Use of Stable Nitrogen Isotopes and Permeable Membrane Devices to Study what Factors Influence Freshwater Mollusk Survival in the Conasauaga River

Recent biological inventory data shows severe declines in freshwater mussel abundance and biodiversity in the Conasauga River Basin in Northwest Georgia, USA. Based on assessments of habitat conditions, mussel populations should be sustainable. We conducted a study of sediment and water quality to evaluate the impact of anthropogenic contamination on mussel populations. Permeable membrane devices (PMD), polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS™), conventional water and sediment quality analyses, and stable nitrogen isotope ratio analyses (δ¹⁵N) of snails and sediments were used to assess sediment and water quality at target sites throughout the basin. Ambient concentrations of organic contaminants in water were well below any aquatic life criteria; concentrations of some nutrients were detected above aquatic life criteria levels. Most mussel species in the river are endangered or threatened; therefore, snails were collected for δ¹⁵N analyses. Mean δ¹⁵N values for snails collected at forested upper watershed sites (national forest areas) were significantly lower than δ¹⁵N values from snails in agricultural areas. δ¹⁵N values for raw cow manure and manure-treated soil were similar to δ¹⁵N values for snails collected in agricultural areas. Dissolved nitrate from water samples had elevated δ¹⁵N values similar to the upper range of δ¹⁵N values for snails in agricultural areas. Data, particularly stable nitrogen isotope data, indicates that a land use change from national forest land to agriculture alters nitrogen sources to the basin and snails. Implications of nutrient release on freshwater molluscan reproduction, growth, and survival are discussed.     

Pesticides and trace elements in cannabis: Analytical and environmental challenges and opportunities

Cannabis is increasingly used for both medicinal and recreational purposes with an estimate of over 180 million users annually. Canada has recently legalized cannabis use in October 2018, joining several states in the United States of America (e.g., Colorado, California, and Oregon) and a few other countries. A variety of cannabis products including dry flowers, edibles, and oil products are widely consumed. With high demand for cannabis products worldwide, the quality of cannabis and its related products has become a major concern for consumer safety. Various guidelines have been set by different countries to ensure the quality, safety, and efficacy of cannabis products. In general, these guidelines require control of contaminants including pesticides, toxic elements, mycotoxins, and pathogens, as well as residual solvents in regard to cannabis oil. Accordingly, appropriate analytical methods are required to determine these contaminants in cannabis products for quality control. In this review, we focus on the current analytical challenges and method development for detection of pesticides and toxic elements in cannabis to meet various guidelines.     

珠江河口区翡翠贻贝中有机氯农药和多氯联苯含量及分布

对分布于珠江河口区海域的翡翠贻贝有机氯农药和多氯联苯的含量进行测定 ,结果显示 :HCHs为ND— 1.1ng·g-1,DDTs为 9.5— 191ng·g-1,PCBs为 82 .8— 6 15 .1ng·g-1.尖沙嘴码头 (维多利亚港 )贻贝积累的PCBs浓度最高 ,珠江河口桂山岛和外伶仃岛的贻贝积累的DDTs和PCBs浓度较高 ,而荷包岛 (珠江河口西海区 )的贻贝则检出含量较高的HCHs和DDTs .贻贝选择性积累含 5— 6个氯原子数的PCB异构体 .各采样点贻贝积累的PCBs组成分析表明珠江河口区海域存在两个PCBs污染源     

石油化工行业废水中有机氯农药残留分析

文章建立了基于HLB固相萃取柱和气相色谱/电子捕获(GC/ECD)分析水体中有机氯农药的方法,并对方法的回收率、灵敏度进行了评价,同时分析了北京市燕山石油化工有限公司五个典型企业排放废水中有机氯农药的浓度,发现存在六六六(HCHs),滴滴涕(DDT)等有机氯污染物,在5个采样点的水样中有机氯农药的浓度为(0.76～14.8)ng/L,其中六六六、滴滴涕的含量分别为(0.76～10.5)ng/L和(4.89～14.8)ng/L.方法对有机氯农药的空白加标回收率达到74.6%～118.4%,方法检测限为(0.27～2.90)ng/L.     

我国农业自身污染及其控制对策

化肥、农药和地膜对我国农业的发展起到积极的促进作用，但也带来严重的农业自身污染问题。分析和探讨了化肥、农药及地膜对我国农田环境的污染状况，提出了控制农业自身污染的对策。     

Pesticides in rain

40 rainwater samples were collected in Hannover and near Peine (Lower Saxony, Germany) in 1992 using a wet-only collector. The samples were extracted by solid phase extraction and analyzed by GC/MS for 59 pesticides. 11 pesticides were found in more than 10 samples. The highest concentrations were observed for terbuthylazine (0.003 – 0.52 μg/L ), metolachlor (0.003 – 0.51 pg/L, mean: 0.10 μg/L), metalaxyl (0.006 – 0.48 μg/L, mean: 0.10 pg/L) and chlorothalonil (0.003 – 1.1 μg/L, mean: 0.16 μg/L). The concentrations show a seasonal dependence reflecting the application periods.     

Pesticides exposure in Pakistan: a review

This is the first systematic review of studies done since 1960, and to give an integrated picture of pesticides exposure to humans, animals, plants, waters, soils/sediments, atmosphere etc. in Pakistan. Authors have extracted data from different departments, published literature in research journals and National reports. Although the wide-spread usage of pesticides in Pakistan has controlled the pests, but like other countries, it has started causing environmental problems in the area. In some areas of Punjab and Sindh groundwater has been found contaminated and is constantly being under the process of contamination due to pesticide use. There is considerable evidence that farmers have overused and misused pesticides especially in cotton-growing areas. It is evident from the biological monitoring studies that farmers are at higher risk for acute and chronic health effects associated with pesticides due to occupational exposure. Furthermore, the intensive use of pesticides (higher sprays more than the recommended dose) in cotton areas involves a special risk for the field workers, pickers, and of an unacceptable residue concentration in cottonseed oil and cakes. The authors have also discussed the merits and demerits of different studies. The review will set the future course of action of different studies on pesticide exposure in Pakistan. Data limitations are still the major obstacle towards establishing clear environmental trends in Pakistan. The authors suggest that a reliable monitoring, assessment and reporting procedures shall be implemented in accordance with appropriate environmental policies, laws and regulations in order to minimize the pesticides exposure.     

A laboratory study of the persistence of carbofuran and its 3‐hydroxy‐ and 3 keto‐metabolites in sterile and natural mineral and organic soils

Abstract

In a laboratory study, the persistence of carbofuran and its 3‐hydroxy‐ and 3‐keto‐metabolites was examined separately over 16 wk in sterile and natural organic (muck) and mineral (loam) soils. Carbofuran was relatively persistent in sterile soils; at 8 wk 77% remained in the sterile muck and about 50% remained in the sterile loam. In the natural muck 25% of initial carbofuran remained at 8 wk whereas in the natural loam carbofuran had completely disappeared by that time. The 3‐ketocarbofuran was very short‐lived even in the sterile muck where only 50% remained at 1 wk. The 3‐hydroxycarbofuran degraded appreciably on zero day in the natural soils (with conversion to 3‐ketocarbofuran) and about 90% had disappeared in 1 wk. A more detailed study of the persistence of 3‐hydroxycarbofuran in the natural soils showed complete disappearance in 2 days in loam and in 3 days in muck. The 3‐ketocarbofuran produced from the 3‐hydroxy‐carbofuran reached a maximum concentration in 1 day and then disappeared within 4 days in loam and about 1 wk in muck.     

Preservation of organophosphorous pesticides in water samples

Abstract

Four techniques were studied for capacity to preserve sixteen organophosphorous pesticides in distilled water and in creek water. A technique using chloroform effectively preserved all sixteen pesticides for the three weeks of the study and refrigeration was effective for fourteen of the pesticides, but buffers of pH A and pH 7 appeared undependable as preservatives.     

Validation and application of an analytical method for determining pesticides in the gas phase of ambient air

A method for determining atmospheric concentrations of eight pesticides applied to corn and soybean crops in Mato Grosso state, Brazil is presented. The method involved a XAD-2 resin cartridge coupled to a low volume air pump at 2 L min^?1 over 8 hours. Pesticides were recovered from the resin using sonication with n-hexane:ethyl acetate and determined by GC-MS. Good accuracy (76–128%) and precision (CV < 20%) were obtained for atrazine, chlorpyrifos, alpha- and beta-endosulfan, endosulfan sulfate, flutriafol, malathion, metolachlor and permethrin. Method detection ranged from 9.0 to 17.9 ng m^?3. This method was applied to 61 gas phase samples collected between December 2008 and June 2009. Atrazine and endosulfan were detected both in urban and rural areas indicating the importance of atmospheric dispersion of pesticides in tropical areas. The simple and efficient extraction method and sampling system employed was considered suitable for identifying pesticides in areas of intense agricultural production.