Investigation on the influence of methanol on adsorption and leaching of pesticides with soil column liquid chromatography

The effect of methanol of low concentration on adsorption and leaching of atrazine and tebuconazole was studied in this paper. The adsorption coefficients and the retardation factors (R^m) of pesticides on EUROSOIL 3# log-linearly decreased as volumetric fraction of methanol (f^c) was increased in the binary solvent mixtures of methanol and water. These data are consistent with solvophobic theory formerly outlined for describing the adsorption and transport of hydrophobic organic chemicals from mixed solvents. Nevertheless, the adsorption of these pesticides in soil–water system slightly increased when the soil was pre-washed with methanol in comparison with that pre-washed with water (pure water system). Furthermore, their adsorption coefficients were still higher in binary solvent systems with methanol of very low concentrations, i.e. f^c<0.03 for atrazine and f^c<0.01 for tebuconazole, than those in pure water system. The adsorption coefficients (logK^w) of atrazine and tebuconazole predicted by solvophobic theory were 0.5792 and 1.6525, respectively, and their experimental logK^w were 0.3701 and 1.6275 in pure water system. Obviously, the predicted logK^w of the two pesticides was higher than the experimental log K^w in pure water system. The predicted K^w and the retardation factor (R^w) in pure water system by solvophobic theory are thus possibly inaccurate.     

Changes in functional structure of soil bacterial communities due to fungicide and insecticide applications in canola

The fungicide vinclozolin and insecticide λ-cyhalothrin are widely used to control canola (Brassica spp.) diseases and insect pests, respectively, in Canada. We investigated non-target effects of these pesticides, applied at recommended rates, on soil microbial biomass, functional bacterial diversity and functional community structure of soil bacteria (by evaluating patterns of C substrate utilization) in canola rhizosphere and bulk soil at three locations in Alberta from 2002 to 2004. Experimental treatments were (a) untreated control, (b) vinclozolin fungicide foliar application, (c) λ-cyhalothrin insecticide foliar application, and (d) vinclozolin and λ-cyhalothrin applications. No significant pesticide effects on soil microbial biomass or functional bacterial diversity were observed, but the functional structures of soil bacteria were altered. In 1 of 12 cases, the control treatment had a different soil bacterial community structure from the 3 pesticide treatments. The fungicide treatment had different bacterial community structures from the control or insecticide treatments in 3 of 12 cases, the insecticide treatment had different community structures from the control or fungicide treatments in 4 of 12 cases, and the combined fungicide and insecticide treatment had different community structures from the other treatments in 3 of 12 cases. Therefore, evaluating soil bacterial functional structures revealed pesticide effects that were not detected when bacterial diversity or microbial biomass were measured in canola rhizosphere or bulk soil.     

Ways of reducing pesticides use in Bordeaux vineyards

French and European incentives, such as Plan Ecophyto 2018, European directive for a sustainable use of pesticides, reinforce the requirement for vine-growers to engage in more environmentally friendly farming practices. In this respect, this paper presenting the results of a large questionnaire survey conducted in Bordeaux area vineyards and focusing on the behaviour of their vine-growers towards environmental innovations is particularly adequate. Founding that the most important environmental issue in vineyards relates to the use of pesticides, the paper characterizes the main economic and cognitive factors determining vine-growers' environmental innovations. It allows determining possible policies milestones, efficient and feasible, towards a more environmentally friendly vineyard. The paper first outlines the analytical framework, then highlights the main results and, finally, goes through further discussion and policy implications.     

German drinking water regulations,pesticides, and axiom of concern

The limit value of 0.1 μg/liter for “substances used in plant treatment and pest control including their main toxic degradation products” (PBSM) established in the German Drinking Water Regulations (Trinkwasserverordnung) serves comprehensively to protect drinking water from unexpected toxicological risks and thus corresponds to theaxiom of concern (Besorgnisgrundsatz) contained in §11,2 of the Federal Communicable Disease Control Act (Bundesseuchengesetz), which is an essential cornerstone of the Drinking Water Regulations. Furthermore, precautionary values that are specific to the particular substance and near the valid limit can be found for about 10% of all registered active substances. The goal of the PBSM Recommendations of the Federal Health Office (BGA) issued in July 1989 is to preserve and restore groundwater and drinking water through measures to be taken by the causal party, while reducing consumer health risks to the greatest extent possible. The EC commission's drawbacks on these recommendations and the imminent EC-wide directive for the uniform registration of pesticides being based solely on Article 43 of the European Treaty would seriously endanger this goal. Therefore, a situation threatens in Europe similar to that in the United States, where at least 18 active ingredients have been detected in groundwater in concentrations of up to 1000 times the toxicologically established limits for drinking water. This article appeared first in the German journal?ffentliches Gesundheitswesen 52(8–9); 372–379, 1990. We thank the editor (Georg Thieme Verlag, D-7000 Stuttgart) for the kind permission to publish this slightly revised English version inEnvironmental Management.     

Enhancing soil aggregation and acetamiprid adsorption by ecofriendly polysaccharides hydrogel based on Ca2+- amphiphilic sodium alginate

Soil aggregation plays an important role in agricultural production activities. However, the structure of soil aggregation is destroyed by the natural environment and unreasonable farming management, resulting in the loss of water, fertilizers and pesticides in soil. At present, hydrogels have been widely reported to promote the formation of soil aggregation. In this paper, amphiphilic calcium alginate (ASA/Ca²⁺) was applied to promote the formation of soil aggregation and enhance pesticide retention. Initially, an ASA was obtained through the one-pot Ugi condensation (a four-component green chemical reaction). Then, ASA/Ca²⁺ hydrogel is prepared by Ca²⁺ cross-linking. The formation of soil aggregation was determined through the Turbiscan Lab Expert stability analyzer, Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope (CLSM), and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). And the effect of soil aggregation on acetamiprid environmental behavior was investigated by adsorption kinetics, adsorption isotherms, and leaching. The results shown that the three-dimensional network structure of ASA/Ca²⁺ hydrogel can promote the formation of soil aggregation. Aggregate durability index (ADI) was 0.55 in the presence of ASA/Ca²⁺ hydrogel, indicating that amphiphilic hydrogel can enhance the stability of soil aggregation. The adsorbing capacity of acetamiprid was 1.58 times higher than pure soil, and the release of acetamiprid only about 20% in the presence of ASA/Ca²⁺ hydrogel. These results would be helpful for the formation of soil aggregation and pesticides adsorption on soil aggregation. Thus, ASA/Ca²⁺ hydrogel is likely to improve soil quality, simultaneously it can minimize the mobility of pesticides in the agricultural system.     

Pesticides poisoning cases recorded in Ngaoundere,Cameroon over a 27-month period

An examination of hospital records at Ngaoundere in Cameroon showed that there were 51 reported cases of pesticide poisoning in a 27-month period (January 2004 to April 2006) and of those, only two deaths were attributed to insecticides. One feature was that apart from a high proportion of unidentified poisons, rodenticide poisoning was reported more often than other pesticides. Many cases of poisoning might go unrecorded if an individual does not go to hospital.     

Environmental degradation of atrazine,linuron and fenitrothion in soil samples

The persistence of atrazine, linuron and fenitrothion in soil samples from an estuarine area (Ebro delta, Tarragona, Spain) has been studied. Soil samples from the top surface (10 cm) were collected during 1989–91, freeze‐dried, sieved through 200 μm, Soxhlet extracted with methanol, cleaned‐up with Florisil and analysed either by gas chromatography‐nitrogen phosphorus detection (GC‐NPD), in the case of atrazine and fenitrothion, or by liquid chromatography with diode array detection (LC‐DAD), for linuron. Confirmation of the samples analysed by GC‐NPD was carried out using GC‐mass spectrometric detection (MS) in the electron impact mode. The soil half lives obtained under the real environmental conditions have been calculated and the values obtained have been correlated with the physicochemical properties of each pesticide and the soil type. Degradation was affected by volatilization since temperatures in the area of study are relatively high, ca. 30°C, in the summer period. In the case of atrazine it has been shown that deethylatrazine is formed in all the samples studied..     

Removal of pesticides from water samples by adsorption with fatty acids supported on barium sulphate

Oleic or linoleic acid supported on barium sulphate was used to remove atrazine and terbuthylazine in the range of 0.1–2.0 μg/L using spiked water samples. The sorption of atrazine depends on the stirring time and the best value is 150 min. Terbuthylazine is removed well with a stirring time of 60 min and its adsorption is about 90%. Detection of the residual pesticide in treated waters, after solid phase extraction (SPE), was carried out by GC‐MS operating in selected ion monitoring (SIM) using a calibration curve by direct injection of standard solutions of herbicide.     

The impact of pesticides on oxidative stress level in human organism and their activity as an endocrine disruptor

Pesticides cause serious environmental and health problems both to humans and animals. The aim of this review is to discuss selected herbicides and fungicides regarding their mode of action and their influence on basic oxidative stress parameters and endocrine disruption properties tested in selected cell cultures in vitro. Because of numerous difficulties which animal studies are subject to, cell cultures are an excellent experimental model reflecting human exposure to different pesticides through all relevant routes. This experimental model can be used to monitor aggregate and cumulative pesticide exposures.     

Comprehensive estimate of the theoretical maximum daily intake of pesticide residues for chronic dietary risk assessment in Argentina

A chronic dietary risk assessment for pesticide residues was conducted for four age groups of the Argentinian population following the procedure recommended by the WHO. The National Theoretical Maximum Daily Intake (NTMDI) for 308 pesticides was calculated for the first time, using the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) from several Argentinean regulations and food consumption data from a comprehensive National Nutrition and Health Survey. The risk was estimated by comparing the TMDI with the Acceptable Daily Intakes (ADI) identified by various sources. Furthermore, for each of the compounds with a TMDI >65% of the ADI, a probabilistic analysis was conducted to quantify the probability of exceeding the ADI. In this study 27, 22, 10, and 6 active ingredients (a.i.) were estimated to exceed the 100% of the ADI for the different population groups: 6–23 month-old children, 2–5 year-old children, pregnant women, and 10–49 year-old women, respectively. Some of these ADI-exceeding compounds (carbofuran, diazinon, dichlorvos, dimethoate, oxydemeton-methyl and methyl bromide) were found in all four of these groups. Milk, apples, potatoes, and tomatoes were the foods that contributed most to the intake of these pesticides. The study is of primary importance for the improvement of risk assessment, regulations, and monitoring activities.