Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part B-pesticides Food Contaminants and Agricultural Wastes最新文献

The increased use of pesticides in tropical regions, combined with rapid warming due to climate change, poses a critical threat to amphibian populations. However, the interactive effects of these stressors on tropical amphibians remain poorly understood. In this study, we assessed lethal and sublethal responses to methomyl in two Amazonian anurans, Osteocephalus taurinus and Scinax ruber. Tadpoles were exposed to methomyl at two temperatures (26.5 °C and 30 °C), simulating current and projected climate scenarios. Acute toxicity was quantified through LC₅₀, and thermal tolerance was assessed via critical thermal maximum (CT_max). Warming significantly increased methomyl toxicity in O. taurinus, lowering the LC₅₀ from 96.4 mg/L to 45.9 mg/L at 30 °C. S. ruber showed no such effect, with LC₅₀ values of 15.5 mg/L (26.5 °C) and 19.7 mg/L (30 °C). S. ruber was approximately six times more sensitive to methomyl than O. taurinus across temperatures. Methomyl exposure did not alter CT_max in either species, although variability increased in O. taurinus at higher concentrations. These findings provide novel evidence of temperature-modulated methomyl toxicity in Amazonian frog tadpoles, highlighting the need to incorporate native species, sublethal endpoints, and climate-relevant stressors in ecotoxicological risk assessments.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the selectivity of four post-emergence herbicides in the cultivation of industrial hemp. Hemp was grown in 3.5 L pots with inert substrate in the absence of weeds throughout the crop cycle. The experimental design adopted was a randomized, complete block design with five treatments and four replications. The herbicides atrazine (2.500 g a.i./ha), clethodim (96 g a.i./ha), fomesafen (250 g a.i./ha), and nicosulfuron (54 g a.i./ha) were applied when the plants were approximately 35 days after cutting. Visual assessments of herbicide-induced injury symptoms were conducted, along with measurements of the number of leaves, plant height, stem diameter, and total aerial part dry mass. When nicosulfuron was applied after emergence, it caused 60.0% damage 21 days after application (DAA), which changed the number of leaves, height, stem diameter, and total aerial part dry mass of hemp plants in a big way. Fomesafen caused 42.5% injury at 5 DAA, and atrazine caused 42.5% injury at 21 DAA, which may compromise the final yield. Therefore, it is recommended to use only clethodim, a selective herbicide for broadleaf plants such as hemp, as it did not cause significant injuries during the evaluation period.

The widespread use of antibiotics has led to significant water pollution. Photocatalysis can effectively degrade antibiotics, but the performance is greatly limited by the photogenerated carrier recombination in the photocatalytic material g-C₃N₅. Constructing heterojunctions can enhance interfacial charge transfer, leading to more stable and efficient photocatalysis. This study synthesized a Fe₂O₃/g-C₃N₅ heterojunction using the solvothermal method. The Z-scheme charge transfer mechanism facilitated efficient separation of photogenerated carriers, preserving photoelectrons and holes with high redox activity. This process generated a substantial amount of highly reactive free radicals such as ·O₂^- and ·OH, enabling the efficient degradation of tetracycline (TC). Under the optimal conditions of initial concentration of TC was 200 mg/L, the quality ratio of Fe₂O₃ and g-C₃N₅ was 1:2, the catalyst dosage was 50 mg and pH = 7.0, the TC degradation rate reached 92.46% within 60 min of visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic activity's enhancement was attributed to broad spectral absorption and effective photogenerated carrier separation. Furthermore, the photocatalytic performance can be affected by the presence of inorganic salt ions such as HCO₃^- and CO₃^2-.

There is growing evidence that environmental benzene exposure is a risk factor for developing some hematological disorders, leukemia included. The aim of this study was to assess the variation in mRNA expression of a regulatory set of hematopoietic genes in children exposed to benzene and hematological parameters. In this study, 67 healthy children between the ages of 3 and 12 voluntarily participated. Trans,trans-muconic acid was analyzed in urine samples using high-performance liquid chromatography, and gene expression of AhR, BCL2, CD38, PTEN, and RUNX1 was assessed in blood samples by RT-qPCR. We observed elevated benzene exposure levels (GM = 326.3 ± 42.3 µg/g creatinine), with 20% of children exceeding the occupational threshold of 500 µg/g creatinine. Additionally, benzene exposure was significantly associated with RUNX1 mRNA expression (r = 0.27, p < 0.05). Our finding show that benzene could contribute to hematopoietic effects developed in highly exposed children. These results highlight the necessity of implementing environmental policies aim at reducing benzene exposure in children.

The aim of this study was to analyze persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in water, sediment and fish samples from Fierza Lake, Albania. Water, sediment and fish samples were collected in December 2023 and May 2024. The samples were analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by using GC-MS/MS. Total PCB concentrations in water, sediment and fish ranged from < MDL to 4.372 ± 0.957 μg/L, < MDL to 4.217 ± 0.968 μg/kg and < MDL to 5.849 ± 0.953 μg/kg, respectively. PAHs in water, sediment and fish samples ranged from < MDL to 0.195 ± 0.061 μg/L, < MDL to 0.203 ± 0.067 μg/kg and < MDL to 0.227 ± 0.072 μg/kg, respectively. OCP concentrations in water, sediment and fish ranged from < MDL to 3.626 ± 1.058 μg/L, < MDL to 3.032 ± 0.724 μg/kg and < MDL to 3.558 ± 1.108 μg/kg, respectively. The highest detected concentrations of PCBs and specific OCPs surpassed the Environmental quality standards established by the European Union's Water-Framework Directive for surface water and aquatic biota. These exceedances indicate potential ecological risks and pose concerns regarding bioaccumulation and human health through the consumption of contaminated fish.

In this study, the spraying performance of two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the DJI T10 and the DJI T30, was evaluated for herbicide application in wheat cultivation under different application volumes. The UAVs were tested at application volumes of 10, 20 and 30 L ha^-1, and their performance was evaluated based on spray coverage rate, deposition, and distribution uniformity. Field experiments were conducted in Adana, Türkiye, using Water Sensitive Paper (WSP) to collect data from 15 sampling points per plot. The T30 UAV achieved the highest coverage rate (39.69%) and deposition value (0.194 µL cm^-2) at 30 L ha^-1, demonstrating a more uniform spray distribution across all sampling points, including the edge areas. In contrast, the T10 UAV showed a maximum of 32.22% coverage rate and a deposition of 0.175 µL cm^-2, with a higher concentration at the central points and a lower uniformity at the edges. These findings suggested that the T30 UAV provided superior performance in higher application volumes, while the T10 would be more suitable for targeted or small-scale applications.

Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol), severely limits tomato productivity, while excessive use of chemical fungicides raises environmental and resistance concerns. This study reports the green synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) using neem (Azadirachta indica L.) leaf extract and evaluates their antifungal and growth-promoting effects. UV-vis, FTIR, and SEM analyses confirmed successful nanoparticle formation; the slightly blue-shifted UV-vis absorption band (250-320 nm), frequently observed in plant-mediated CuO NP synthesis, is attributed to phytochemical capping effects. The absence of XRD, TEM, and Zeta potential analyses due to laboratory limitations is acknowledged and discussed. In vitro assays showed enhanced germination and seedling vigor at 25 ppm, while antifungal activity increased in a dose-dependent manner, reaching 97.6% disease suppression at 100 ppm. Comparative controls-including neem extract alone and CuSO₄ solution-were included to distinguish nanoparticle-specific effects. Greenhouse trials demonstrated reduced wilt incidence, improved plant growth, and increased phenolic and proline accumulation, indicating activation of host defense pathways. Overall, neem-mediated CuO NPs functioned as dual-action agents-potent antifungals and growth stimulants-highlighting their novelty and potential as an eco-friendly, sustainable alternative to chemical fungicides for tomato wilt management.

Bioherbicides, including plant extracts, allelochemicals, and microbial agents, offer sustainable alternatives for weed control in agriculture. In Brazil, the native tree Esenbeckia leiocarpa (guarantã) shows potential phytotoxic effects in weeds species. This study evaluates aqueous extracts from its aerial parts as a substitute for herbicides, focusing on their impact on weed germination and initial growth. The experiment used a completely randomized 7 × 4 factorial design with seven extract concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, and 100%) and four weed species (Amaranthus hybridus, Bidens pilosa, Euphorbia heterophylla, and Digitaria insularis), with four replicates per treatment. Germination and germination speed index dropped significantly even at 5%, nearly ceasing at 20% or higher. The results indicate a non-linear dose-response relationship, suggesting that increasing the extract concentration beyond 20% does not result in a proportional reduction in germination. Pre-germinated seeds showed reduced radicle length and fresh mass from 5%, with E. heterophylla least affected and D. insularis most sensitive. Phytotoxic effects increased with concentration, except for D. insularis, where phytotoxicity stabilized (90% phytotoxicity) at concentrations above 20%. When applied to leaves, phytotoxicity was minimal, ranging from 5 to 10%, and had negligible effect on reducing fresh mass. The findings indicate that the response to E. leiocarpa leaf extract varies among the weed species evaluated, primarily affecting germination with minimal impact when applied to leaves. Thus, E. leiocarpa demonstrates potential as a bioherbicide for pre-emergent applications against the species studied.

Weeds significantly reduce rice (Oryza sativa L.) yield and grain quality, highlighting the need for sustainable weed management strategies. This study evaluated the bioherbicidal potential of methanolic extracts from Lantana camara L. (LC) against dominant rice field weeds Echinochloa crus-galli (BY), Leptochloa chinensis (RS), and Fimbristylis miliacea (GF), and examined the recovery responses of rice varieties OM18 and OM5451. At 0.48 g/mL, LC extract markedly suppressed shoot and root growth in RS, and GF, with root inhibition reaching 95.14-100%. BY was less sensitive, especially in shoot growth (24.21% inhibition). Interestingly, low concentrations (0.01-0.06 g/mL) promoted early rice growth, suggesting hormetic stimulation. IC₉₀ values confirmed differential sensitivity: GF was most susceptible (0.129 g/mL), while BY was highly resistant (2.658 g/mL). OM5451 showed greater recovery after 168 h. HPLC analysis identified major phenolic compounds as veratric acid (5.605 µg/mL), p-coumaric acid (1.533 µg/mL), vanillic, salicylic, and gallic acids likely contributing to LC's phytotoxicity. While the findings underscore that LC may be potent as a selective natural herbicide, this laboratory-based study remains exploratory. Field-scale validation, ecological impact assessments, and formulation refinement are essential next steps. Nevertheless, this work highlights LC's dual role, as both an invasive species and a possible bioresource for eco-friendly weed control.

This study evaluated an effective approach for the removal of chlorpyrifos (Chp) and atrazine (Atz) pesticides using graphitic carbon nitride photocatalyst (g-CN). Experimental results showed that under solar light, g-CN was able to remove 82.4% of Chp and 73.6% of Atz at an initial concentration of 10 mg L^-1. It also exhibited that the total organic carbon removal efficiency was 95.3% for Chp and 84.7% for Atz after 150 min. Besides, the removal of Chp and Atz is more effective under solar light, with a degradation efficiency of around 10% higher than that of visible light. The characterization results confirmed the high purity of the g-CN photocatalyst and its strong UV light absorption ability, with some extension into the visible region. In addition, recent methods used for the removal of Chp and Atz were discussed and evaluated. It showed that the photocatalytic process is the most widely used method for removing Chp and Atz compared to other techniques. However, the development of suitable photocatalytic materials based on g-CN should be further explored to enhance their efficiency under visible light.