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Journal of Environmental Quality Sep 2016Pesticides play an important role in the protection of different crops. Among the diverse sets of pesticides used all over the world, the organophosphates are the most... (Review)
Review
Pesticides play an important role in the protection of different crops. Among the diverse sets of pesticides used all over the world, the organophosphates are the most widely used group. Profenofos [O-(4-bromo-2-chlorophenyl) O-ethyl S-propyl phosphorothioate] is one of the most largely used organophosphate insecticides on field crops, vegetables, and fruit crops. The World Health Organization classifies this compound as moderately hazardous (Toxicity Class II), and its residues have been found in vegetables like okra [ (L.) Moench], gooseberries ( sp.), green chilies [ (L.)], curry leaves [ (L.) Spreng], mint leaves [ (L.)], and coriander leaves [ (L.)]. Dietary intake of profenofos (PFF) is the major exposure pathway for humans. When applied to agricultural fields, PFF residues spread into every part of the environment: ambient air, surface water, and soil. In this review, we discuss the worldwide usage of PFF pesticide, its toxic effects on humans and other living organisms in the environment, and biodegradation of this chemical by various microbial strains. To date, no complete biodegradation pathway has been established for PFF pesticide, calling for a study of this nature.
Topics: Acetylcholinesterase; Biodegradation, Environmental; Humans; Organothiophosphates; Pesticides
PubMed: 27695768
DOI: 10.2134/jeq2016.03.0100 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Feb 2024Organophosphates are the most extensively used class of pesticides to deal with increasing pest diversity and produce more on limited terrestrial areas to feed the... (Review)
Review
Organophosphates are the most extensively used class of pesticides to deal with increasing pest diversity and produce more on limited terrestrial areas to feed the ever-expanding global population. Profenofos, an organophosphate group of non-systematic insecticides and acaricides, is used to combat aphids, cotton bollworms, tobacco budworms, beet armyworms, spider mites, and lygus bugs. Profenofos was inducted into the system as a replacement for chlorpyrifos due to its lower toxicity and half-life. It has become a significant environmental concern due to its widespread presence. It accumulates in various environmental components, contaminating food, water, and air. As a neurotoxic poison, it inhibits acetylcholinesterase receptor activity, leading to dizziness, paralysis, and pest death. It also affects other eukaryotes, such as pollinators, birds, mammals, and invertebrates, affecting ecosystem functioning. Microbes directly expose themselves to profenofos and adapt to these toxic compounds over time. Microbes use these toxic compounds as carbon and energy sources and it is a sustainable and economical method to eliminate profenofos from the environment. This article explores the studies and developments in the bioremediation of profenofos, its impact on plants, pollinators, and humans, and the policies and laws related to pesticide regulation. The goal is to raise awareness about the global threat of profenofos and the role of policymakers in managing pesticide mismanagement.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Acetylcholinesterase; Ecosystem; Organothiophosphates; Insecticides; Pesticides; Chlorpyrifos; Mammals
PubMed: 38291208
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32159-7 -
Chemosphere Dec 2022Flavonoids can sensitize and quench the photolysis of pesticides such as profenofos in surface water. Profenofos has been frequently detected in surface and underground...
Flavonoids can sensitize and quench the photolysis of pesticides such as profenofos in surface water. Profenofos has been frequently detected in surface and underground water. The present study investigated the photolysis of profenofos under various conditions, including natural and artificial light illumination, with and without cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (Cy3G) and in pure and surface water. The degradation half-lives of profenofos in distilled water with 10 equivalents Cy3G of profenofos were 21.7 min, 9.5 h, 12.5 h and 180 h under high-pressure mercury light, UV, Xenon lamp and solar irradiation, respectively, while those without Cy3G were 8.1 min, 6.1 h, 8.2 h and 89.9 h, respectively. The photolysis rate of profenofos under sunlight and artificial light was reduced by 1.5-2.7 times due to Cy3G, compared to the Cy3G-free control. Under sunlight irradiation, the effects of Cy3G on profenofos photolysis were larger than those under high-pressure mercury lamp irradiation. Cy3G also significantly reduced the photolysis rate of profenofos under different pH conditions and in natural water. In addition, Cy3G exhibited a significant capacity of scavenging hydroxyl radicals and quenching O in water. The effect of Cy3G on profenofos photolysis was demonstrated through their interrelations in the natural environment. These findings can help understanding of the effect of flavonoids on profenofos photolysis and are of significance for predicting the degradation kinetics of profenofos and accurately assessing its potential biological impacts.
Topics: Anthocyanins; Glucosides; Kinetics; Mercury; Organothiophosphates; Pesticides; Photolysis; Water; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Xenon
PubMed: 36037950
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136170 -
International Journal of... 2022Pesticides are widely used for managing pathogens and pests for sustainable agricultural output to feed around seven billion people worldwide. After their targeted role,...
Pesticides are widely used for managing pathogens and pests for sustainable agricultural output to feed around seven billion people worldwide. After their targeted role, residues of these compounds may build up and persist in soils and in the food chain. This study evaluated the efficiency of bacterial strains capable of plant growth promotion and biodegradation of profenofos. To execute this, bacteria were isolated from an agricultural area with a history of repeated application of profenofos. The profenofos degrading bacterial strains with growth-promoting characteristics were identified based on biochemical and molecular approaches through partial 16S ribosomal rRNA gene sequencing. The results revealed that one strain, MUG75, degraded over 90% profenofos after 9days of incubation. Similarly, plant growth was significantly increased in plants grown in profenofos (100mg L) contaminated soil inoculated with the same strain. The study demonstrated that inoculation of profenofos degrading bacterial strains increased plant growth and profenofos degradation. Pesticides are extensively applied in the agriculture sector to overcome pest attacks and to increase food production to fulfill the needs of the growing world population. Residues of these pesticides can persist in the environment for long periods, may enter the groundwater reservoirs and cause harmful effects on living systems highlighting the need for bioremediation of pesticide-contaminated environments. Microbes can use pesticides as a source of carbon and energy and convert them into less toxic and non-toxic products. Application of profenofos degrading rhizobacteria in interaction with the plants in the rhizosphere can remediate the pesticide-contaminated soils and minimize their uptake into the food chain. Hence, this approach can improve soil health and food quality without compromising the environment.
Topics: Biodegradation, Environmental; Humans; Solanum lycopersicum; Organothiophosphates; Rhizosphere; Soil Microbiology; Soil Pollutants
PubMed: 34304658
DOI: 10.1080/15226514.2021.1952927 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Apr 2021Profenofos is an endocrine-disrupting chemical that can enter into the aquatic ecosystem either through surface runoff or through percolation of a toxicant from the...
Profenofos is an endocrine-disrupting chemical that can enter into the aquatic ecosystem either through surface runoff or through percolation of a toxicant from the soil. In order to clarify the effect of profenofos on the developmental stages of zebrafish, the embryos were treated with serial dilutions of profenofos (0%, 10%, 25%, and 50% of LC). Embryos were treated with profenofos for 7 days or until hatching. The toxic endpoints assessed include hatching time, survival, malformation, and heartbeats of the embryos. In a 96-h test on zebrafish embryos, the LC of profenofos was 0.057 mg/L. Profenofos considerably lowered survival, increased abnormalities at different ontogenetic stages, and developed malformations of different organs in a concentration-dependent fashion. The identified developmental malformations were fluid accumulation, impaired jaw, short tail, ruptured pectoral and caudal fin, curved body, thin yolk sac tube, and deformed heart. The way of looping arrangement of the heart at the early stage of embryos was significantly influenced by the higher concentration of profenofos. Heartbeat is also reduced significantly in a concentration-dependent fashion. The results show that the zebrafish are susceptible to profenofos even at lower concentrations in the initial stage. Therefore, when used in agricultural areas adjacent to the aquatic environment, endocrine-disrupting chemicals should be used in an appropriate manner.
Topics: Animals; Ecosystem; Embryo, Nonmammalian; Endocrine Disruptors; Organogenesis; Organothiophosphates; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Zebrafish
PubMed: 33405136
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-11944-0 -
EFSA Journal. European Food Safety... Dec 2023In accordance with Article 43 of Regulation (EC) 396/2005, EFSA received a request from the European Commission to review the existing maximum residue levels (MRLs) for...
In accordance with Article 43 of Regulation (EC) 396/2005, EFSA received a request from the European Commission to review the existing maximum residue levels (MRLs) for the non-approved active substance profenofos in view of the possible lowering of the MRL. EFSA investigated the origin of the current EU MRLs. Existing EU MRLs are based on Codex Maximum Residue Limits still in place or reflect temporary MRLs set from monitoring data. EFSA performed an indicative chronic and acute dietary risk assessment for the list of MRLs to allow risk managers to take the appropriate decisions. For some commodities, further risk management discussions are required to decide which of the risk management options proposed by EFSA should be implemented in the EU MRL legislation.
PubMed: 38046200
DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8445 -
Analytica Chimica Acta Aug 2018Profenofos, a highly poisonous organophosphorus pesticide, has been widely used in agricultural production. These pesticide residues have seriously influenced food...
Profenofos, a highly poisonous organophosphorus pesticide, has been widely used in agricultural production. These pesticide residues have seriously influenced food security and threatened human health, and new methods with high sensitivity are greatly needed to detect profenofos. Here, we developed an aptamer-based microcantilever-array sensor operated in stress mode to detect profenofos, with advantages of being a label-free, highly sensitive, one-step immobilization method capable of quantitative and real-time detection. The microcantilevers were functionalized with a profenofos-specific aptamer (SS2-55), and then the specific binding of profenofos to aptamer induced a deflection of the microcantilever, which was monitored using an optical method in a real-time manner. The microcantilever deflection showed a positive relationship with profenofos concentration, and the detection limit was low to 1.3 ng mL (3.5 nM) for profenofos, which was much lower than other aptamer-based detection methods. The selectivity of the sensor was verified with another organophosphorus pesticide. Additionally, we successfully detected profenofos dissolved in vegetable-soak solution. Our results showed that this aptamer-based microcantilever-array sensor is a convenient and label-free method for detecting profenofos in small amounts and has great potential for food-security applications.
Topics: Aptamers, Nucleotide; Biosensing Techniques; Insecticides; Organothiophosphates
PubMed: 29655422
DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2018.02.072 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Jun 2023Profenofos (PFF) is an organophosphorus pesticide frequently detected in surface waters, soil habitats, and even biota. Some studies have demonstrated the potential...
Profenofos (PFF) is an organophosphorus pesticide frequently detected in surface waters, soil habitats, and even biota. Some studies have demonstrated the potential risks of PFF to aquatic organisms. However, most of these studies were focused on its acute rather than chronic impacts, and the subjects are usually large vertebrates. Here, we treated D. magna (< 24 h) with PFF at doses of 0, 0.07, 0.28, and 1.12 mg/L for 21 days to study its long-term toxic impacts. Exposure to PFF largely decreased the survival rate and inhibited the growth and reproduction of D. magna. Then, PCR arrays were used to evaluate the changes in the expression of 13 genes related to growth, reproduction, and swimming behavior. The results revealed that the expression of several genes was dramatically changed by exposure to each dose of PFF, which might be responsible for the observed toxic effects of PFF. In summary, our findings imply that long-term PFF exposure can be highly hazardous to the growth, development, and reproduction of D. magna.
Topics: Animals; Daphnia; Organophosphorus Compounds; Pesticides; Reproduction; Transcription, Genetic; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 37209339
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-27669-9 -
Journal of Environmental Science and... 2019Pesticides carried by cotton fiber are potential risk for production workers and consumers. Dissipation behaviour of a commonly used cotton pesticide profenofos in...
Pesticides carried by cotton fiber are potential risk for production workers and consumers. Dissipation behaviour of a commonly used cotton pesticide profenofos in cotton fiber during growing period and scouring treatment was investigated. The results showed that profenofos in the fiber from the pre-opened and post-opened bolls both decreased to undetectable amounts 21 days after pesticide application. However, a minority of profenofos was converted to a strongly irritant compound, 4-bromo-2-chlorophenol and retained a non-negligible amount in cotton fiber even after 28 days. Profenofos and its degradation product could be completely removed during the conventional cotton scouring process. The degradation half-time of profenofos in scouring bath was only 3.0 min, and the degradation product was also 4-bromo-2-chlorophenol. Cotton products made of profenofos-carrying fiber are safe; however, the scouring waste should be detoxicated before discharge due to the accumulation of 4-bromo-2-chlorophenol in the scouring bath. These results could be useful for evaluating the risk of cotton fiber from the profenofos applied fields.
Topics: Biodegradation, Environmental; Chlorophenols; Cotton Fiber; Humans; Insecticides; Organothiophosphates
PubMed: 30633718
DOI: 10.1080/03601234.2018.1505036 -
Food Chemistry Nov 2022Colorimetric and fluorescent sensors were developed for the detection of profenofos. The colorimetric assay relied on the aggregation of cysteine modified gold...
Colorimetric and fluorescent sensors were developed for the detection of profenofos. The colorimetric assay relied on the aggregation of cysteine modified gold nanoparticles (Au-cys) composite caused by the hydrogen bond and Au-S bond between profenofos and Au-cys. The further addition of S, N-doped carbon quantum dots (CDs) (fluorescence quantum yield up to 98%) into the Au-cys system depended on the change of fluorescence intensity of Au-cys-CDs owing to the inner filter effect between Au-cys and CDs. Under the optimal conditions, the sensor exhibits good linearity within 0.2-1.2 mg L and 20-320 μg L, and limit of detection of 21.7 μg L and 5.5 μg L in colorimetry and fluorescence mode, respectively. The developed sensor did not only possess favorable selectivity and sensitivity, but also feasibility of usage in the actual detection of profenofos in farmland system samples.
Topics: Carbon; Colorimetry; Cysteine; Farms; Fluorescent Dyes; Gold; Limit of Detection; Metal Nanoparticles; Organothiophosphates; Quantum Dots
PubMed: 35653988
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.133321