-
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Dec 2021We analyzed the reproductive success of eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) nesting in apple orchards and non-orchard nest-boxes in southern Ontario, Canada, from 1988 to...
We analyzed the reproductive success of eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) nesting in apple orchards and non-orchard nest-boxes in southern Ontario, Canada, from 1988 to 2018. Using data from 2397 nest-boxes monitored at 20 orchard sites and 52 non-orchard sites, we first modeled phenological parameters typically linked to climate change across both site types. We found that the first egg of each brood was laid significantly earlier in the season each year over our 31-year study. Clutch initiation occurred 4 days earlier in the spring in 2018 compared to 1988. Average clutch size in the first or second brood did not change significantly during our 31-year study; however, clutches were significantly smaller in orchards compared to non-orchards (0.10 ± 0.03 fewer eggs between sites). Nests built in orchards were also at 6.1-fold greater risk of parasitism and 2.1-fold greater risk of depredation than nests in non-orchards. After accounting for depredation and nest parasitism, hatching success was still significantly lower in orchards than in non-orchards. Overall, hatching success was 4%-5% lower in orchards. The probability of successfully fledging did not differ significantly between site types. In 2012, a ban on use of the organophosphate insecticide azinphos-methyl in orchards was enacted in Canada. We did not find a difference in hatching or fledging success in orchards after the ban. In our assessment of available data, we conclude that any pesticide effect on hatching success of eastern bluebirds in sprayed orchards is most likely the consequence of long-term exposure to dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) compounds in orchard soils and bioaccumulation in eggs rather than pesticides in use since regulation of DDT in the 1970s. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:3369-3378. © 2021 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC. Reproduced with the permission of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Topics: Animals; Ecosystem; Female; Malus; Ontario; Pesticides; Songbirds
PubMed: 34551148
DOI: 10.1002/etc.5218 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Jun 2015The organophosphates pesticide (OPP) pollution in the Sarno River and its environmental impact on the Gulf of Naples (Tyrrhenian Sea, Central Mediterranean Sea) were...
The organophosphates pesticide (OPP) pollution in the Sarno River and its environmental impact on the Gulf of Naples (Tyrrhenian Sea, Central Mediterranean Sea) were estimated. Nine selected OPPs (diazinon, dimethoate, malathion, chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos, fenitrothion, methidathion, tolclofos-methyl, azinphos-methyl) were determined in the water dissolved phase (DP), suspended particulate matter (SPM) and sediment samples. Total OPP concentrations ranged from 5.58 to 39.25 ng L(-1) in water (as the sum of the DP and SPM) and from 0.19 to 3.98 ng g(-1) in sediment samples. Contaminant discharges of OPPs into the sea were calculated in about 48,064.08 g year(-1), showing that this river should account as one of the main contribution sources of OPPs to the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Topics: Environmental Monitoring; Estuaries; Geologic Sediments; Insecticides; Italy; Mediterranean Sea; Organophosphorus Compounds; Rivers; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 25561261
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-014-4016-z -
Journal of Chromatography. B,... Nov 2014The aim of this study was to develop an analytical method for the quantification of organochlorine (OC), organophosphate (OP), carbamate, and pyrethroid insecticide...
The aim of this study was to develop an analytical method for the quantification of organochlorine (OC), organophosphate (OP), carbamate, and pyrethroid insecticide residues in cow milk, human milk, and baby formula. A total of 25 compounds were included in this method. Sample extraction procedures combined liquid-liquid extraction, freezing-lipid filtration, dispersive primary-secondary amine cleanup, and solid-phase extraction together for effective extraction and elimination of matrix interferences. Target compounds were analyzed using gas chromatography with electron impact ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-EI-MS/MS) in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Average extraction recoveries obtained from cow milk samples fortified at two different concentrations (10 ng/mL and 25 ng/mL), ranged from 34% to 102%, with recoveries for the majority of target compounds falling between 60% and 80%. Similar ranges were found for formula fortified at 25 ng/mL. The estimated limits of detection for most target analytes were in the low pg/mL level (range 3-1600 pg/mL). The accuracies and precisions were within the range of 80-120% and less than 15%, respectively. This method was tested for its viability by analyzing 10 human milk samples collected from anonymous donors, 10 cow milk samples and 10 baby formula samples purchased from local grocery stores in the United States. Hexachlorobenzene, p,p-dicofol, o,p-DDE, p,p-DDE, and chlorpyrifos were found in all samples analyzed. We found detectable levels of permethrin, cyfluthrin, and fenvalerate in some of the cow milk samples but not in human milk or baby formula samples. Some of the pesticides, such as azinphos-methyl, heptachlor epoxide, and the pesticide synergist piperonyl butoxide, were detected in some of the cow milk and human milk samples but not in baby formula samples.
Topics: Animals; Cattle; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Humans; Infant; Infant Formula; Insecticides; Milk; Milk, Human; Pesticide Residues; Tandem Mass Spectrometry
PubMed: 25261753
DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2014.08.018 -
Aquatic Toxicology (Amsterdam,... Oct 2015Azinphos-methyl belongs to the class of organophosphate insecticides which are recognized for their anticholinesterase action. It is one of the most frequently used...
Recovery study of cholinesterases and neurotoxic signs in the non-target freshwater invertebrate Chilina gibbosa after an acute exposure to an environmental concentration of azinphos-methyl.
Azinphos-methyl belongs to the class of organophosphate insecticides which are recognized for their anticholinesterase action. It is one of the most frequently used insecticides in the Upper Valley of Río Negro and Río Neuquén in Argentina, where agriculture represents the second most important economic activity. It has been detected in water from this North Patagonian region throughout the year and the maximum concentration found was 22.48 μg L(-1) during the application period. Chilina gibbosa is a freshwater gastropod widely distributed in South America, particularly in Patagonia, Argentina and in Southern Chile. Toxicological studies performed with C. gibbosa in our laboratory have reported neurotoxicity signs and cholinesterase inhibition after exposure to azinphos-methyl for 48 h. Recovery studies together with characterization of the enzyme and sensitivity of the enzyme to pesticides can improve the toxicological evaluation. However, little is known about recovery patterns in organisms exposed to organophosphates. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the recovery capacity (during 21 days in pesticide-free water) of cholinesterase activity and neurotoxicity in C. gibbosa after 48 h of exposure to azinphos-methyl. Also, lethality and carboxylesterase activity were registered during the recovery period. Regarding enzyme activities, after a 48-h exposure to 20 μg L(-1) of azinphos-methyl, cholinesterases showed an inhibition of 85% with respect to control, while carboxylesterases were not affected. After 21 days in pesticide-free water, cholinesterases continued to be inhibited (70%). Severe neurotoxicity signs were observed after exposure: 82% of the snails presented lack of adherence to vessels, 11% showed weak adherence, and 96% exhibited an abnormal protrusion of the head-foot region from shell. After 21 days in pesticide-free water, only 15% of the snails presented severe signs of neurotoxicity. However, during the recovery period significant lethality (30%) was registered in treated snails. C. gibbosa is a very sensitive organism to azinphos-methyl. These snails play an important role in the structure and function of aquatic food webs in this region. Thus, a decline of this species' population would probably have an impact on aquatic and non-aquatic communities. Our results show that C. gibbosa is a relevant sentinel species for studying exposure and effects of azinphos-methyl using behavioral and biochemical biomarkers. Neurotoxic behavioral signs are very sensitive, non-destructive biomarkers, which can be easily detected for about one week after acute exposure. Cholinesterse activity is a very useful biomarker showing a high sensitivity and a slow recovery capacity increasing the possibility to indirectly detect organophosphates for long periods after a contaminant event.
Topics: Animals; Argentina; Azinphosmethyl; Biomarkers; Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases; Chile; Cholinesterase Inhibitors; Cholinesterases; Enzyme Activation; Fresh Water; Insecticides; Snails; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 26364254
DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2015.08.014 -
Environmental Toxicology Sep 2014We evaluated the acute toxicity and biochemical effects of the organophosphorus pesticide azinphos methyl (AM) in the amphipod Hyalella curvispina that inhabits ponds...
We evaluated the acute toxicity and biochemical effects of the organophosphorus pesticide azinphos methyl (AM) in the amphipod Hyalella curvispina that inhabits ponds and irrigation channels of an intensive fruit-producing region in Rio Negro and Neuquén valley, North Patagonia, Argentina. The analysis by nonlinear regression of data from the 96 h-acute toxicity tests indicated the coexistence of two subpopulations of H. curvispina with different susceptibilities to AM. The 96 h-LC₅₀ for the resistant subpopulation (166 ± 56 μg/L) was 216-fold higher than the 96h-LC₅₀ value for the susceptible one (0.77 ± 1.33 μg/L).The two subpopulations could not be distinguished based on the biochemical measurements in control amphipods. Cholinesterase activity was significantly inhibited in AM-exposed amphipods in a concentration-dependent manner. The IC₅₀ value obtained after 96 h of exposure (2.18 ± 1.95 μg/L) was significantly lower than the 48 h-IC₅₀ value (29.6 ± 17.4 μg/L). Carboxylesterase activity was significantly inhibited after 48 h of exposure to 12.5 and 62.5 μg/L AM (inhibition, 51%). This enzyme was thus able to protect cholinesterase from inhibition at 12.5 μg/L AM. Reduced glutathione and catalase showed a significant increase after 24 h of exposure as an adaptive response to AM, whereas glutathione S-transferase activity was not significantly modified. The analysis of species sensitivity distribution showed that both subpopulations of H. curvispina were more tolerant to AM than most amphipod species, and that the susceptible subpopulation was more sensitive to AM than the other local aquatic species analyzed. The maximum concentration of AM in drainage water within the fruit-producing area reported by other studies would affect most of the amphipod species (99%) and also a 44% of local aquatic ones. The results obtained in this study point out the usefulness of including amphipods like H. curvispina in ecotoxicity studies and monitoring programs to perform pesticide risk assessments.
Topics: Amphipoda; Animals; Azinphosmethyl; Carboxylesterase; Catalase; Cholinesterase Inhibitors; Environmental Monitoring; Glutathione; Glutathione Transferase; Insecticides; Toxicity Tests, Acute; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 23192959
DOI: 10.1002/tox.21834 -
Chemosphere Mar 2023One of the key tenets of sustainable agriculture and food safety is the removal of toxic pesticides from the environment. However, developing reliable, affordable, and...
One of the key tenets of sustainable agriculture and food safety is the removal of toxic pesticides from the environment. However, developing reliable, affordable, and efficient methods for detecting and degrading pesticides into non-toxic degradable products remains an immediate matter of concern. Herein, we attempt to develop a strategy for the detection as well as degradation of highly toxic phosphorodithioate pesticide, Azinphos methyl (AZM), using hybrid zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs). Considering the non-selectivity of bare ZnO and receptor R1, we have fabricated the heterocalixarene-based Calix (R1) over zinc oxide (ZnO) surface in situ via the sol-gel process. The synthesized heterocaliaxrene-modified ZnO (R1@ZnO) NPs show an excellent affinity for the selective and sensitive detection of AZM with a tremendously low limit of detection (68 mg L) and no interference from other pesticides. Degradation of AZM was fully supported by fluorescence spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), H NMR titrations, FTIR spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and mass spectroscopy, which unequivocally confirmed the formation of non-toxic products. According to our findings, R1@ZnO NPs are sustainable nanomaterials that can be employed for environmental remediation since they operate in an aqueous medium.
Topics: Zinc Oxide; Azinphosmethyl; Nanoparticles; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Pesticides
PubMed: 36638927
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137693 -
Aquatic Toxicology (Amsterdam,... Jun 2018Carbamate insecticides such as carbaryl and organophosphates such as azinphos-methyl share the ability to inhibit the activity of B-esterases. This study aimed to (1)...
Carbamate insecticides such as carbaryl and organophosphates such as azinphos-methyl share the ability to inhibit the activity of B-esterases. This study aimed to (1) assess the inhibitory effects of carbaryl on B-esterase activity in soft tissues and hemolymph of Planorbarius corneus; (2) establish whether binary mixtures of carbaryl and azinphos-methyl depart or not from a model of concentration addition on the inhibition of cholinesterase activity; (3) determine the bioconcentration and elimination of the pesticides. The results showed that exposure of gastropods to increasing concentrations of carbaryl (0.1-5 mg L) for 48 h inhibited cholinesterase activity in a concentration-dependent manner, with an EC of 1.4 ± 0.3 mg L and 1.2 ± 0.1 mg L for soft tissue and hemolymph, respectively. Carboxylesterase activity, measured with the substrates p-nitrophenyl butyrate and p-nitrophenyl acetate, was between 2.3 and 25 times more sensitive to carbaryl inhibition than cholinesterase activity. Binary mixtures corresponding to 0.5 EC carbaryl + 0.5 EC azinphos-methyl and 0.75 EC carbaryl + 0.75 EC azinphos-methyl produced inhibitions of cholinesterase activity similar to those of individual pesticides, following a model of concentration addition. Bioconcentration was analyzed using a one-compartment model. The absorption kinetics (k) for both pesticides alone (1.4 mg L of carbaryl or 1.8 mg L of azinphos-methyl) or mixed (1.4 mg L of carbaryl + 1.8 mg L of azinphos-methyl) were similar. The elimination kinetics ratio (k) estimated for the pesticides alone or in the mixtures showed that carbaryl was eliminated 3.5 times faster than azinphos-methyl. These results suggest that exposure of Planorbarius corneus to binary mixtures of carbaryl and azinphos-methyl for 48 h follow a concentration addition model on inhibition of cholinesterase activity and that the pesticide mixtures do not change the toxicokinetic parameters of the parent compounds.
Topics: Animals; Azinphosmethyl; Carbaryl; Carboxylesterase; Cholinesterases; Fresh Water; Gastropoda; Hemolymph; Kinetics; Toxicokinetics; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 29689476
DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2018.04.005 -
Environmental Toxicology Sep 2015The toxic effects of Gusathion (GUS), which is a commercial organophosphate (OP) pesticide, and also its active ingredient, azinphos methyl (AzM), are evaluated... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
The toxic effects of Gusathion (GUS), which is a commercial organophosphate (OP) pesticide, and also its active ingredient, azinphos methyl (AzM), are evaluated comparatively with in vitro and in vivo studies. Initially, the 96-h LC50 values of AzM and GUS were estimated for two different life stages of Xenopus laevis, embryos, and tadpoles. The actual AzM concentrations in exposure media were monitored by high-performance liquid chromatography. Also, the sub-lethal effects of these compounds to tadpoles were determined 24 h later at exposure concentrations of 0.1 and 1 mg/L using selected biomarker enzymes such as acetylcholinesterase (AChE), carboxylesterase (CaE), glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase, lactate dehydrogenase, and aspartate aminotrasferase. Differences in AChE inhibition capacities of AzM and GUS were evaluated under in vitro conditions between frogs and fish in the second part of this study. The AChE activities in a pure electrical eel AChE solution and in brain homogenates of adult Cyprinus carpio, Pelophylax ridibundus, and X. laevis were assayed after in vitro exposure to 0.05, 0.5, 5, and 50 mg/L concentrations of AzM and GUS. According to in vivo studies AChE, CaE and GST are important biomarkers of the effect of OP exposure while CaE may be more effective in short-term, low-concentration exposures. The results of in vitro studies showed that amphibian brain AChEs were relatively more resistant to OP exposure than fish AChEs. The resistance may be the cause of the lower toxicity/lethality of OP compounds to amphibians than to fish.
Topics: Acetylcholinesterase; Animals; Azinphosmethyl; Biomarkers; Brain; Carboxylesterase; Carps; Embryo, Nonmammalian; Glutathione Transferase; Insecticides; Larva; Ranidae; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Xenopus
PubMed: 24616035
DOI: 10.1002/tox.21982 -
G3 (Bethesda, Md.) Aug 2016Scans of the Drosophila melanogaster genome have identified organophosphate resistance loci among those with the most pronounced signature of positive selection. In this...
Scans of the Drosophila melanogaster genome have identified organophosphate resistance loci among those with the most pronounced signature of positive selection. In this study, the molecular basis of resistance to the organophosphate insecticide azinphos-methyl was investigated using the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel, and genome-wide association. Recently released full transcriptome data were used to extend the utility of the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel resource beyond traditional genome-wide association studies to allow systems genetics analyses of phenotypes. We found that both genomic and transcriptomic associations independently identified Cyp6g1, a gene involved in resistance to DDT and neonicotinoid insecticides, as the top candidate for azinphos-methyl resistance. This was verified by transgenically overexpressing Cyp6g1 using natural regulatory elements from a resistant allele, resulting in a 6.5-fold increase in resistance. We also identified four novel candidate genes associated with azinphos-methyl resistance, all of which are involved in either regulation of fat storage, or nervous system development. In Cyp6g1, we find a demonstrable resistance locus, a verification that transcriptome data can be used to identify variants associated with insecticide resistance, and an overlap between peaks of a genome-wide association study, and a genome-wide selective sweep analysis.
Topics: Alleles; Animals; Animals, Genetically Modified; Azinphosmethyl; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; Drosophila Proteins; Drosophila melanogaster; Genome, Insect; Genome-Wide Association Study; Insecticide Resistance; Phenotype; Transcriptome
PubMed: 27317781
DOI: 10.1534/g3.116.031054 -
RSC Advances Oct 2019A new bacterial genotoxicity detection strain was constructed, in which the cell lysis gene of from a lambda phage was controlled by a new designed SOS responsive...
A new bacterial genotoxicity detection strain was constructed, in which the cell lysis gene of from a lambda phage was controlled by a new designed SOS responsive element, designated as BL21/pUC-PST. The biosensor responded only after 0.5 h contact with mutagens and the changes in cell culture turbidity could be easily differentiated with the naked eyes from the control sample. This SOS/ system presented a dose-dependent manner to five model DNA-damaging agents with an improved detection sensitivity. The limits of detection (LODs) were 0.026 μM for mitomycin C, 320.4 μM for azinphos-methyl, 34.4 μM for methyl methanesulfonate, 4.6 μM for dithianone and 6.0 μM for dichlofluanid, which were much lower than previously reported. By performing binary and ternary mixture experiments, the toxic equivalency concept was validated in the SOS/ system by comparison with bioanalytical equivalent concentrations (BEQ) and overall toxic equivalent concentration (TEQ) using Cr(vi) as the reference compound. Pearson analysis indicated that a strong correlation existed between the TEQ and BEQ values. Thus the TEQ could be presented as the Cr(vi) equivalent concentration from its dose-effect lysis profiles for the environmental sample. The proposed genotoxicity reporter strain allows for easier qualitative characterization and quantitative interpretation of the TEQ values using Cr(vi) as the reference for environmental water samples.
PubMed: 35528065
DOI: 10.1039/c9ra06202e