Persistence of C-labeled atrazine and its residues in a field lysimeter soil after 22 years

Twenty-two years after the last application of ring-¹⁴C-labeled atrazine at customary rate (1.7 kg ha⁻¹) on an agriculturally used outdoor lysimeter, atrazine is still detectable by means of accelerated solvent extraction and LC-MS/MS analysis. Extractions of the 0-10 cm soil layer yielded 60% of the residual ¹⁴C-activity. The extracts contained atrazine (1.0 μg kg⁻¹) and 2-hydroxy-atrazine (42.5 μg kg⁻¹). Extractions of the material of the lowest layer 55-60 cm consisting of fine gravel yielded 93% of residual ¹⁴C-activity, of which 3.4 μg kg⁻¹ was detected as atrazine and 17.7 μg kg⁻¹ was 2-hydroxy-atrazine. The detection of atrazine in the lowest layer was of almost four times higher mass than in the upper soil layer. These findings highlight the fact that atrazine is unexpectedly persistent in soil. The overall persistence of atrazine in the environment might represent a potential risk for successive groundwater contamination by leaching even after 22 years of environmental exposure.     

Ageing processes and soil microbial community effects on the biodegradation of soil C-2,4-D nonextractable residues

The biodegradation of nonextractable residues (NER) of pesticides in soil is still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of NER ageing and fresh soil addition on the microbial communities responsible for their mineralisation. Soil containing either 15 or 90-day-old NER of ¹³C-2,4-D (NER15 and NER90, respectively) was incubated for 90 days with or without fresh soil. The addition of fresh soil had no effect on the mineralisation of NER90 or of SOM, but increased the extent and rate of NER15 mineralisation. The analyses of ¹³C-enriched FAME (fatty acids methyl esters) profiles showed that the fresh soil amendment only influenced the amount and structure of microbial populations responsible for the biodegradation of NER15. By coupling biological and chemical analyses, we gained some insight into the nature and the biodegradability of pesticide NER.     

Pesticide pollution in agricultural areas of Northern Vietnam: case study in Hoang Liet and Minh Dai communes

Soils and agricultural products from the Red River basin in Northern Vietnam were reported to be contaminated by agrichemicals. To assess potential exposure of local farmers and consumers to these contaminants, pesticide use and management practices of local farmers were surveyed and residue concentrations were determined for recently used as well as for banned pesticides in water, soil, vegetables, and fish samples in two communes of Northern Vietnam. DDTs, HCHs, and Drin compounds still persist at relatively high concentrations in soil and occur in vegetable and fish samples. Recently used pesticides, such as fenobucarb, trichlorfon, cyfluthrin, and cypermethrin were detected in vegetable and fish samples. Thresholds for acceptable daily intake levels (ADI) were frequently reached in the analyzed food products pointing to the fact that current pesticide management practices do not only result in a pollution of the environment but also pose threats to human health.     

Influence of surfactant sorption on the removal of phenanthrene from contaminated soils

Laboratory column flushing experiments were conducted to remove phenanthrene from contaminated soils by Triton X-100 (TX100) with an aim to investigating the effect of surfactant sorption on the performance of surfactant-enhanced remediation process. The effluent concentration of phenanthrene from soil columns showed strong dependence on the sorption breakthrough curves of TX100. The removal of phenanthrene from contaminated soils was enhanced only when the sorption breakthrough of TX100 occurred and the influent concentration of TX100 was greater than the critical enhanced flushing concentration (CEFC). The sorption of surfactant onto soils and the subsequent partitioning of contaminants into soil-sorbed surfactant had a significant effect on the solute equilibrium distribution coefficient (KD) and thus the flushing efficiency for phenanthrene. A model was developed to predict KD and CEFC values for simulating the performance of surfactant-enhanced flushing for contaminated soils. These results are of practical interest in developing effective and safe surfactant-enhanced remediation technologies.     

Can domestic production of iLUC-free feedstock from arable land supply Sweden’s future demand for biofuels?

The increasing biofuel production from agricultural crops has been suggested to cause indirect land use change (iLUC). This increases interest in biofuel feedstocks that qualify as iLUC-free: (1) residues without a market, (2) crops from previously unused arable land, (3) additional crops and (4) biomass from intensified production. In the present study, biofuel potential from such feedstocks was quantified for Sweden and compared against the predicted biofuel demand from agricultural resources in 2030. The results indicate that straw (category 1) could cover up to 37% of future biofuel demand. Grass leys from intensified production (category 4), set-aside and abandoned land (category 2) and excess grass silage (category 1) could cover up to 79%. Intermediate and ecological focus area crops (category 3) could contribute up to 21%. To realize the biofuel targets, a high implementation rate of additional iLUC-free feedstock is needed. Future studies need to investigate impacts of low-iLUC policies.     

南充农村土壤中有机氯农药残留现状分析

本研究以四川省南充市某农村土壤为研究对象,于2010年和2011年连续两年对土壤中有机氯农药(HCH,DDT)残留情况进行了定点监测。研究结果表明,试区土壤HCHs在2011年基本未检出。两年的DDTs的检出率均为100%。OCPs主要残留物为p,p’-DDE,占残留总量75%以上。不同利用类型土壤中有机氯残留总量排序为:菜地>重点污染场地>基本农田>居民聚集区。所有土壤样品中的HCHs含量均达到国家《土壤环境质量标准》(GB15618-1995)一级标准(<0.05mg/kg),DDTs含量均达到二级标准(<0.50mg/kg)。残留污染较轻。     

三七渣固态发酵生产绿色木霉的工艺条件研究

考察了发酵时间、孢子液接种量、固态发酵培养基装料量、培养温度、光照条件等对三七渣固态发酵生产绿色木霉的影响,并采用正交实验优化了发酵工艺条件。结果表明,发酵过程受工艺条件的影响较大,孢子液接种量、固态发酵培养基装料量、发酵时间3个因素的交互作用极显著(p0.01),这3个因素以及它们之间的交互作用对实验结果的影响程度排序为:交互作用固态发酵培养基装料量孢子液接种量发酵时间;在最佳的发酵工艺条件(即培养温度24℃、无光照、接种量20%(1g三七渣接种2mL绿色木霉孢子液)、固态发酵培养基装料量12.5g、发酵时间8d)下,平均产孢量可达10.10×109 cfu/g。     

全氟辛烷磺酸盐(PFOS)在藻渣/小球藻上的吸附行为及机理

为了开发新型廉价生物吸附剂,以高效吸附去除水体中全氟辛烷磺酸盐(PFOS),对小球藻提取生物柴油后的藻渣吸附酸性水体中的PFOS进行了吸附行为及机理的研究。小球藻提取生物质柴油后,比表面积、孔容、孔径几乎没有变化;等电点由3.3降低至2.7;蛋白质含量由51.45%提高到57.35%。在酸性条件下(pH≤3),小球藻和藻渣对PFOS的吸附率均达到99%以上;随着pH值增加至7,二者的吸附去除率迅速降低,但仍保持在22%~26%。小球藻和藻渣对PFOS的最大吸附容量分别为353.69 mg/g和444.83 mg/g。Freundlich模型能较好地拟合二者对PFOS的吸附数据,表明为多层吸附,即小球藻以静电吸引的形式吸附PFOS阴离子,并疏水分配至所含蛋白质中;而藻渣中含量较高的蛋白质对PFOS的疏水性分配作用是导致藻渣吸附量增高的主要原因。     

Pesticide residues in Italian Ready-Meals and dietary intake estimation

The investigations carried out during 2005 by state-run Italian laboratories within the framework of controls seeking pesticide residues monitoring in foodstuffs involve quantifying the levels of such residues in fruit and vegetable produce and their processed products: oil, wine and fruit juices. The Italian Ready-Meal Residue Project, promoted by the pesticides working group of Italian Environmental Agencies, seeks to asses the quantity of pesticides in pre-prepared (ready-to-eat) lunches (comprising a first course, side dish, fruit, bread and wine), and to quantify the amounts consumed and compare with the acceptable daily intake ADIs.The data provided by 16 laboratories which analyzed 50 complete meals in 2005 (samples taken on 8 February, 26 May, 24 October, 21 December 2005) showed residues in 39 lunches, with an average number of 2.4 pesticides in each meal and a maximum of 10 pesticides. The most frequently found substances were: pirimiphos-methyl (20 times), procymidone (17), pyrimethanil (7), iprodione (7), cyprodinil (7), fenitrothion (6), diphenylamine (6), chlorpyrifos (6), metalaxyl (5) and chlorpyrifos-methyl (5).The distribution of residues among each dish of the meal was also examined, and the results showed that: 77.3% of the residues were present in the fruit, 14.9% in the wine, 3.0% in the main course, 2.8% in the bread and 2.1% in the side dish. Assuming that two meals are consumed per day, the daily intake of pesticide residues was calculated on a daily basis, in relation to normal body weight (60 kg for an adult, 40 kg for a teenager, 20 kg for a child) and compared with the ADI values established by the European Union. In the case of adults, the average daily intake of pesticides in relation to ADI was 2.6% with a maximum of 73.3%; for teenagers it was 4.9% with a maximum of 109% and for children it was 9.8% with a peak of 219%.     

Fate of 14C-ethyl prothiofos insecticide in canola seeds and oils

Canola plants were treated with ¹⁴C- prohiofos under conditions simulating local agricultural practices. ¹⁴C-residues in seeds were determined at different time intervals. At harvest time about 32 % of ¹⁴C-activity was associated with oil. The methanol soluble ¹⁴C-residues accounted for 12 % of the total seed residues after further seeds extraction, while the cake contained about 49 % of the total residues. About 69 % of the ¹⁴C-activity in the crude oil could be eliminated by simulated commercial processes locally used for oil refining. Chromatographic analysis of crude and refined oil revealed the presence of the parent compound together with three metabolites which were identified as prothiofos oxon, O-ethyl phosphorothioate and O-ethyl S-propyl phosphorothioate, besides one unknown compound. While methanol extract revealed the presence of despropylthio prothiofos and O-ethyl phosphoric acid as free metabolites acid hydrolysis of the conjugated metabolites in the methanol extract yielded 2, 4-dichlorophenole which was detected by color. When rats were fed the extracted cake for 72 hours, the bound residues were found to be bioavailable. The main excretion route was via the expired air (42 %), while the ¹⁴C-residues excreted in urine and feces were 30 % and 11 %, respectively. The radioactivity detected among various organs accounted to 7.5 %.Chromatographic analysis of urine indicated the presence of prothiofos oxon, O-ethyl phosphoric acid and 2, 4-dichlorophenole as main degradation products of prothiofos in free and conjugated form.