Effects of soil attributes and straw accumulation on the sorption of hexazinone and tebuthiuron in tropical soils cultivated with sugarcane

Brazil is the largest sugarcane producer in the world in which hexazinone (3-cyclohexyl-6-dimethylamino-1-methyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-dione) and tebuthiuron (1-(5-tert-butyl-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)-1,3-dimethylurea) are heavily used. Sugarcane harvesting is changing from the manual system with previous straw burning to the mechanized system without straw burning. The lack of burning results in soil organic carbon accumulation mainly in clayey soils, which should affect herbicides availability and fate. Therefore, we evaluated sorption of these herbicides in soil samples with and without straw burning. Both herbicides presented low apparent sorption coefficients (mean K_d,app= 0.6 and 2.4 L kg^?1 for hexazinone and tebuthiuron, respectively), suggesting that they may leach to groundwater. Moreover, their sorption correlated primarily with soil organic carbon (SOC), but iron oxide contents extracted with ammonium oxalate (Fe₂O₃^AOX) also affected it (K_d,app = ?0.228 + 0.0397 SOC + 0.117 Fe₂O₃^AOX for hexazinone and K_d,app = ?1.407 + 0.201 SOC + 0.348 Fe₂O₃^AOX for tebuthiuron). Soil organic carbon accumulation due to straw maintenance in the field positively affected sorption of both herbicides, but its effects were not enough to classify them as “non-leachers.”     

THE EFFECTS OF SELECTED HERBICIDES ON BACTERIAL POPULATIONS IN AN AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT1

ABSTRACT: Heterotrophic, mesophilic bacteria derived from, and maintained in, a freshwater environment were subjected to three classes of herbicides. Diuron, 2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and paraquat, used as water soluble solutions, were added (0.7 and 1.4 mgA) to a laboratory culture of bacteria. Total numbers of the bacteria, representing several genera, were monitored for alteration of numbers and types. Temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen were monitored and the culture medium was tested for residual herbicide. Alterations observed in populations were considered to result from herbicide additions. Each herbicide tested was found to affect bacterial populations differently. Reasons for observed differences are discussed. In this aquatic environment the herbicides remained qualitatively measurable for periods up to three weeks.     

GLYPHOSATE, OTHER HERBICIDES, AND TRANSFORMATION PRODUCTS IN MIDWESTERN STREAMS, 20021

ABSTRACT: The use of glyphosate has increased rapidly, and there is limited understanding of its environmental fate. The objective of this study was to document the occurrence of glyphosate and the transformation product aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) in Midwestern streams and to compare their occurrence with that of more commonly measured herbicides such as acetochlor, atrazine, and metolachlor. Water samples were collected at sites on 51 streams in nine Midwestern states in 2002 during three runoff events: after the application of pre-emergence herbicides, after the application of post-emergence herbicides, and during harvest season. All samples were analyzed for glyphosate and 20 other herbicides using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry or high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. The frequency of glyphosate and AMPA detection, range of concentrations in runoff samples, and ratios of AMPA to glyphosate concentrations did not vary throughout the growing season as substantially as for other herbicides like atrazine, probably because of different seasonal use patterns. Glyphosate was detected at or above 0.1 μg/1 in 35 percent of pre-emergence, 40 percent of post-emergence, and 31 percent of harvest season samples, with a maximum concentration of 8.7 μg/1. AMPA was detected at or above 0.1 μg/1 in 53 percent of pre-emergence, 83 percent of post-emergence, and 73 percent of harvest season samples, with a maximum concentration of 3.6 μg/1. Glyphosate was not detected at a concentration at or above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's maximum contamination level (MCL) of 700 μg/1 in any sample. Atrazine was detected at or above 0.1 μg/1 in 94 percent of pre-emergence, 96 percent of post-emergence, and 57 percent of harvest season samples, with a maximum concentration of 55 μg/1. Atrazine was detected at or above its MCL (3 μg/1) in 57 percent of pre-emergence and 33 percent of post-emergence samples.     

EFFICACY AND COST OF AQUATIC WEED CONTROL IN SMALL PONDS'

ABSTRACT: Twenty, 0.2 hectare ponds were utilized for a four-year evaluation of three aquatic vegetation control techniques: a combination of inorganic fertilization and mechanical harvesting, aquatic herbicides, and grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). Ponds used for herbicide and grass carp treatments were managed at three levels of aquatic vegetation (none, 40 and 70 percent plant occupation). Submersed vegetation was not controlled with inorganic fertilization. Vegetation levels were maintained for less than 30 days after mechanicai harvesting. Submersed macrophytes were not completely eliminated with herbicides, but the herbicide treatments utilized were effective at maintaining aquatic vegetation above 30 percent pond volume occupation. Grass carp consumed all species of submersed vegetation at the stocking densities used in this study; therefore, planned levels of submersed macrophytes were not maintained. Grass carp did not consume all floating leaf vegetation, but after four years some grass carp ponds did have lower densities of floating leaf plants. Fertilization costs were $608/hectare/year, and mechanical harvesting costs were $1979/hectare/year, resulting in a total aquatic vegetation treatment cost of $2587/hectare/ year. Herbicide costs for the different treatment levels ranged from $417/hectare/year to $1339/hectare/year over the four-year period. Grass carp were the most economical vegetation control measure tested, with costs ranging from $159/hectare/year to $248/hectare/year for the four-year study.     

Change in the antimicrobial resistance profile of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from soil after exposure to herbicides

The extensive use of pesticides represents a risk to human health and to the environment. This study aimed to investigate if the exposure to atrazine and diuron, two herbicides widely used in Brazil, could induce changes in the susceptibility profile to aztreonam, colistin and polymyxin B antimicrobials in isolates of P. aeruginosa obtained from soil samples by using the determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test. Three isolates had an increase of MIC to aztreonam after exposure to both herbicides and one isolate did not show any MIC change. The MexAB-OprM efflux pump has already been upregulated in these isolates and the herbicides atrazine and diuron did not increase MexAB-OprM overexpression. Therefore, the decrease in aztreonam susceptibility was not directly related to this pump, suggesting that probably other mechanisms should be involved.     

36种典型除草剂对绿藻的毒性研究

近年来,农药对生态系统的初级生产者——藻类的毒性及其生态毒理学研究引起了国内外学者的广泛关注。除草剂在生产中广泛应用,对藻类的毒性作用最强,其毒性效应远高于杀虫剂和杀菌剂。论文选择市场上具有典型代表性的36种除草剂原药,分析解读除草剂在国内的登记情况,以及在作物、旱田和水田的使用情况;明晰对藻类生长抑制急性毒性效应。结果表明:1)除草剂的作用方式和化学类别对绿藻毒性影响显著;对于抑制植物细胞分裂和作用于植物叶绿体的除草剂对绿藻毒性均较高,以人工合成植物生长素为代表的除草剂对绿藻毒性均较低;2)相同作用方式,不同化学类别的除草剂,对单一绿藻的毒性差异明显。在水稻上获得登记的除草剂对藻类毒性整体低于在旱田获得登记的除草剂对藻类的毒性。开展多种农药对水生生态毒性的研究,为农药的合理安全使用、农药在淡水环境中的生态效应评价以及保护淡水生态系统提供科学依据。     

3种酰胺类除草剂对斑马鱼不同生长阶段的急性毒性效应

为探明酰胺类除草剂对鱼类不同生长阶段的毒性效应,分别以斑马鱼胚胎、8日龄仔鱼、55日龄幼鱼和3月龄成鱼为受试对象,研究3种酰胺类除草剂乙草胺、丙草胺和丁草胺对斑马鱼(Danio rerio)不同生长阶段的毒性效应。研究发现,高浓度乙草胺、丙草胺和丁草胺均可抑制斑马鱼胚胎的孵化。乙草胺对斑马鱼胚胎、仔鱼、幼鱼和成鱼的96 h-LC50值分别为5.82、1.34、3.00、1.44 mg·L-1,毒性从高到低顺序依次为:仔鱼成鱼幼鱼胚胎。丙草胺对斑马鱼胚胎、仔鱼、幼鱼和成鱼的96 hLC50值分别为2.79、2.02、2.26、2.01 mg·L-1,毒性从高到低顺序依次为:仔鱼、成鱼幼鱼胚胎。丁草胺对斑马鱼胚胎、仔鱼、幼鱼和成鱼的96 h-LC50值分别为1.73、0.919、3.37、1.19 mg·L-1,毒性从高到低顺序依次为:仔鱼成鱼胚胎幼鱼。研究结果表明,酰胺类除草剂对斑马鱼4个典型生长阶段的毒性差异较大,仔鱼阶段对酰胺类除草剂最敏感,成鱼其次。     

Trends in Pesticide Use and Efficacy During 26 Years of Changing Agriculture in Southern England

We report on trends in agricultural pesticide use from1970 to 1995 inclusive in arable crops on the SouthDowns, West Sussex, U.K. Information is given on theproportion of cropped area treated with pesticides,the percentage spray area, the number of pesticideapplications per field, and the number of compoundsapplied per field for herbicides, foliar fungicidesand insecticides. Compared to national publishedfigures, our data are broadly representative of thenational picture; they provide a complete and detailedtime series whereas national figures are available foronly 7 out of the 26 yr. In general, the areatreated (fungicides, insecticides) and the intensityof use (all three types of pesticide) increased overthe 26 yr. The spectrum of activity of theherbicides applied to arable crops increased from anaverage of 22 weed taxa susceptible in 1970 to 38 weedtaxa susceptible in 1995. The odds on herbicide andfungicide use in break crops were, respectively, 93%and 99% lower than average; odds on insecticide usein spring cereals were 98% lower than average. Comparing winter wheat on the most traditional farm(grass/cereal rotation) with the most modern one(monoculture winter wheat), the proportion of fieldstreated with herbicides was similar, but the odds onbeing treated with fungicides were 129% higher on themodern farm. Insecticides were used in only 2% ofthe fields on the traditional farm, while on themodern farm over the same time period, 79% of thefields were treated. This fits previously observeddifferences in wildlife abundance on the two farms.     

乙草胺和丁草胺的水解及其动力学

本文研究了乙草胺和丁草肢在恒温２５℃,ｐＨ值为４,７,１０蒸馏水和河水中的水解动力学．酰胺类除草剂的水解反应属于一级反应．结果显示乙草胺和丁草胺在蒸馏水和河水中的水解速度差不多,在ｐＨ ４水溶液中的水解速度较在ｐＨ７和１０的速度快,Ｈ＋有催化水解的作用．乙草胺在ｐＨ４,７,１０的速率常数分别为５×ｌ０－４ｄ－１,３×１０－４ｄ－１,３×１０－４ｄ－１．半衰期分别为１３８６ｄ,２３ｌ０ｄ,２３１０ｄ．丁草胺在ｐＨ４,７,１０的速率常数分别为 ｌ．１× １０－３ｄ－１,６ × １０－４ｄ－１,６ × １０－４ｄ－１．半衰期分别为 ６３０ｄ,１１５５ｄ,１１５５ｄ．     

Colloid facilitated transport of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) to the groundwater at Ma Da Area, Vietnam

PCDD/Fs are hydrophobic organic substances and strongly sorbing to soil particles. Once adsorbed to soil particles they are believed to be virtually immobile. However, research in the last decades confirmed that strong sorbing contaminants may reach the groundwater via colloid-facilitated transport. This pathway has not been investigated before in Vietnam. Ma Da area, 100 km north of Ho Chi Minh City, was repeatedly sprayed during the Vietnam War (1962–1971) with herbicides like Agent Orange containing, beside others, the teratogenic contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). 11 surface soil samples and 12 water samples were collected in Ma Da area for analysis of PCDD/Fs in solids. Soil TCDD concentrations ranged from 1–41 ppt with a mean of 8.8 ppt and a mean I-TEQ of 9.7 ppt. Two surface water samples showed colloid bound TCDD (7 and 19 ppt). Groundwater samples showed elevated colloid bound PCDD concentrations (mean 770 ng/kg), mainly octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. Groundwater colloids separated by filtration did not show any TCDD. The results support that TCDD/Fs can be relocated from the top soil to the groundwater by colloidal pathway. They did not provide evidence that the dioxins bound to groundwater colloids are leftovers from the Second Indochinese War. However, this study reinforces that the colloidal transport pathway has to be included investigating the relocation of strong sorbing organic contaminants.