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Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Feb 2024Pesticides are of immense importance in agriculture, but they might contaminate bees' products. In this study, samples of honey, pollen, and beeswax were collected,...
Pesticides are of immense importance in agriculture, but they might contaminate bees' products. In this study, samples of honey, pollen, and beeswax were collected, seasonally, from apiaries in Toshka (Aswan), El-Noubariya (El-Beheira), and Ismailia (Ismailia) cities in Egypt. The pesticide residues were analyzed using the GC-MS after being extracted and cleaned using the QuEChERS method. Results showed that samples from El-Noubariya had great content of residues followed by Ismailia, and finally Toshka. Samples collected during fall and winter had the highest pesticide residue contents. Specifically, the phenylconazole fungicide group was repeatedly detected in all the examined samples along with organophosphate insecticides. Beeswax samples had the greatest amounts of pesticide residues followed by pollen and then honey samples. Chlorpyrifos (0.07-39.16 ng/g) and profenofos (1.94-17.00 ng/g) were detected in honey samples and their products. Pyriproxyfen (57.12 ng/g) and chlorpyrifos-methyl (39.16 ng/g) were detected in great amounts in beeswax samples from Ismailia and El-Noubariya, respectively. Yet, according to health hazard and quotient studies, the amounts of pesticides detected in honey do not pose any health threats to humans.
Topics: Humans; Bees; Animals; Pesticide Residues; Egypt; Seasons; Environmental Monitoring; Pesticides; Insecticides
PubMed: 38388839
DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-12451-2 -
Journal of Hazardous Materials Apr 2024The feasibility of using walnut shell biochar to mediate biodegradation of Cupriavidus nantongensis X1 for profenofos was investigated. The results of scanning electron...
The feasibility of using walnut shell biochar to mediate biodegradation of Cupriavidus nantongensis X1 for profenofos was investigated. The results of scanning electron microscopy, classical DLVO theory and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that strain X1 was stably immobilized on biochar by pore filling, van der Waals attraction, and hydrogen bonding. Profenofos degradation experiments showed that strain X1 immobilized on biochar significantly decomposed profenofos (shortened the half-life by 5.2 folds) by promoting the expression of the degradation gene opdB and the proliferation of strain X1. The immobilized X1 showed stronger degradation ability than the free X1 at higher initial concentration, lower temperature and pH. The immobilized X1 could maintain 83% of removal efficiency for profenofos after 6 reuse cycles in paddy water. Thus, X1 immobilized using walnut shell biochar as a carrier could be practically applied to biodegradation of organophosphorus pesticides present in agricultural water.
Topics: Pesticides; Juglans; Organophosphorus Compounds; Cupriavidus; Charcoal; Biodegradation, Environmental; Water; Organothiophosphates
PubMed: 38368682
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133750 -
Talanta May 2024Glyphosate (GLY) is a widely used herbicide worldwide, particularly in cultivating genetically modified soybeans resistant to GLY. However, routine multi-residue...
Glyphosate (GLY) is a widely used herbicide worldwide, particularly in cultivating genetically modified soybeans resistant to GLY. However, routine multi-residue analysis does not include GLY due to the complexity of soybean matrix components that can interfere with the analysis. This study presented the development of an aptamer-based chemiluminescence (Apt-CL) sensor for rapidly screening GLY pesticide residue in soybeans. The GLY-binding aptamer (GBA) was developed to bind to GLY specifically, and the remaining unbound aptamers were adsorbed onto gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The signal was in the form of luminol-HO emission, catalyzed by the aggregation of AuNPs in a chemiluminescent reaction arising from the GLY-GBA complex. The outcomes demonstrated a robust linear relationship between the CL intensity of GLY-GBA and the GLY concentration. In the specificity test of the GBA, only GLY and Profenofos were distinguished among the fifteen tested pesticides. Furthermore, the Apt-CL sensor was conducted to determine GLY residue in organic soybeans immersed in GLY as a real sample, and an optimal linear concentration range for detection after extraction was found to be between 0.001 and 10 mg/L. The Apt-CL sensor exploits the feasibility of real-time pesticide screening in food safety.
Topics: Glycine max; Metal Nanoparticles; Aptamers, Nucleotide; Gold; Pesticide Residues; Glyphosate; Luminescence; Hydrogen Peroxide; Luminescent Measurements; Biosensing Techniques
PubMed: 38359718
DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2024.125741 -
Heliyon Feb 2024In this work, a novel ternary nanocomposite of PEI/RuSi-MWCNTs was designed and synthesized for the first time, which an ultrasensitive and self-enhanced...
In this work, a novel ternary nanocomposite of PEI/RuSi-MWCNTs was designed and synthesized for the first time, which an ultrasensitive and self-enhanced electrochemiluminescent (ECL) aptasensor was developed for the detection of profenofos residues in vegetables. The self-enhanced complex PEI-Ru (II) enhanced the emission and stability of ECL, and the multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) acted as an excellent carrier and signal amplification. The PEI/RuSi-MWCNTs were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). The incorporation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) improved the performance of the sensor and provided a platform for the immobilization of the aptamer. The results of the experiment showed that the presence of profenofos significantly suppressed the electrochemiluminescence intensity of the sensor. The detection sensitivity of the aptamer sensor was in the range of 1 × 10 to 1 × 10 ng/mL. Under optimal conditions, the limit of detection (LOD) of the sensor for profenofos was 1.482 × 10 ng/mL. The sensor had excellent stability, reproducibility and specificity. The recoveries of the sensor ranged from 92.29 % to 106.47 % in real sample tests.
PubMed: 38333799
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25167 -
Environmental Research May 2024Organophosphorus adulteration in the environment creates terrestrial and aquatic pollution. It causes acute and subacute toxicity in plants, humans, insects, and... (Review)
Review
Organophosphorus adulteration in the environment creates terrestrial and aquatic pollution. It causes acute and subacute toxicity in plants, humans, insects, and animals. Due to the excessive use of organophosphorus pesticides, there is a need to develop environmentally friendly, economical, and bio-based strategies. The microbiomes, that exist in the soil, can reduce the devastating effects of organophosphates. The use of cell-free enzymes and yeast is also an advanced method for the degradation of organophosphates. Plant-friendly bacterial strains, that exist in the soil, can help to degrade these contaminants by oxidation-reduction reactions, enzymatic breakdown, and adsorption. The bacterial strains mostly from the genus Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Agrobacterium, and Rhizobium have the ability to hydrolyze the bonds of organophosphate compounds like profenofos, quinalphos, malathion, methyl-parathion, and chlorpyrifos. The native bacterial strains also promote the growth abilities of plants and help in detoxification of organophosphate residues. This bioremediation technique is easy to use, relatively cost-effective, very efficient, and ensures the safety of the environment. This review covers the literature gap by describing the major effects of organophosphates on the ecosystem and their bioremediation by using native bacterial strains.
Topics: Biodegradation, Environmental; Organophosphorus Compounds; Ecosystem; Pesticide Residues; Bacteria; Soil Pollutants
PubMed: 38301757
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118291 -
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 -
Scientific Reports Jan 2024Profenofos (PF) and captan (CT) are among the most utilized organophosphorus insecticides and phthalimide fungicides, respectively. To elucidate the physicochemical and...
Profenofos (PF) and captan (CT) are among the most utilized organophosphorus insecticides and phthalimide fungicides, respectively. To elucidate the physicochemical and influential toxicokinetic factors, the mechanistic interactions of serum albumin and either PF or CT were carried out in the current study using a series of spectroscopy and computational analyses. Both PF and CT could bind to bovine serum albumin (BSA), a representative serum protein, with moderate binding constants in a range of 10-10 M. The bindings of PF and CT did not induce noticeable BSA's structural changes. Both pesticides bound preferentially to the site I pocket of BSA, where the hydrophobic interaction was the main binding mode of PF, and the electrostatic interaction drove the binding of CT. As a result, PF and CT may not only induce direct toxicity by themselves, but also compete with therapeutic drugs and essential substances to sit in the Sudlow site I of serum albumin, which may interfere with the pharmacokinetics and equilibrium of drugs and other substances causing consequent adverse effects.
Topics: Protein Binding; Spectrometry, Fluorescence; Captan; Pesticides; Molecular Docking Simulation; Serum Albumin; Serum Albumin, Bovine; Binding Sites; Thermodynamics; Circular Dichroism; Organothiophosphates
PubMed: 38245578
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52169-2 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Feb 2024Residue studies were conducted in bell pepper crops (green and yellow bell pepper) to ensure the safe use of fenvalerate, profenofos, and novaluron (under open field and...
Residue studies were conducted in bell pepper crops (green and yellow bell pepper) to ensure the safe use of fenvalerate, profenofos, and novaluron (under open field and protected conditions) in randomized block design (RBD) following three applications at a 10-day interval over two consecutive years, 2021 and 2022. A robust analytical method was developed using quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) extraction and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) for the determination of pesticide residues in bell pepper samples. The half-lives for fenvalerate were 2.47-2.87 and 2.50-3.03 days on bell pepper under open field conditions, whereas the corresponding values for bell pepper under protected conditions were 3.84-4.58 and 4.17-4.71 days, during 2021 and 2022, respectively. Profenofos displayed half-lives of 2.03-2.65 and 2.15-2.77 days in open field conditions and 3.05-3.89 and 3.16-3.78 days in protected conditions during 2021 and 2022, respectively. Similarly, novaluron had half-lives of 2.87-3.49 and 3.24-3.75 days under protected conditions in 2021 and 2022, respectively. The maximum residue limits (MRLs) were calculated to be 0.6 mg/kg for fenvalerate, while for profenofos it was 0.7 mg/kg on bell pepper under open field conditions at double doses, at the proposed pre-harvest interval (PHI) of 3 days. Likewise, for bell peppers grown under protected conditions, MRLs at the PHI of 3 days were determined to be 0.8 mg/kg for fenvalerate, 0.3 mg/kg for novaluron, and 1.5 mg/kg for profenofos. A dietary risk assessment study indicated that the percentage of acute hazard index (% aHI) was significantly lower than 100, and hazard quotient (HQ) values were below 1, signifying no acute or chronic risk to consumers. These findings underscore the safety of consuming bell peppers treated with fenvalerate, profenofos, and novaluron under the protected and open field conditions.
Topics: Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Capsicum; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Pesticide Residues; Risk Assessment; Nitriles; Phenylurea Compounds; Pyrethrins; Organothiophosphates
PubMed: 38212561
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-31846-9 -
Food Chemistry: X Dec 2023The worldwide demand for organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) in food production has raised concerns about pesticide residues. Meta-analysis, proven effective in assessing...
The worldwide demand for organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) in food production has raised concerns about pesticide residues. Meta-analysis, proven effective in assessing contaminants like aflatoxins and organotin compounds, is applied here to comprehensively study OP contamination in fresh fruits and vegetables. Employing Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V3.0 software, we meticulously examined 24 relevant articles encompassing 69,467 data points. Our findings revealed that while the residual concentrations of OPs (such as chlorpyrifos and profenofos) in most fruits and vegetables have typically met international or national safety standards, including Codex Alimentarius Commission, European Union, British, and Chinese standards, there are some instances in which the maximum residue limits have been exceeded, posing safety risks. Therefore, significant efforts are required to maintain residual OP contamination at safe concentrations.
PubMed: 38144849
DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2023.101014 -
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