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Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2020Over the last years, the detection of pesticide residues in the official food surveillance programs of Chile has been increased, mainly in fresh vegetables such as...
Over the last years, the detection of pesticide residues in the official food surveillance programs of Chile has been increased, mainly in fresh vegetables such as tomatoes and lettuces. The Metropolitana Region of Chile presents the highest detections in the country. The lack of evaluations of toxicological risks in human health have increased uncertainty of the potential effects of pesticides exposures in the Chilean population. This research aims to determinate health risks assessment of pesticide residues associated to tomatoes and lettuces produced in Metropolitana Region. The findings of this study reveal that tomatoes and lettuces cultivated in the MR show more than 50% of samples with one or multiple pesticides residues. From the total samples, 16% were over the Chilean Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs). The main pesticides detected in tomatoes and lettuces were methamidophos, methomyl, difenoconazole, cyprodinil and boscalid. The results obtained using the official data of the Ministry of Health of Chile (MINSAL) compared to the World Health Organization (WHO), describe relevant risks through the Estimated Daily Intakes (EDI), Hazard Quotients (HQ) and Hazard Index (HI) for the Chilean population due to high concentrations of methamidophos, methomyl and cyprodinil. More restrictions for the use of methamidophos, methomyl, difenoconazole, cyprodinil and boscalid and effective control programs should be implemented in order to mitigate the impacts on the Chilean population.
Topics: Environmental Monitoring; Farms; Food Contamination; Humans; Lactuca; Solanum lycopersicum; Pesticide Residues; Risk Assessment
PubMed: 31952243
DOI: 10.3390/molecules25020355 -
Data in Brief Aug 2019or red palm weevil (RPW) is a destructive insect pest of major cultivated palms such as coconut, date and oil palm. One of the control management of RPW is trunk...
or red palm weevil (RPW) is a destructive insect pest of major cultivated palms such as coconut, date and oil palm. One of the control management of RPW is trunk injection using monocrotophos or methamidophos, but these chemicals are found to affect ecosystems and human health. Thus, we aimed to determine a bio-pesticide to replace these synthetic chemicals. We tested the antifeedant activity of three eugenol-based compounds as potential control agent against RPW larvae in vitro condition for two weeks. All these compounds show significant effect as feeding deterrent agent on 4th instar larvae, while WN16 (4-allyl-2-methoxy-1-(4-trifluoromethyl-benzyloxy)-benzene) shows the highest feeding deterrent index (FDI = 64.42%). Here we present the data regarding the biological aspect on treated RPW larvae as well as antifeedant activity index of these eugenol derived compounds.
PubMed: 31367662
DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2019.104227 -
Industrial Health Feb 2020This study explored the potential association between chronic exposure to pesticide mixtures including paraquat and respiratory outcomes among Colombian farmers....
This study explored the potential association between chronic exposure to pesticide mixtures including paraquat and respiratory outcomes among Colombian farmers. Sociodemographic and occupational data, respiratory symptoms and spirometric data were collected. Paraquat in spot urine samples were quantified with solid-phase extraction high-performance liquid chromatography. Multiple Poisson regressions with robust variance were used to determine factors associated with respiratory outcomes. Profiles of pesticide mixtures used were identified among 217 farmworkers, but profenofos and methamidophos-based mixtures were more frequent. Chronic paraquat exposure was slightly associated with self-reported asthma (PR: 1.06; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.13). Different pesticide mixtures were associated with flu, thoracic pain, allergic rhinitis, and obstructive pattern in spirometry. Although acute exposure to paraquat is low among Colombian farmers participating in the study, associations between respiratory outcomes and chronic pesticide mixtures exposure including profenofos, methamidophos or glyphosate require further specific studies.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Chest Pain; Colombia; Farmers; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Occupational Exposure; Organothiophosphates; Organothiophosphorus Compounds; Paraquat; Pesticides; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Rhinitis, Allergic; Spirometry
PubMed: 30996154
DOI: 10.2486/indhealth.2018-0111 -
Journal of Exposure Science &... Jul 2020The use of pesticides has increased during the past decades, also increasing the risk of exposure to toxic pesticides that can cause detrimental health effects in the...
The use of pesticides has increased during the past decades, also increasing the risk of exposure to toxic pesticides that can cause detrimental health effects in the future. This is of special concern among farmers in low-to-middle-income countries that may lack proper training in the safe use of these chemicals. To assess the situation in Bolivia a cross-sectional study in three agricultural communities was performed (n = 297). Handling, use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and pesticide exposure were assessed by a questionnaire and measurements of urinary pesticide metabolites (UPMs). Results showed that methamidophos (65%) and paraquat (52%) were the most commonly used pesticides and that 75% of the farmers combined several pesticides while spraying. Notably, only 17% of the farmers used recommended PPEs while 84% reported to have experienced symptoms of acute pesticide poisoning after spraying. UPM measurements indicated high levels of exposure to chlorpyrifos, pyrethroids and 2,4D and that men generally were more highly exposed compared to women. Our study demonstrates that farmers who are better at following recommendations for pesticide handling and use of PPE had a significantly lower risk of having high UPM levels of most measured pesticides. Our results thus confirm the need of proper training of farmers in low-to-middle-income countries in proper protection and pesticide handling in order to reduce exposure levels and health problems.
Topics: Adult; Agriculture; Biomarkers; Bolivia; Cross-Sectional Studies; Farmers; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Hispanic or Latino; Humans; Male; Occupational Exposure; Pesticides; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 30787424
DOI: 10.1038/s41370-019-0128-3 -
Environmental Entomology Apr 2019Worldwide studies have used the technique of pollen trapping, collecting pollen loads from returning honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) foragers, to...
Worldwide studies have used the technique of pollen trapping, collecting pollen loads from returning honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) foragers, to evaluate the exposure of honey bees to pesticides through pollen and as a biomonitoring tool. Typically, these surveys have found frequent contamination of pollen with multiple pesticides, with most of the estimated risk of acute oral toxicity to honey bees coming from insecticides. In our survey of pesticides in trapped pollen from three commercial ornamental plant nurseries in Connecticut, we found most samples within the range of acute toxicity in a previous state pollen survey, but a few samples at one nursery with unusually high acute oral toxicity. Using visual sorting by color of the pollen pellets collected in two samples from this nursery, followed by pesticide analysis of the sorted pollen and palynology to identify the plant sources of the pollen with the greatest acute toxicity of pesticide residues, we were able to associate pollen from the plant genus Spiraea L. (Rosales: Rosaceae) with extraordinarily high concentrations of thiamethoxam and clothianidin, and also with high concentrations of acephate and its metabolite methamidophos. This study is the first to trace highly toxic pollen collected by honey bees to a single plant genus. This method of tracking high toxicity pollen samples back to potential source plants could identify additional high-risk combinations of pesticide application methods and timing, movement into pollen, and attractiveness to bees that would be difficult to identify through modeling each of the contributing factors.
Topics: Animals; Bees; Gardening; Guanidines; Insecticides; Neonicotinoids; Pesticide Residues; Pollen; Spiraea; Thiamethoxam; Thiazoles
PubMed: 30753426
DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvz007 -
Journal of Insect Science (Online) Nov 2018Propylaea japonica (Thunberg) was a dominant species among the predacious ladybirds in the fields and active from March to November during a year in Fuzhou, China....
Propylaea japonica (Thunberg) was a dominant species among the predacious ladybirds in the fields and active from March to November during a year in Fuzhou, China. Stability of insecticide resistance and vitality in adult P. japonica were investigated. The field ladybird P. japonica in Fuzhou, China, showed 9- to 16-fold resistance ratios to chlorpyrifos, 13- to 2,083-fold to methamidophos, 32- to 230-fold to fenvalerate, and 4- to 49-fold to avermectins, respectively, based on the field monitoring during 2004, 2009, and 2012, as compared with insecticide-susceptible F39 progenies. The resistance levels in the field P. japonica were high during May and November but low during summer. The population growth tendency index in field P. japonica was 0.8-fold as high as that in insecticide-susceptible P. japonica. The field P. japonica also showed high tolerance to the insecticide as compared with pest Lipaphis erysimi Kaltenbach and two parasitoids Diaeretiella rapae and Pachyneuron aphidis. Stable insecticide resistance levels and high vitality were found first in adult P. japonica with 1-, 30-, or 60-d-old adults, or among the adults developed form the eggs produced by newly emerged adults or by 60-d-old adults. Increased activity of glutathione S-transferases, carboxylesterases, and cytochrome P450 monooxygenases might be involved in the resistance of P. japonica. The results indicated that, in certain areas, inclusion of P. japonica for pest control in the integrated pest management would be highly recommended.
Topics: Animals; China; Coleoptera; Insecticide Resistance; Insecticides; Seasons
PubMed: 30535415
DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iey109 -
Environmental Health and Preventive... Feb 2018China has the world's largest tea plantation area in the world. To sustain high yields of the tea, multiple pesticides are used on tea crops to control pests....
BACKGROUND
China has the world's largest tea plantation area in the world. To sustain high yields of the tea, multiple pesticides are used on tea crops to control pests. Organophosphorus (OP) pesticides are among the most widely used types of agricultural pesticides in China. As tea is a significant potential source of exposure to pesticide residues, the public concern has increased in relation to pesticide residues found in tea in China. The aim of the study was to estimate cumulative dietary exposure to OP residues from tea infusion for Chinese tea consumers to determine whether exposure to OP residues from tea infusion is a cause of health concern for tea consumers in China.
METHODS
OP residue data were obtained from the China National Monitoring Program on Food Safety (2013-2014), encompassing 1687 tea samples from 12 provinces. Tea consumption data were obtained from the China National Nutrient and Health Survey (2002), comprising 506 tea consumers aged 15-82 years. The transfer rates of residues from tea leaves into tea infusions were obtained from the literature. The relative potency factor (RPF) approach was used to estimate acute cumulative exposure to 20 OP residues from tea infusion using methamidophos as the index compound. Dietary exposure was calculated in a probabilistic way.
RESULTS
For tea consumers, the mean and the 99.9th percentile (P99.9) of cumulative dietary exposure to OP residues from tea infusion equalled 0.08 and 1.08 μg/kg bw/d. When compared with the acute reference dose (ARfD), 10 μg/kg bw/d for methamidophos, this accounts for 0.8 and 10.8% of the ARfD.
CONCLUSIONS
Even when considering OP residues from vegetables, fruits and other foods, there are no health concerns based on acute dietary exposure to OP residues from tea infusion. However, it is necessary to strengthen the management of the OP pesticides used on tea in China to reduce the risk of chronic dietary exposure to OPs from tea infusion.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; China; Dietary Exposure; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Organophosphorus Compounds; Pesticide Residues; Risk Assessment; Tea; Young Adult
PubMed: 29444637
DOI: 10.1186/s12199-018-0696-1 -
3 Biotech Aug 2017The present study was intended to investigate the biodegradation of acephate in aqueous media in the presence and in the absence of metal ions [Fe(III) and Cu(II)], and...
The present study was intended to investigate the biodegradation of acephate in aqueous media in the presence and in the absence of metal ions [Fe(III) and Cu(II)], and humic acid (HA). Biodegradations were performed using PS-5 (PS-5) isolated from the heavy metal polluted site. Biodegradations were monitored by UV-Visible, FTIR, and electron spray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) analyses. ESI-MS analysis revealed that PS-5 degraded acephate to two metabolites showing intense ions at mass-to-charge ratios (/) 62 and 97. The observed kinetic was the pseudo-first order, and half-life periods () were 2.79 d (of PS-5 + acephate), 3.45 d [of PS-5 + acephate + Fe(III)], 3.16 d [of PS-5 + acephate + Cu(II)], and 5.54 d (of PS-5 + acephate + HA). A significant decrease in degradation rate of acephate was noticed in the presence of HA, and the same was confirmed by UV-Visible and TGA analyses. Strong aggregation behavior of acephate with humic acid in aqueous media was the major cause behind the slow degradation rate of acephate . New results on acephate metabolism by strain PS-5 in the presence and in the absence of metal ions [Fe(III) and Cu(II)] and humic acid were obtained. Results confirmed that strain PS-5 was capable of mineralization of the acephate without formation of toxic metabolite methamidophos. More significantly, the strain PS-5 could be useful as potential biological agents in effective bioremediation campaign for multi-polluted environments.
PubMed: 28744429
DOI: 10.1007/s13205-017-0900-9 -
Environment International Sep 2017Organophosphate insecticides (OPs) are used worldwide, yet despite nearly ubiquitous exposure in the general population, few have been studied outside the laboratory....
BACKGROUND
Organophosphate insecticides (OPs) are used worldwide, yet despite nearly ubiquitous exposure in the general population, few have been studied outside the laboratory. Fetal brains undergo rapid growth and development, leaving them susceptible to long-term effects of neurotoxic OPs. The objective here was to investigate the extent to which prenatal exposure to OPs affects infant motor development.
METHODS
30 OPs were measured in umbilical cord blood using gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry in a cohort of Chinese infants. Motor function was assessed at 6-weeks and 9-months using Peabody Developmental Motor Scales 2nd edition (PDMS-2) (n=199). Outcomes included subtest scores: reflexes, stationary, locomotion, grasping, visual-motor integration (V-M), composite scores: gross (GM), fine (FM), total motor (TM), and standardized motor quotients: gross (GMQ), fine (FMQ), total motor (TMQ).
RESULTS
Naled, methamidophos, trichlorfon, chlorpyrifos, and phorate were detected in ≥10% of samples. Prenatal naled and chlorpyrifos were associated with decreased 9-month motor function. Scores were 0.55, 0.85, and 0.90 points lower per 1ng/mL increase in log-naled, for V-M (p=0.04), FM (p=0.04), and FMQ (p=0.08), respectively. For chlorpyrifos, scores were 0.50, 1.98, 0.80, 1.91, 3.49, 2.71, 6.29, 2.56, 2.04, and 2.59 points lower for exposed versus unexposed infants, for reflexes (p=0.04), locomotion (p=0.02), grasping (p=0.05), V-M (p<0.001), GM (p=0.007), FM (p=0.002), TM (p<0.001), GMQ (p=0.01), FMQ (p=0.07), and TMQ (p=0.008), respectively. Girls appeared to be more sensitive to the negative effects of OPs on 9-month motor function than boys.
CONCLUSIONS
We found deficits in 9-month motor function in infants with prenatal exposure to naled and chlorpyrifos. Naled is being aerially sprayed to combat mosquitoes carrying Zika virus, yet this is the first non-occupational human study of its health effects. Delays in early-motor skill acquisition may be detrimental for downstream development and cognition.
Topics: China; Chlorpyrifos; Cohort Studies; Developmental Disabilities; Female; Fetal Blood; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Insecticides; Male; Motor Skills; Naled; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
PubMed: 28602489
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2017.05.015 -
Neurotoxicity Research Oct 2017Although evidence indicates that exposure to organophosphorus (OP) pesticides induces neurobehavioral disorders, little is known about the effects of OP on aggressive...
Although evidence indicates that exposure to organophosphorus (OP) pesticides induces neurobehavioral disorders, little is known about the effects of OP on aggressive behaviour. Our study investigated the effects of repeated exposure to an OP pesticide, methamidophos, on the isolation-induced aggressive behaviour in mice. Forty seven male mice were individually housed for a month. Socially isolated animals were then confronted with a standard non-isolated opponent for 15 min (pre-treatment trial), and the latency and frequency of aggressive and general exploratory behaviours were recorded. Based on the presence of attack behaviour in the pre-treatment trial, mice were classified as isolation-induced aggressive and non-aggressive. All mice were then treated for 7 days with methamidophos (3.5 mg/kg/day, n = 22, intraperitoneal (i.p.)) or saline (1 mL/kg/day, control group, n = 25, i.p.), and a second trial was performed. Repeated exposure to methamidophos induced attack behaviour in non-aggressive mice. The treatment with methamidophos also decreased plasma butyrylcholinesterase and brain acetylcholinesterase activity. These results suggest that methamidophos has a pro-aggressive effect on socially isolated mice.
Topics: Acetylcholinesterase; Aggression; Animals; Brain; Butyrylcholinesterase; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Insecticides; Male; Mice; Motor Activity; Organothiophosphorus Compounds; Psychological Tests; Social Isolation
PubMed: 28540662
DOI: 10.1007/s12640-017-9750-9