地区蚜虫寄主植物类群较多,涉及44科83属。蚜虫寄生部位多样化,其中根部寄生的蚜虫目前仅发现于瘿绵蚜科和根瘤蚜科,取食嫩梢、茎和叶片等部位的蚜虫涉及多个科。蚜虫的寄生方式分为不形成虫瘿、形成虫瘿以及形成伪虫瘿3种,上海地区蚜虫的主要寄生方式是不形成虫瘿,且仅在叶片这一种寄生部位形成虫瘿或伪虫瘿。上海地区植物物种多样性特点决定了该地区蚜虫类昆虫的物种多样性,而且上海地区气候环境适宜蚜虫的生存     

世界可能发生“水源战争”

目前世界50％人口患有水传染病,世界90％的疾病是由水携带的,如携带疟疾和其他疾病的蚊子,传播血吸虫病的泥螺,携带河盲症的黑蝇、钩虫、蛔虫、鞭虫以及导致腹泻的各种病毒、细菌和寄生虫。此外,水资源的缺乏、浪费和污染也限制了灌溉、清洗和饮用用水。因此,水源已成为一个重要而严酷的现实问题。     

水污染控制规划的GIS辅助技术研究

以宁波市甬江流域为例，以GIS技术辅助流域水污染控制规划，在ARCGIS90的环境中，完成了流域水系概化、水质评价，并利用GIS的叠置技术，建立功能区划水域－入河排污口－陆上汇流区的对应关系。根据水环境功能区的水质目标，通过建立污染源－水环境质量的输入响应关系，然后利用GIS技术对甬江流域数字高程模型（DEM）进行数字地形分析，得到甬江流域的模拟河网和流域汇水图，构筑了水污染控制单元，作为水环境容量核定和总量分配的基本工作区域。最后利用GIS的可视化表达进行辅助决策，确定各水环境功能区的水环境容量，结合排污状况（包括工业、农业、生活）的分析，得出流域水污染控制的总量控制方案和对策措施。甬江流域水污染控制规划的实践表明，在规划过程中，GIS作为一个必不可少的工具渗透在每一个环节中，为数据管理、空间图形表达和空间决策分析提供有效的工作平台和可靠的技术支持     

区际生态补偿机制是区域间协调发展的关键

环境问题和环境资源关系已成为重要的区际社会关系和社会矛盾，极大的影响和抑制区域协调发展，首先探讨区际环境问题和环境关系的成因、类型、数量动态、时空演变格局；独创性的剖析区际环境关系、区际环境问题难以解决的深刻根原。深入研究区际生态补偿作用和影响，指明缺乏补偿是江河上游与下游地区间矛盾产生的重要原因，也是环境问题难以解决的重要原因。指出区际生态补偿体系应由政策法律制订机构、补偿计算机构、补偿征收管理机构等组成；同时着重研究计算策略思路、计算方法、计算过程、计算结果表达等生态补偿计算有关问题；分析建立区际生态补偿机制在环境资源管理体制、绿色国民经济核算体系（转移支付制度）、环境影响数量技术、环境问题争端协调等面临的诸多困难。     

A new approach for calculating the relative risk level of pesticides

The following paper describes a new, easier to use approach to the calculation of relative risk levels of alternative pesticides. An insect, a plant disease, and a weed were selected for describing the application procedure of a new ranking method that is based on the intrinsic properties of pesticides rather than on the processes that occur both on land and in water after they are applied to soil. The approach is based on the Toxicity-Human health-Persistency (THP) Hazard Rating System, and a consumption factor is added to the method in order to calculate the environmental risk of pesticides. The available substitute pesticides are ranked in terms of their relative risk levels from lowest to highest in order of magnitude difference. Such a ranking method may be used as a practical quantitative tool to generate significant findings aiding in the selection of the most environmentally friendly substitute against a certain pest, especially in developing countries that still face the misuse and/or unconscious use of pesticides.     

农作物病虫害专业化防治服务对农药施用强度的影响

农药过量施用已造成严重的负外部性。推行农作物病虫害专业化统防统治服务可以实现安全、科学、合理用药,有效缓解农业面源污染问题和提升食品的质量安全水平。为了探究病虫害专业化统防统治服务在缓解农业面源污染方面的效果,文章利用全国七省水稻病虫害专业化防治服务调查数据,基于倾向得分匹配方法(PSM),剔除样本自选择内生性问题的影响,分析农户将水稻病虫害防治环节外包给植保专业化服务组织("统防统治")与"自防自治"户相比使用农药的种类和施用次数的差异,即植保专业化防治是否取得了较好的环境效应。研究结果表明,植保专业化服务显著减少了农药施用强度,提高了无公害低毒农药的采用比例;并且其效果在小农户和规模种植大户之间存在明显差异,与采纳病虫害统防统治服务的规模种植大户相比,小规模种植户在采纳病虫害统防统治服务后在降低农药施用强度,提高无公害低毒农药的应用比例方面效果更显著。基于此,文章建议强化对植保专业化防治项目的财政扶持力度,提高病虫害专业化防治覆盖率;重点鼓励小规模种植户采纳病虫害统防统治服务;鼓励农户土地流转,促进农业生产规模化经营,加强对种植专业户的病虫害防治方面的培训和引导,并着力发挥专业大户的示范带头作用,提高统防统治的效率,从而促进食品质量安全水平的提升和农业生态环境的保护。     

Application of an improved method for the analysis of pesticides and their metabolites in the urine of farmer applicators and their families

As the annual use of pesticides in the United States has escalated, public health agencies have become increasingly concerned about chronic pesticide exposure. However, without reliable, accurate analytical methods for biological monitoring, low-level chronic exposures are often difficult to assess. A method for measuring simultaneously the urinary residues of as many as 20 pesticides has been significantly improved. The method uses a sample preparation which includes enzyme digestion, extraction, and chemical derivatization of the analytes. The derivatized analytes are measured by using gas chromatography coupled with isotope-dilution tandem mass spectrometry. The limits of detection of the modified method are in the high pg/L - low μg/L range, and the average coefficient of variation (CV) of the method was below 20% for most analytes, with approximately 100% accuracy in quantification. This method was used to measure the internal doses of pesticides among selected farmer applicators and their families. Definite exposure and elimination patterns (i.e., an increase in urinary analyte levels following application and then a gradual decrease to background levels) were observed among the farmer applicators and many of the family members whose crops were treated with carbaryl, dicamba, and 2,4-D esters and amines. Although the spouses of farm workers sometimes exhibited the same elimination pattern, the levels of the targeted pesticides or metabolites found in their urine were not outside the ranges found in the general U.S. population (reference range). The farmer applicators who applied the pesticides and some of their children appeared to have higher pesticide or metabolite levels in their urine than those found in the general U.S. population, but their levels were generally comparable to or lower than reported levels in other occupationally exposed individuals. These results, however, were obtained from a nonrandom sampling of farm residents specifically targeted to particular exposures who may have altered their practices because they were being observed; therefore, further study is required to determine if these results are representative of pesticide levels among residents on all farms where these pesticides are applied using the same application techniques. Using this method to measure exposure in a small nonrandom farm population allowed differentiation between overt and background exposure. In addition, the important role of reference-range information in distinguishing between various levels of environmental exposure was reaffirmed.     

An assessment of the impacts of pesticide use on the environment and health of rice farmers in Sierra Leone

One of the biggest challenges faced by Sierra Leonean farmers is pest control. Birds, rodents, insects, crustaceans and other organisms can drastically reduce yields. In order to prevent these organisms from destroying their crop, farmers use pesticides. However there are reports that these chemicals are being misused and such misuse is having a negative impact on the environment and the health of the farmers.This research study aimed to investigate the use of pesticides in rice fields and its potential effects on the environment and on the farmers of Sierra Leone. Five hundred farmers and one hundred health workers across the country were interviewed. Fifty focus group discussions were also completed. Field observations were also undertaken to see how farmers apply pesticides to their farms and the possible threats these methods have on human health and the environment. It is clear that a wide range of pesticides are used by rice farmers in Sierra Leone with 60% of the pesticides used entering the country illegally. Most farmers have no knowledge about the safe handling of pesticides as 71% of them have never received any form of training. The pesticides kill both target and non-target organisms some of which enter the food chain.Cases of health problems such as nausea, respiratory disorders and blurred vision investigated in this research are significantly higher among farmers who use pesticides than those who do not use pesticides. Cases of pesticide intoxication are not investigated by health workers but results obtained from interviews with them also indicated that cases of pesticides related symptoms are significantly higher in environments where pesticides are used than those in which pesticides are not used.     

Organochlorine pesticide contamination of ground water in the city of Hyderabad

Organochlorine pesticides are ubiquitous and persistent organic pollutants used widely throughout the world. Due to the extensive use in agriculture, organic environmental contaminants such as HCH, DDT along with other organochlorine pesticides are distributed globally by transport through air and water. The main aim of present study is to determine contamination levels of organochlorine pesticides in the ground water of Hyderabad City. Water samples were collected from 28 domestic well supplies of the city. For this study, random sampling technique was applied, all the samples were collected in high purity glass bottles and refrigerated at 4 degrees C until analysis. Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) is used for the extraction of organochlorine pesticide residues in water sample. The collected water samples were pre-filtered through a 0.45 microg glass fiber filter (Wattman GF/F) to remove particulate matter and were acidified with hydrochloric acid (6N) to pH 2.5. Methanol modifier (BDH, for pesticide residue analysis, 10 mL) was added to water sample for better extraction. SPE using pre-packed reversed phase octadecyl (C-18 bonded silica) contained in cartridges was used for sample preparation. Prior to the extraction, the C-18 bonded phase, which contains 500 mg of bonded phase, was washed with 20 mL methanol. The sample was mixed well and allowed to percolate through the cartridges with flow rate of 10-15 mL/min under vacuum. After sample extraction, suction continued for 15 min to dry the packing material and pesticides trapped in the C-18 bonded phases were eluted by passing 10 mL hexane and fraction was evaporated in a gentle steam of Nitrogen. In all samples pesticide residues were analyzed by GC (Chemito-8510) with Ni63 ECD detector. Helium was used as carrier gas and nitrogen was used as make up gas. The injection technique was split/split less. All the samples analyzed were found to be contaminated with four pesticides i.e. DDT, beta-Endosulfan, alpha-Endosulfan and Lindane. DDT was found to range between 0.15 and 0.19 microg L(-1), beta-Endosulfan ranges between 0.21 and 0.87 microg L(-1), alpha-Endosulfan ranges between 1.34 and 2.14 microg L(-1) and Lindane ranges between 0.68 and 1.38 microg L(-1) respectively. These concentrations of pesticides in the water samples were found to be above their respective Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) values for Humans.     

Endocrine disrupting pesticides: implications for risk assessment

Endocrine disrupting (ED) chemicals are compounds that alter the normal functioning of the endocrine system, potentially causing disease or deformity in organisms and their offspring. Pesticides are used widely to kill unwanted organisms in crops, public areas, homes and gardens and medicinally to kill parasites. Many are proven or suspected to be EDs. Ancient physiological similarities between different vertebrate groups suggest that disorders observed in wildlife may indicate risks to humans. This makes accurate risk assessment and effective legislation difficult. In this paper, the hazardous properties of pesticides which are known to have ED properties are reviewed in order to assess the implications for risk assessment. As well as data on sources of exposure in the United Kingdom (UK) an assessment of the evidence on the health effects of ED pesticides is also included. In total, 127 have been identified from the literature and their effects and modes of action are listed in this paper. Using the UK as a case study, the types and quantities of pesticides used, and their methods of application are assessed, along with their potential pathways to humans. In the UK reliable data are available only for agricultural use, so non-agricultural routes of pesticide exposure have been poorly quantified. The exposure of people resident in or visiting rural areas could also have been grossly under-estimated. Material links between ED pesticide use and specific illnesses or deformities are complicated by the multifactorial nature of disease, which can be affected by factors such as diet. Despite these difficulties, a large body of evidence has accumulated linking specific conditions to ED pesticides in wildlife and humans. A more precautionary approach to the use of ED pesticides, especially for non-essential purposes is proposed.     

Health impact and damage cost assessment of pesticides in Europe

Health impacts from pesticide use are of continuous concern in the European population, requiring a constant evaluation of European pesticide policy. However, health impacts have never been quantified accounting for specific crops contributing differently to overall human exposure as well as accounting for individual substances showing distinct environmental behavior and toxicity. We quantify health impacts and related damage costs from exposure to 133 pesticides applied in 24 European countries in 2003 adding up to almost 50% of the total pesticide mass applied in that year. Only 13 substances applied to 3 crop classes (grapes/vines, fruit trees, vegetables) contribute to 90% of the overall health impacts of about 2000 disability-adjusted life years in Europe per year corresponding to annual damage costs of 78 million Euro. Considering uncertainties along the full impact pathway mainly attributable to non-cancer dose–response relationships and residues in treated crops, we obtain an average burden of lifetime lost per person of 2.6 hours (95% confidence interval between 22 seconds and 45.3 days) or costs per person over lifetime of 12 Euro (95% confidence interval between 0.03 Euro and 5142 Euro), respectively. 33 of the 133 assessed substances accounting for 20% of health impacts in 2003 are now banned from the European market according to current legislation. The main limitation in assessing human health impacts from pesticides is related to the lack of systematic application data for all used substances. Since health impacts can be substantially influenced by the choice of pesticides, the need for more information about substance application becomes evident.     

Results of a survey of BGM cell culture practices

Ninety-eight laboratories in 16 countries were surveyed in 1979 to determine the uniformity of methods for the assay of human viruses in BGM cells. None of the 58 responding laboratories applied identical methodology. A number of these practices were sufficiently different to assure a significant variance in liter with the assay of standardized virus samples. The results of this survey indicate a definite need for implementing uniform cell culture practices for the enumeration and identification of viruses in the environment.     

‘Environmental and Economic Costs of the Application of Pesticides Primarily in the United States’

An obvious need for an updated and comprehensive study prompted this investigation of the complex of environmental costs resulting from the nation’s dependence on pesticides. Included in this assessment of an estimated $10 billion in environmental and societal damages are analyses of: pesticide impacts on public health; livestock and livestock product losses; increased control expenses resulting from pesticide-related destruction of natural enemies and from the development of pesticide resistance in pests; crop pollination problems and honeybee losses; crop and crop product losses; bird, fish, and other wildlife losses; and governmental expenditures to reduce the environmental and social costs of the recommended application of pesticides.The major economic and environmental losses due to the application of pesticides in the USA were: public health, $1.1 billion year⁻¹; pesticide resistance in pests, $1.5 billion; crop losses caused by pesticides, $1.4 billion; bird losses due to pesticides, $2.2 billion; and groundwater contamination, $2.0 billion.*Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.