Natural Products: Repellency and Toxicity of Wild Tomato Leaf Extracts to the Two-Spotted Spider Mite,Tetranychus urticae Koch

The potential of using phytochemicals from leaves of wild tomato for controlling the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, is explored in this study as a promising alternative to the use of synthetic pesticides. Wild tomato accessions of Lycopersicon hirsutum plants that are not consumed by humans were planted under greenhouse conditions for mass production of leaves. Crude extracts from leaves of three accessions of L. hirsutum, six accessions of L. hirsutum f. glabratum, and one accession each of L. pennellii and L. pimpinellifolium were prepared in chloroform, ethanol and hexane. Two spider mite bioassays, one a measure of antibiosis and the other a measure of repellency, were utilized to determine the acaricidal performance of the crude extracts. The bioassay for antibiosis was a 6-h no-choice test. The bioassay for repellency utilized a ring bioassay. Chloroform leaf extracts of L. hirsutum f. glabratum accessions (PI-251304, PI-134417, PI-134418, and PI-126449) exhibited greatest antibiotic activity on two-spotted spider mites; the hexane extracts exhibited greatest repellency. Extracts from PI-251304, PI-126449, PI-134417, and PI-134418 were especially lethal (chloroform) or repellent (hexane). We investigated differences in chemical composition of the crude leaf extracts that may explain the observed differences in mortality and repellency among the different accessions. Major chemical compounds (α -curcumene, α -zingiberene, trans-caryophyllene, 2-undecanone, and 2-tridecanone) known to have pesticidal efficacy were detected and quantified in the crude leaf extracts using a gas chromatograph (GC) equipped with a mass spectrometer (GC/MS). Lethality of extracts was mainly associated with the presence of high concentrations of 2-tridecanone; repellency of extracts was mainly associated with the presence of trans-caryophyllene. Leaf extracts of L. hirsutum f. glabratum accessions that contain significant quantities of 2-tridecanone and/or trans-caryophyllene could be useful for managing populations of spider mites, which could reduce reliance on synthetic pesticides.     

Recovery of a marker strain of Salmonella typhimurium in litter and aerosols from isolation rooms containing infected chickens

Abstract

Screening of poultry flocks for foodborne pathogen Salmonella contamination is critical for Salmonella control in preharvest stages of poultry production. In this study, two sampling methods (litter and air filter) were compared for detection of S. typhimurium from experimentally infected chicks some of which had received either a probiotic competitive exclusion culture or transfer of cecal contents from salmonellae‐free adult birds. At 4, 9, and 11 days after inoculation, S. typhimurium samples were enumerated by selective plating. For both types of sampling, the control birds yielded the greatest levels of environmental contamination followed by the samples from the probiotic inoculated birds with the birds receiving the cecal transfer culture having the lowest levels of contamination. Although the two sampling methods responded in a similar fashion, detection sensitivity needs to be increased for air filter sampling.     

Growth Inhibition by Nitrocompounds of Selected Uric Acid-Utilizing Microorganisms Isolated from Poultry Manure

The overall objective of this study was to evaluate the potential ability of nitrocompounds to reduce ammonia volatilization by inhibiting uric acid–utilizing microorganisms. Experiment I was conducted to evaluate the effects of nitrocompounds on the growth of uric acid–utilizing microorganisms isolated from poultry manure during six-hour incubation. There were five treatments: (1) control, (2) 50 mM nitroethane, (3) 50 mM nitroethanol, (4) 50 mM nitropropanol, and (5) 50 mM nitropropionic acid. Optical density values of nitrocompounds were significantly lower than that of control at two, four, and six hours. Plate counts of uric acid–utilizing microorganisms after six-hour incubation exhibited that nitrocompounds greatly reduced the growth of these microorganisms except for the nitroethane (P < 0.05). The nitropropanol and nitropropionic acid treatments showed significantly higher inhibitory effects compared to the nitroethanol. Experiments II and III were conducted to evaluate inhibitory effects of nitrocompounds on growth of uric acid–utilizing microorganisms compared to non-nitrocompounds such as ethanol, propanol, and propionic acid. Experiments II and III consisted of seven treatments: (1) control, (2) nitroethanol, (3) nitropropanol, (4) nitropropionic acid, (5) ethanol, (6) propanol, and (7) propionic acid. The incubation times of Experiments II and III were 6 and 24 h, respectively. The nitrocompounds were significantly more successful in inhibiting growth of uric acid–utilizing microorganisms compared to those non-nitrocompounds. These results suggest that nitrocompounds exhibit potential to reduce ammonia volatilization in poultry manure by inhibiting growth of uric acid–utilizing microorganisms.     

Impact of redox conditions on metolachlor and metribuzin degradation in mississippi flood plain soils

Abstract

The effect of soil redox conditions on the degradation of metolachlor and metribuzin in two Mississippi soils (Forrestdale silty clay loam and Loring silt loam) were examined in the laboratory. Herbicides were added to soil in microcosms and incubated either under oxidized (aerobic) or reduced (anaerobic) conditions. Metolachlor and metribuzin degradation under aerobic condition in the Forrestdale soil proceeded at rates of 8.83 ngd^‐1 and 25 ngd^‐1, respectively. Anaerobic degradation rates for the two herbicides in the Forestdale soil were 8.44 ngd^‐1 and 32.5 ngd^‐1, respectively. Degradation rates for the Loring soil under aerobic condition were 24.8 ngd^‐1 and 12.0 ngd^‐1 for metolachlor and metribuzin, respectively. Metolachlor and metribuzin degradation rates under anaerobic conditions in the Loring soil were 20.9 ngd^‐1 and 5.35 ngd^‐1. Metribuzin degraded faster (12.0 ngd^‐1) in the Loring soil under aerobic conditions as compared to anaerobic conditions (5.35 ngd^‐1).     

Effect of UV radiation and temperature on mineralization and volatilization of coumaphos in water

This study was undertaken to determine the dissipation and degradation of coumaphos [O-(3-chloro-4-methyl-2-oxo-2H-1-benzopyran-7-yl) O,O-diethyl phosphorothioate] under different sunlight conditions and at different temperatures. The effect of the ultra violet (UV) component of solar radiation was also studied using quartz tubes in addition to other radiation in the visible range using glass tubes and the results were compared with those obtained under the dark light conditions. Water suspensions of coumaphos were incubated at three temperatures viz. 22°C, 37°C and 53°C in closed systems to study the effect of temperature. Volatilization, mineralization and degradation of coumaphos increased with an increase in temperature and exposure to solar radiation, particularly under the UV component of the solar radiation. Major loss of the pesticide occurred through volatilization. The optimum temperature for the degradation of coumaphos was found to be at 37°C. The data obtained from the mineralization and degradation studies indicated that 53°C crosses the biological range for suitable growth of microorganism. UV radiation exposure along with maintaining temperature at 37°C may prove useful in the dissipation and/or degradation of coumaphos prior to its disposal as waste from cattle dipping vats.     

A two-generational reproductive toxicity study of zinc in rats

A two-generation reproductive toxicity study of zinc chloride (ZnCl₂) was conducted in rats. F_o male and female rats were administered 0.00 (control), 7.50 (low), 15.00 (mid) and 30.00 (high) mg/kg/day of ZnCl₂. Selected F₁ male and female rats were exposed to the same doses received by their parents (F_o). Exposure of F₀ parental rats to ZnCl₂ showed significant reduction in fertility, viability (days 0 and 4), and the body weight of F₁ pups from the high-dose group but caused no effects on litter size, weaning index, and sex ratio. Similarly, the continued exposure of F₁ parental rats to ZnCl₂ also reduced fertility, liter size, viability (day 0), and the body weight of F₂ pups within the high-dose group but caused no effects on weaning index and sex ratio. Exposure of ZnCl₂ to F₀ and F₁ parental males resulted in a significant reduction in their body weights, and the F₀ and F₁ parental females did not show any significant difference in their body weights compared to their control groups. However, the postpartum dam weights of both F₀ and F₁ female rats were significantly reduced compared to their controls. Exposure of ZnCl₂ to F_o and F₁ generation parental rats did not produce any significant change of their clinical signs as well as their clinical pathology parameters, except the alkaline phosphotase (ALK) level, which showed an upward trend in both sexes of both generations. Exposure of ZnCl₂ to F₀ rats resulted in a reduction of brain, liver, kidney, spleen and seminal vesicles weights of males and in the spleen and uterus of females. Similarly, exposure of F₁ rats to ZnCl₂ also resulted in reduction of brain, liver, kidney, adrenal, spleen, prostate and seminal vesicles weights of males and in spleen and uterus of females. ZnCl₂ exposure resulted in grossly observed gastro-intestianla (GI) tract, lymphoreticular/hematopoietic, and reproductive tract lesions in parental rats in both generations. Reduced body fat was also recorded in F₁ parental rats.     

Use of cholinesterase activity in monitoring chlorpyrifos exposure of steer cattle after topical administration

The aim of this work was to study the pharmacokinetic behavior and the inhibitory effect of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activities of chlorpyrifos (CPF) in steer cattle after pour-on administration. Determination of cholinesterase activity in plasma and erythrocyte was carried out according to Ellman kinetic method. CPF was analyzed by gas chromatography. AChE was the predominant form of cholinesterase analyzed, with low levels of BChE in plasma. Following the treatment with CPF, the maximum inhibitory effect on AChE or BChE were 50.88 ± 11.57 and 42.66 ± 12.01%, respectively. The chlorpyrifos plasma concentrations observed were low and they presented a high variability. Chlorpyrifos peak plasma concentration (10.42 ± 4.76 μ g/L) was reached at 8.42 ± 13.97 h. The pesticide was not detected in plasma after 48 h post treatment. The values of area under the curve (AUC) were 118.48 ± 87.46 μ g· h/L and mean resistance time (MRT) were 13.38 ± 10.41 h. The pour-on exposure to the organophosphate chlorpyrifos significantly reduced AChE and BChE activity in steer cattle and the recovery was not reached on 50 days post-treatment.     

The effects of residual tetracycline on soil enzymatic activities and plant growth

A pot trial was carried out to investigate the adverse effects of tetracycline (TC) on soil microbial communities, microbial activities, and the growth of ryegrass (Lolium perenne L). The results showed that the presence of TC significantly disturbed the structure of microbial communities and inhibited soil microbial activities in terms of urease, acid phosphatase and dehydrogenase (p < 0.05). Plant biomass was adversely influenced by TC, especially the roots with a reduction of 40% when compared with the control. Furthermore, TC decreased the assimilation of phosphorus by the plant although the concentration of phosphorus was increased by 20% due to decreased plant biomass. TC seemed to increase the concentration of dissolved organic carbon (by 20%) in soil. The findings implied that the agricultural use of animal manure or fishpond sediment containing considerable amounts of antibiotics may give rise to ecological risks.     

Effect of phenobarbital and polychlorinated biphenyls on the toxicity and disposition of 1,2,4,5‐tetrachlorobenzene in the rat

Soil avoidance by earthworms has been generally considered a relevant and sensitive endpoint for assessing soil contamination by xenobiotics. However, when pesticide ecotoxicological assessment is concerned, the sensitivity of the recently standardized avoidance assay has been questioned. We hypothesized that this controversy may be due to the specific pesticide mode of action of the chemicals used rather than reveal inconsistencies in the test feasibility, i.e. provided that no pesticides interfering with neuronal pathways are tested, this bioassay should keep expected high levels of sensitivity. In this study, the avoidance behaviour of the earthworm Eisenia andrei under exposure to the carbamate insecticide methomyl [S-methyl N-(methylcarbamoyloxy)thioacetimidate] was linked to the corresponding acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition. Significant AChE inhibition occurred at lower concentrations (from 0.86 mg Kg^?1 onwards) than significant avoidance of spiked soil (from 5.62 mg Kg^?1 onwards). This indicates that assessments regarding pesticides that have neurotoxic activity may be biased if behavioral endpoints are selected. Despite theoretical hypothesis that have been raised, this should be the first study providing preliminary experimental evidence on such a link between avoidance behavior and neuronal impairment levels in earthworms. Further studies are ongoing that should refine conclusions of this study.     

Hydrolysis and photolysis of oxytetracycline in aqueous solution

Oxytetracycline ((2Z,4S,4aR,5S,5aR,6S,12aS)-2-(amino-hydroxy-methylidene)-4-dimethylamino-5,6,10,11,12a-pentahydroxy-6-methyl-4,4a,5,5a-tetrahydrotetracene-1,3,12-trione) is a member of tetracycline antibiotics family and is widely administered to farm animals for the purpose of therapeutical treatment and health protection. Increasing attention has been paid to the environmental fate of oxytetracycline and other veterinary antibiotics with the occurrence of these antibiotics in the environment. The hydrolysis and photolysis degradation of oxytetracycline was investigated in this study. Oxytetracycline hydrolysis was found to obey the first-order model and similar rate constant values ranging from 0.094 ± 0.001 to 0.106 ± 0.003 day^{? 1} were obtained at different initial concentration ranging from 10 to 230 μ M. Solution pH and temperature were shown to have remarked effects on oxytetracycline hydrolysis. The hydrolysis in pH neutral solution appeared to be much faster than in both acidic and alkaline solutions. Oxytetracycline half-life decreased from 1.2 × 10² to 0.15 day with the increasing temperature from 4 ± 0.8 to 60 ± 1°C. The presence of Ca^{2 +} made oxytetracycline hydrolytic degradation kinetics deviate from the simple first-order model to the availability-adjusted first-order model and greatly slowed down the hydrolysis. Oxytetracycline photolysis was found to be very fast with a degradation rate constant at 3.61 ± 0.06 day^{? 1}, which is comparable to that of hydrolysis at 60°C. The presence of Ca^{2 +} accelerated oxytetracycline photolysis, implying that oxytetracycline become more vulnerable to sunlight irradiation after chelating with Ca^{2 +}. The photolysis may be the dominant degradation pathway of oxytetracycline in shallow transparent water environment.