-
The Science of the Total Environment Jul 2022Traditional forms of agriculture have created and preserved heterogeneous landscapes characterized by semi-natural meadows and pastures, which have high conversation...
Traditional forms of agriculture have created and preserved heterogeneous landscapes characterized by semi-natural meadows and pastures, which have high conversation value for biodiversity. Landscapes in Central and Eastern European countries with traditional agriculture are a stronghold for pollinators, butterflies and amphibians, which have declined in other parts of Europe. Despite different landscape structures, agriculture-associated pesticide exposure in streams can be similarly high as in Western Europe. This raises the question whether the heterogeneous landscape can buffer a temporary water quality decline by agriculture. We investigated the influence of landscape heterogeneity and water quality, in particular pesticide exposure, on macroinvertebrate communities in 19 small streams in Central Romania. We sampled the macroinvertebrate community, assessed the ecosystem function of leaf litter decomposition and analyzed the parasite prevalence in Baetis sp. and Gammarus balcanicus. No association between pesticide toxicity towards macroinvertebrates and several macroinvertebrate metrics was found. However, the level of pesticide toxicity was generally high, constituting a rather short gradient, and the pesticide indicator SPEAR implied pesticide-driven community change in all sites. Landscape heterogeneity and forested upstream sections were among the most important drivers for the macroinvertebrate metrics, indicating increased dispersal and recolonization success. Agricultural land use in the catchment was negatively associated with vulnerable macroinvertebrate taxa such as Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera. G. balcanicus dominated the shredder taxa and its abundance was positively associated with the pesticide indicator SPEAR. Parasite prevalence in G. balcanicus increased with extensive land use (pastures and forests), whereas it decreased with arable land. Our results suggest that heterogeneous landscapes with structures of low-intensive land use may buffer the effects of agricultural land use and facilitate dispersal and recolonization processes of pesticide-affected macroinvertebrate communities.
Topics: Agriculture; Animals; Butterflies; Ecosystem; Environmental Monitoring; Invertebrates; Pesticides; Plant Leaves; Rivers
PubMed: 35302011
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154549 -
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Aug 2022Due to the frequent pesticide applications, bees are suffered from pesticide exposure risks via consumption and direct contact with sprayed drifts. However, if...
Due to the frequent pesticide applications, bees are suffered from pesticide exposure risks via consumption and direct contact with sprayed drifts. However, if pesticides are misused and the potential exposure risk to bees based on realistic pesticide application data are still little reported. In this study, pesticide application patterns in wheat-maize rotation system, vegetable and apple producing areas, was studied by interviewing farmers in Quzhou County, the North China Plain. The pesticide use status was evaluated by the recommended and actual applied dose and risk quotient (RQ) based Bee-REX model was used to assess the exposure risks of pesticide to bees based on the collected pesticide application data. The results showed that over half (52 %) of farmers in selected sites misused pesticides and orchard owners were frequently misused pesticides. Positive correlations were found between pesticide usage performance and farmers' specialized training experience. Pesticides applied in orchards have caused higher exposure risks to bees with the mean of RQs exceed 120 and 1880 via acute contact and dietary routes, respectively. Pesticide misuse significantly elevates the exposure risk to bees that the mean RQ under misuse scenarios was 5.8 times than that of correct use. Abamectin, fipronil and neonicotinoids contributed most to the pesticide exposure risk to bees. The main findings of this study imply that more sustainable pest and pollinator management strategies, including the moratorium high-risk insecticides and providing diverse flower resources and habitats, are highly needed. Additionally, measures such as implementing farmer educating and training programs should also be put on the agenda.
Topics: Animals; Bees; China; Farmers; Humans; Insecticides; Neonicotinoids; Pesticides
PubMed: 35667311
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113713 -
Scientific Reports Apr 2022Farmers focus on reducing the cost of production and aim to increase profit. The objective of this study was to quantify the reduction of pesticides applied to soybean...
Farmers focus on reducing the cost of production and aim to increase profit. The objective of this study was to quantify the reduction of pesticides applied to soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) and maize (Zea mays L.) crops in several stages of the production cycle using a site-specific spraying application based on real-time sensors in the Brazilian Cerrado region. The sprayers were equipped with a precision spraying control system based on a real-time sensor. The spraying operations were performed not only for herbicide, but also for fungicide and insecticides applications. The maps recorded the percentage of the spray boom when the application was turned on (on/off spray system) with nozzle-to-nozzle control. The precision spraying system based on real-time sensors reduced the volume of pesticides (including herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides) applied to soybean and maize crops. There was a more significant reduction in the volume of pesticides applied post-emergence of the crops in the initial stages of soybean and maize when the crops had less leaf area or less foliage coverage between the rows. The cost reduction achieved using this technology was 2.3 times lower than the cost associated with pesticide application over the entire area using a conventional sprayer. Under the experimental conditions, there were no differences in the average crop yield, compared to the historical productivity of soybean and maize crops by applying this technology because the recommended doses were not affected and the site of application was limited to points where the presence of plants was present was detected.
Topics: Crops, Agricultural; Fungicides, Industrial; Herbicides; Pesticides; Zea mays
PubMed: 35379871
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09607-w -
Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi = Zhongguo... Mar 2022Panax notoginseng is a perennial Chinese medicinal plant, which has serious continuous cropping obstacles and is prone to a variety of diseases and insect pests during...
Panax notoginseng is a perennial Chinese medicinal plant, which has serious continuous cropping obstacles and is prone to a variety of diseases and insect pests during the growth process. At present, the prevention and control of pests and diseases is mainly carried out through chemical pesticides, and the consequent pesticide residues of P. notoginseng have attracted much attention. This study reviewed the types and detection methods of pesticide residues in P. notoginseng from 1981 to 2021, and compared the limits of pesticide residues in P. notoginseng in China and abroad to provide a reference for rational application of pesticides in P. notoginseng and quality control of medicinal materials, thereby promoting the sustainable development of the P. notoginseng industry in China. Currently, there are only 40 published papers on pesticide residues of P. notoginseng, which is indicative of a serious problem of insufficient research. At present, hundreds of pesticide residues in P. notoginseng can be detected simultaneously by using chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The pesticides detected have gradually changed from early prohibited ones, such as dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane(DDT), benzene hexachloride(BHC), and parathion, to low toxic ones(e.g., dimethomorph, procymidone, propicona-zole, and difenoconazole). The dietary risk from pesticide residues in P. notoginseng is low, which would not cause harm to consu-mers. This study concluded that in the future, the development of the quality standard for pesticide residues of P. notoginseng should be actively carried out. To increase the pesticides used in actual production in the quality standard based on the existing ones and to guide farmers to use pesticides scientifically will be the focus of future work.
Topics: China; Panax notoginseng; Pesticide Residues; Pesticides; Plants, Medicinal
PubMed: 35347941
DOI: 10.19540/j.cnki.cjcmm.20211221.101 -
Food Additives & Contaminants. Part B,... Mar 2021Risks posed by pesticide residues in infant food urge for protection of the most vulnerable part of our population. In the current study a total of 54 samples of infant...
Risks posed by pesticide residues in infant food urge for protection of the most vulnerable part of our population. In the current study a total of 54 samples of infant food (juice and purée) were collected on the Serbian market. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization method detected 18 out of 69 analyzed pesticide active substances in 55.6% of the samples, most frequently carbendazim and acetamiprid. Domestic products as opposed to the imported ones showed a substantially higher proportion of positive (85% 38%) and noncompliant (10% 0%) samples, a number of pesticides detected (15 8), the proportion of the samples with multiple residues (85% 15%), the maximum number of residues in an individual sample (7 2). Risk assessment was performed for the present pesticide active substances, which was estimated to remain below the level of concern for both acute and chronic adverse health effects.
Topics: Food Contamination; Humans; Infant; Infant Food; Pesticide Residues; Pesticides; Risk Assessment; Serbia; Tandem Mass Spectrometry
PubMed: 33272121
DOI: 10.1080/19393210.2020.1852609 -
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Dec 2021
Topics: Ecotoxicology; Pesticides
PubMed: 34597437
DOI: 10.1002/etc.5227 -
Environmental Research Oct 2020Little is known about how bystanders perceive risks from pesticide use in areas with frequent aerial spraying of pesticides. This research aims to better understand how...
Little is known about how bystanders perceive risks from pesticide use in areas with frequent aerial spraying of pesticides. This research aims to better understand how bystanders (school workers) from three counties of the Limón province in Costa Rica, who did not have a contractual relationship with agricultural production, perceive risks of pesticides in the areas where they work and live. A face-to-face survey was carried out among 475 school workers, of whom 455 completed all 33 questions on pesticide risk perception. An exploratory factor analysis characterized underlying perceptions of pesticide exposure. Nine factors explained 40% of total variance and concerned severity and magnitude of perceived risk, manageability, benefits and support of pesticide use, amongst others. We subsequently analyzed what variables explained the five factors with satisfactory internal consistency, using separate multivariable linear regression models. Older school workers, (male) elementary teachers, and women school workers (particularly from schools situated near agricultural fields with aerial spraying of pesticides), felt greater severity and/or magnitude of risk from pesticide use. This study shows that bystanders are concerned about health risks from pesticide use. Their risk perceptions are not only shaped by gender and age like previously reported in the literature, but also by job title and geographical context. Understanding of what hazards people care about and how they deal with them is essential for successful risk management, bystanders should therefore be considered as a relevant actor in debates around pesticide issues and for informing the development of regulations and risk reduction strategies.
Topics: Agriculture; Costa Rica; Female; Humans; Male; Musa; Occupational Exposure; Perception; Pesticides
PubMed: 32758674
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109877 -
The Science of the Total Environment Nov 2021Pesticide applications in agricultural crops often comprise a mixture of plant protection products (PPP), and single fields face multiple applications per year leading...
Pesticide applications in agricultural crops often comprise a mixture of plant protection products (PPP), and single fields face multiple applications per year leading to complex pesticide mixtures in the environment. Restricted to single PPP, the current European Union PPP regulation, however, disregards the ecological risks of pesticide mixtures. To quantify this additional risk, we evaluated the contribution of single pesticide active ingredients to the additive mixture risk for aquatic risk indicators (invertebrates and algae) in 464 different PPP used, 3446 applications sprayed and 830 water samples collected in Central Europe, Germany. We identified an average number of 1.3 different pesticides in a single PPP, 3.1 for complete applications often involving multiple PPP and 30 in stream water samples. Under realistic worst-case conditions, the estimated stream water pesticide risk based on additive effects was 3.2 times higher than predicted from single PPP. We found that in streams, however, the majority of regulatory threshold exceedances was caused by single pesticides alone (69% for algae, 81% for invertebrates). Both in PPP applications and in stream samples, pesticide exposure occurred in repeated pulses each driven by one to few alternating pesticides. The time intervals between pulses were shorter than the 8 weeks considered for ecological recovery in environmental risk assessment in 88% of spray series and 53% of streams. We conclude that pesticide risk assessment should consider an additional assessment factor to account for the additive, but also potential synergistic simultaneous pesticide mixture risk. Additionally, future research and risk assessment need to address the risk from the frequent sequential pesticide exposure observed in this study.
Topics: Agriculture; Environmental Monitoring; Pesticides; Risk Assessment; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 34328899
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149017 -
Critical Reviews in Biotechnology 2002Immunosensors, a type of affinity biosensor, are based on the binding interactions between an immobilized biomolecule (antibody/antigen) on the electronic transducer... (Review)
Review
Immunosensors, a type of affinity biosensor, are based on the binding interactions between an immobilized biomolecule (antibody/antigen) on the electronic transducer surface with the analyte of interest (antigen/antibody), resulting in a detectable signal. The sensor system takes advantage of the high selectivity provided by the molecular recognition characteristic of an antibody, which binds reversibly with a specific antigen. This review article presents the current status of immunosensors, highlighting their potential benefits and limitations for pesticide analysis. The basic criteria for generating specific antibodies against low-molecular-mass pesticides, which are usually nonimmunogenic in nature, are briefly discussed. The article also describes the fundamentals of important transducer technologies and their use in immunosensor development.
Topics: Antigen-Antibody Reactions; Biosensing Techniques; Electrochemistry; Equipment Design; Pesticides
PubMed: 11958334
DOI: 10.1080/07388550290789441 -
Archives of Toxicology Feb 2017Endocrine disruptors are chemical substances that can interfere with the endocrine system. They include pesticides, metals, additives or contaminants in food, and...
Endocrine disruptors are chemical substances that can interfere with the endocrine system. They include pesticides, metals, additives or contaminants in food, and personal care products. Pesticides are the only substances intentionally released into our environment to kill living things (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, rodenticides). There is scientific evidence that exposure to pesticides produces a growing number of human pathological conditions; among these, stillbirth is an emerging issue.
Topics: Endocrine Disruptors; Fungicides, Industrial; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Herbicides; Humans; Insecticides; Pesticide Residues; Pesticides
PubMed: 28032145
DOI: 10.1007/s00204-016-1920-7