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Microorganisms Jun 2021Nowadays, microorganisms that display plant growth promoting properties are significantly interesting for their potential role in reducing the use of chemical...
Nowadays, microorganisms that display plant growth promoting properties are significantly interesting for their potential role in reducing the use of chemical fertilizers. This research study proposed the isolation of the actinobacteria associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) spores and the investigation of their plant growth promoting properties in the in vitro assay. Three actinobacterial strains were obtained and identified to the genus (GETU-1 and GIG-1) and (GLM-2). The results indicated that all actinobacterial strains produced indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and were positive in terms of siderophore, endoglucanase, and ammonia productions. In the in vitro assay, all strains were grown in the presence of water activity within a range of 0.897 to 0.998, pH values within a range of 5-11, and in the presence of 2.5% NaCl for the investigation of drought, pH, and salt tolerances, respectively. Additionally, all strains were able to tolerate commercial insecticides (propargite and methomyl) and fungicides (captan) at the recommended dosages for field applications. Only, sp. GLM-2 showed tolerance to benomyl at the recommended dose. All the obtained actinobacteria were characterized as plant growth promoting strains by improving the growth of chili plants ( L.). Moreover, the co-inoculation treatment of the obtained actinobacteria and AMF () spores could significantly increase plant growth, contribute to the chlorophyll index, and enhance fruit production in chili plants. Additionally, the highest value of AMF spore production and the greatest percentage of root colonization were observed in the treatment that had been co-inoculated with sp. GETU-1.
PubMed: 34207987
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9061274 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2022Organic pesticides are major sources of soil pollution in agricultural lands. Most of these pesticides are persistent and tend to bio accumulate in humans upon...
Organic pesticides are major sources of soil pollution in agricultural lands. Most of these pesticides are persistent and tend to bio accumulate in humans upon consumption of contaminated plants. In this study, we investigate different natural soil samples that were collected from agricultural lands. The samples revealed the presence of 18 pesticides that belong to four different groups including organochlorines (OCP), organophosphorus (OPP), carbamates (Carb), and pyrethroids (Pyrth). The photocatalytic degradation of the five most abundant pesticides was studied in the presence and absence of 1% TiO or ZnO photocatalysts under UV irradiation at a wavelength of 306 nm. The five abundant pesticides were Atrazine (OCP), Chlorpyrifos methyl (OPP), Dimethoate (OPP), Heptachlor (OCP), and Methomyl (Carb). The results showed that photolysis of all pesticides was complete under UV radiation for irradiation times between 64-100 h. However, both photocatalysts enhanced photocatalytic degradation of the pesticides in comparison with photolysis. The pesticides were photocatalytically degraded completely within 20-24 h of irradiation. The TiO photocatalyst showed higher activity compared to ZnO. The organochlorine heptachlor, which is very toxic and persistent, was completely degraded within 30 h using TiO photocatalyst for the first time in soil. The mechanism of photocatalytic degradation of the pesticides was explained and the effects of different factors on the degradation process in the soil were discussed.
PubMed: 35163899
DOI: 10.3390/molecules27030634 -
Plants (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2023Several soil fungi significantly contribute to the enhancement of plant development by improving nutrient uptake and producing growth-promoting metabolites. In the...
Several soil fungi significantly contribute to the enhancement of plant development by improving nutrient uptake and producing growth-promoting metabolites. In the present study, three strains of phosphate-solubilizing fungi, namely, SDBR-CMUI4, SDBR-CMUI1, and SDBR-CMUO2, were examined for their plant-growth-promoting capabilities. The findings demonstrated that all fungi showed positive siderophore production, but only can produce indole-3-acetic acid. All fungi were able to solubilize insoluble phosphate minerals [Ca(PO) and FePO] by producing phosphatase enzymes and organic acids (oxalic, tartaric, and succinic acids). These three fungal species were grown at a water activity ranging from 0.837 to 0.998, pH values ranging from 4 to 9, temperatures between 4 and 40 °C, and 16-17% NaCl in order to evaluate their drought, pH, temperature, and salt tolerances, respectively. Moreover, the results indicated that and were able to tolerate commercial insecticides (methomyl and propargite) at the recommended dosages for field application. The viability of each fungal strain in the inoculum was higher than 50% at 4 and 20 °C after 3 months of storage. Subsequently, all fungi were characterized as plant-growth-promoting strains by improving the root inductions of cassava ( Crantz) and sugarcane ( L.) stem cuttings in greenhouse experiments. No symptoms of plant disease were observed with any of the treatments involving fungal inoculation and control. The cassava and sugarcane stem cuttings inoculated with fungal strains and supplemented with Ca(PO) exhibited significantly increased root lengths, shoot and root dry biomasses, chlorophyll concentrations, and cellular inorganic phosphate contents. Therefore, the application of these phosphate-solubilizing fungi is regarded as a new frontier in the induction of roots and the promotion of growth in plants.
PubMed: 37896093
DOI: 10.3390/plants12203630 -
Se Pu = Chinese Journal of... Sep 2023Carbamates are used in broad-spectrum insecticides and herbicides, and have highly efficient, low-residue, and long-lasting characteristics. However, this type of...
[Determination of 10 carbamate pesticide residues in liquid milk by ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with pass-through solid-phase extraction purification].
Carbamates are used in broad-spectrum insecticides and herbicides, and have highly efficient, low-residue, and long-lasting characteristics. However, this type of pesticide exerts mutagenic, teratogenic, carcinogenic, and other adverse effects, and its frequent use can exceed the recommended scope and limits. Research on the determination of carbamate pesticides mainly focuses on foods of plant origin and pays less attention to foods of animal origin. The methods for carbamate determination described in the current national standards have complicated operating procedures and low efficiency. Therefore, highly efficient and accurate methods for carbamate detection in milk must be established. In this work, a rapid method based on pass-through solid-phase extraction (SPE) purification coupled with ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was developed for the simultaneous determination of 10 carbamate pesticides in liquid milk. The pretreatment and instrument methods were systematically optimized. The milk sample was extracted with acetonitrile, and then purified using a Captiva EMR-Lipid filtration kit. The purified extract was separated on an ACQUITY UPLC BEH C column with mobile phase of methanol and 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution in gradient elution. The flow rate was 0.3 mL/min. Column temperature was 35 ℃. Quantitative analysis was performed using the external standard method with matrix matching curves. The 10 carbamate pesticides showed good linear relationships in the mass concentration range of 2-200 μg/L, with correlation coefficients greater than 0.999. The limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs) for the 10 carbamate pesticides were 0.045-0.23 and 0.15-0.77 μg/kg, respectively. Recovery tests were conducted using the blank-matrix method at three spiked levels of 15, 50, and 100 μg/kg, and good recoveries for the 10 carbamate pesticides were obtained. In particular, the recoveries for the three spiked levels of 15, 50, and 100 μg/kg were 68.7%-93.3% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 1.8%-8.0%. The proposed method is efficient, convenient, accurate, and suitable for the rapid detection of the 10 carbamate pesticides in liquid milk. Compared with the conventional NH and ENVI-18 SPE columns used in the national standard determination method, the proposed method demonstrated better purification effects. The recoveries for aldicarb sulfoxide, aldicarb sulfone, methomyl, and carbaryl after purification using the Captiva EMR-Lipid kit increased from 60% to 80%. Thus, the proposed method is suitable for targets with strong polarity and gives measurement results with good repeatability and accuracy.
Topics: Animals; Pesticide Residues; Carbamates; Milk; Chromatography, Liquid; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Pesticides; Lipids
PubMed: 37712545
DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1123.2023.03017 -
Neurotoxicology May 2024Exposure to pesticides, such as carbamates, organophosphates, organochlorines and pyrethroids, has been linked to various health problems, including neurotoxicity....
Exposure to pesticides, such as carbamates, organophosphates, organochlorines and pyrethroids, has been linked to various health problems, including neurotoxicity. Although most in vivo studies use only male rodents, some studies have shown in vivo sex-specific effects after acute exposure. Since in vivo studies are costly and require a large number of animals, in vitro assays that take sex-specific effects into account are urgently needed. We therefore assessed the acute effects of exposure to different carbamates (methomyl, aldicarb and carbaryl), organophosphates (chlorpyrifos (CPF), chlorpyrifos-oxon (CPO) and 3,5,6-trichloropyridinol), organochlorines (endosulfan, dieldrin and lindane) and pyrethroids (permethrin, alpha-cypermethrin and 3-phenoxy-benzoic acid (3-PBA)) on neuronal network function in sex-separated rat primary cortical cultures using micro-electrode array (MEA) recordings. Our results indicate that exposure to the carbamate carbaryl and the organophosphates CPF and CPO decreased neuronal activity, with CPO being the most potent. Notably, (network) burst patterns differed between CPF and CPO, with CPO inducing fewer, but more intense (network) bursts. Exposure to low micromolar levels of endosulfan induced a hyperexcitation, most likely due to the antagonistic effects on GABA receptors. Interestingly, females were more sensitive to endosulfan than males. Exposure to dieldrin and lindane also increased neuronal activity, albeit less than endosulfan and without sex-specific effects. Exposure to type I pyrethroid permethrin increased neuronal activity, while exposure to type II pyrethroid alpha-cypermethrin strongly decreased neuronal activity. The increase seen after permethrin exposure was more pronounced in males than in females. Together, these results show that acute exposure to different classes of pesticides exerts differential effects on neuronal activity. Moreover, it shows that MEA recordings are suited to detect sex-specific neurotoxic effects in vitro.
Topics: Animals; Insecticides; Neurons; Female; Male; Cerebral Cortex; Rats; Cells, Cultured; Action Potentials; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Microelectrodes; Rats, Wistar
PubMed: 38599286
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2024.04.004 -
Water Research Aug 2023Micropollutants are regularly detected at the outlets of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Across urban and industrial WWTPs, monitoring directives only require...
Micropollutants are regularly detected at the outlets of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Across urban and industrial WWTPs, monitoring directives only require assessment for a handful of chemicals via sampling methods that fail to capture the temporal variability in micropollutant discharge. In this study, we develop a biotest for real-time on-line monitoring of micropollutant discharge dynamics in WWTPs effluents. The selected biomonitoring device ToxMate uses videotracking of invertebrate movement, which was used to deduce avoidance behaviour of the amphipod Gammarus fossarum. Organism conditioning was set up to induce a state of minimal locomotor activity in basal conditions to maximise avoidance signal sensitivity to micropollutant spikes. We showed that with a standardised protocol, it was possible to minimise both overall movement and sensitivity to physio-chemical variations typical to WWTP effluents, as well as capture the spikes of two micropollutants upon exposure (copper and methomyl). Spikes in avoidance behaviour were consistently seen for the two chemicals, as well as a strong correlation between avoidance intensity and spiked concentration. A two-year effluent monitoring case study also illustrates how this biomonitoring method is suitable for real-time on-site monitoring, and shows a promising non-targeted approach for characterising complex micropollutant discharge variability at WWTP effluents, which today remains poorly understood.
Topics: Animals; Wastewater; Avoidance Learning; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Amphipoda; Water Purification; Environmental Monitoring; Waste Disposal, Fluid
PubMed: 37348420
DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120228 -
Journal of Enzyme Inhibition and... Dec 2020Carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) plays crucial physiological roles in many different organisms, such as in pH regulation, ion transport, and metabolic processes. CA...
Carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) plays crucial physiological roles in many different organisms, such as in pH regulation, ion transport, and metabolic processes. CA was isolated from the European bee (AmCA) spermatheca and inhibitory effects of pesticides belonging to various classes, such as carbamates, thiophosphates, and pyrethroids, were investigated herein. The inhibitory effects of methomyl, oxamyl, deltamethrin, cypermethrin, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and diazinon on AmCA were analysed. These pesticides showed effective inhibition of the enzyme, at sub-micromolar levels. The IC values for these pesticides ranged between of 0.0023 and 0.0385 μM. The CA inhibition mechanism with these compounds is unknown at the moment, but most of them contain ester functionalities which may be hydrolysed by the enzyme with the formation of intermediates that can either react with amino acid residues or bid to the zinc ion from the active site.
Topics: Animals; Bees; Carbamates; Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors; Carbonic Anhydrases; Catalytic Domain; DDT; Diazinon; Esters; Methomyl; Nitriles; Pesticides; Phosphates; Protein Binding; Pyrethrins; Structure-Activity Relationship; Zinc
PubMed: 33078633
DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2020.1835885 -
Environmental Science & Technology Jan 2022Process wastewaters from food, beverage, and feedstock facilities, although regulated, are an under-investigated environmental contaminant source. Food process...
Process wastewaters from food, beverage, and feedstock facilities, although regulated, are an under-investigated environmental contaminant source. Food process wastewaters (FPWWs) from 23 facilities in 17 U.S. states were sampled and documented for a plethora of chemical and microbial contaminants. Of the 576 analyzed organics, 184 (32%) were detected at least once, with concentrations as large as 143 μg L (6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonic acid), and as many as 47 were detected in a single FPWW sample. Cumulative per/polyfluoroalkyl substance concentrations up to 185 μg L and large pesticide transformation product concentrations (e.g., methomyl oxime, 40 μg L; clothianidin TMG, 2.02 μg L) were observed. Despite 48% of FPWW undergoing disinfection treatment prior to discharge, bacteria resistant to third-generation antibiotics were found in each facility type, and multiple bacterial groups were detected in all samples, including total coliforms. The exposure-activity ratios and toxicity quotients exceeded 1.0 in 13 and 22% of samples, respectively, indicating potential biological effects and toxicity to vertebrates and invertebrates associated with the discharge of FPWW. Organic contaminant profiles of FPWW differed from previously reported contaminant profiles of municipal effluents and urban storm water, indicating that FPWW is another important source of chemical and microbial contaminant mixtures discharged into receiving surface waters.
Topics: Animals; Beverages; Environmental Monitoring; Rivers; Wastewater; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 34967600
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c06821 -
Neurology International Jan 2014Methomyl is a potent pesticide that is widely used in the field of agriculture. The systemic toxic effects of methomyl have been well described. However, the...
Methomyl is a potent pesticide that is widely used in the field of agriculture. The systemic toxic effects of methomyl have been well described. However, the neurological effects of methomyl intoxication are not well understood. In this study, we report a 61-year-old Taiwanese man sent to our emergency department because of altered mental status. His family stated that he had consumed liquid methomyl in a suicide attempt. He was provided cardiopulmonary resuscitation because of unstable vital signs. He was then sent to an intensive care unit for close observation. On the second day of admission, he regained consciousness but exhibited irregular limb and torso posture. On the sixth day, he started to complain of blurred vision. An ophthalmologist was consulted but no obvious abnormalities could be identified. On suspicion of cerebral disease, a neurologist was consulted. Further examination revealed cortical blindness and decorticate posture. Cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was arranged, which identified bilateral occipital regions lesions. The patient was administered normal saline and treated with aspirin and piracetam for 3 weeks in hospital. During the treatment period, his symptom of cortical blindness resolved, whereas his decorticate posture was refractory. Follow-up brain MRI results supported our clinical observations by indicating the disappearance of the bilateral occipital lesions and symmetrical putaminal high signal abnormalities. In this article, we briefly discuss the possible mechanisms underlying the cerebral effects of methomyl poisoning. Our study can provide clinicians with information on the manifestations of methomyl intoxication and an appropriate treatment direction.
PubMed: 24744847
DOI: 10.4081/ni.2014.5307 -
Toxics Dec 2017Exposure to mixtures of toxicants (e.g., pesticides) is common in real life and a subject of current concern. The present investigation was undertaken to assess some...
Exposure to mixtures of toxicants (e.g., pesticides) is common in real life and a subject of current concern. The present investigation was undertaken to assess some toxicological effects in male rats following exposure to methomyl (MET), abamectin (ABM), and their combination (MET+ABM), and to evaluate the ameliorative effect of zinc co-administration. Three groups of rats were designated for MET, ABM, and the mixture treatments. Three other groups were designated for zinc in conjunction with the pesticides. Additionally, one group received water only (control), and the other represented a positive zinc treatment. The obtained results revealed that MET was acutely more toxic than ABM. The tested pesticides induced significant elevation in lipid peroxidation and catalase levels, while declined the levels of the other tested parameters e.g., Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Glutathione-S-transferase (GST), Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), Glutathione reductase (GR), Cytochrome P (CYP), testosterone, and thyroxine). Biochemical alterations induced by the mixture were greater than those recorded for each of the individual insecticides. The joint action analysis, based on the obtained biochemical data, revealed the dominance of antagonistic action among MET and ABM. Zinc supplementation achieved noticeable ameliorative effects. It was concluded that zinc may act as a powerful antioxidant, especially in individuals who are occupationally exposed daily to low doses of such pesticides.
PubMed: 29207507
DOI: 10.3390/toxics5040037