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Willow barks were collected for OCP analyses in the middle reach of the Huaihe River (MRHR), China. ΣOCPs in the tree barks were 16.00-50.35 ng g-1 (mean: 27.60±7.48 ng g-1, dry weight). HCHs were the dominant OCPs in the bark samples. The historical usage of technical HCH and DDT considerably impacted the HCHs and DDTs in the barks. Heptachlor, Aldrin, Isodrin, etc., have never been used in China, but they were frequently detected in the barks, indicating their unknown usage or atmospheric transportation from other source regions. Volumetric air concentrations of OCPs were estimated using a model for bark/air partitioning. Calculated air concentrations of ΣDDTs and ΣHCHs were 0.16±0.04 and 10.38±4.13 ng m-3, respectively. The results of air-soil exchange were: HCB, HCHs, and Heptachlor presented net volatilization; DDTs preferred net deposition; Endosulfan-I and Endosulfan-II might be in equilibrium or presented a weak trend of deposition; and Aldrin was in equilibrium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: γ-Hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH), an organochlorine insecticide of anthropogenic origin, is a persistent organic pollutant (POP) that causes environmental pollution concerns worldwide. Although many γ-HCH-degrading bacterial strains are available, inoculating them directly into γ-HCH-contaminated soil is ineffective because of the low survival rate of the exogenous bacteria. Another strategy for the bioremediation of γ-HCH involves the use of transgenic plants expressing bacterial enzyme for γ-HCH degradation through phytoremediation. Results: We generated transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana expressing γ-HCH dehydrochlroninase LinA from bacterium Sphingobium japonicum strain UT26. Among the transgenic Arabidopsis T2 lines, we obtained one line (A5) that expressed and accumulated LinA well. The A5-derived T3 plants showed higher tolerance to γ-HCH than the non-transformant control plants, indicating that γ-HCH is toxic for Arabidopsis thaliana and that this effect is relieved by LinA expression. The crude extract of the A5 plants showed γ-HCH degradation activity, and metabolites of γ-HCH produced by the LinA reaction were detected in the assay solution, indicating that the A5 plants accumulated the active LinA protein. In some A5 lines, the whole plant absorbed and degraded more than 99% of γ-HCH (10 ppm) in the liquid medium within 36 h. Conclusion: The transgenic Arabidopsis expressing active LinA absorbed and degraded γ-HCH in the liquid medium, indicating the high potential of LinA-expressing transgenic plants for the phytoremediation of environmental γ-HCH. This study marks a crucial step toward the practical use of transgenic plants for the phytoremediation of POPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Very recently, it has been reported that exposure to different mixtures of organochlorine pesticides (OCP) is associated with the development of diabetes mellitus (DM). In Mexico, DM is a public health problem that might be related to the historical intense use of OCP. We aimed to evaluate, the association between DM and serum concentrations of OCP mixtures, and identify the main contributors within them. Methods: We conducted a secondary cross-sectional analysis on the control group from a breast cancer population-based case-control study conducted from 2007 to 2011 in Northern Mexico. We identified 214 self-reported diabetic women and 694 non-diabetics. We obtained direct information about sociodemographic, lifestyle and reproductive characteristics. We determined 24 OCP and metabolites in serum by gas chromatography using an electron capture micro detector. We used Weighted Quantile Sum regression to assess the association of DM and exposure to multiple OCP, and the contribution of each compound within the mixture. Results: We found a positive adjusted association between DM and an OCP mixture (OR: 2.63, 95%CI: 1.85, 3.74), whose primary contribution arose from p, p'-DDE (mean weight 23.3%), HCB (mean weight 17.3%), trans nonachlor (mean weight 15.4%), o, p'-DDE (mean weight 7.3%), heptachlor epoxide (mean weight 5.9%), oxychlordane (mean weight 4.7%), and heptachlor (mean weight 4.5%). In addition, these OCP along with p, p'-DDT and cis chlordane, were of concern and remained associated when excluding hypertensive women from the analysis (OR 2.55; 95% CI 1.56, 4.18). Conclusions: Our results indicate, for the first time in a Latin-American population, that the concomitant exposure to multiple OCP is associated with DM. Further research is needed since the composition of OCP mixtures may vary according to regional pesticides use patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The monitoring of contaminants in fish species is pivotal for fishes' health and reproduction, as well as for human health. In the specific work, three major categories of contaminants, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and macro and trace elements, were investigated in two major fish species, Dicentrarchus labrax and Solea solea, collected from Thermaikos Gulf, in Greece. To achieve this goal, three analytical methods using LC-MS/MS, GC-MS/MS, and ICP-MS were developed, validated, and applied to the collected fish samples. The results indicated a very low prevalence of caffeine and acetaminophen, both not exceeding 3.8 μg/kg fish. Similarly, thiabendazole, cypermethrin, and tricyclazole (pesticides) were found in a concentration range of 0.9 to 13.7 μg/kg fish, while in one D. labrax sample, traces of the metabolite of organochlorine pesticide DDT, o,p'-DDE were detected. Al, Mn, Fe, Zn, and Sr were the predominant trace elements in a concentration range of 500–20,000 μg/kg fish. Macro elements levels varied from 280 to 5405 mg/kg fish. Health risk assessment did not unveil an unacceptable risk for the human health of adults, apart from one sample presenting Hg above the regulatory levels. On the contrary, for children, the calculated hazard quotient values for Hg in all cases and for two As detections were higher than the threshold value of 1, indicating a potential risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are a class of environmentally persistent and bioaccumulative pollutants. Among these, β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH) is a byproduct of lindane synthesis, one of the most worldwide widespread pesticides. β-HCH cellular mechanisms inducing chemical carcinogenesis correspond to many of those inducing chemoresistance, in particular, by the activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathways. For this purpose, four cell lines, representative of breast, lung, prostate, and hepatocellular cancers, were treated with β-HCH, specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), and a STAT3 inhibitor. All cell samples were analyzed by a viability assay, immunoblotting analysis, a wound-healing assay, and a colony formation assay. The results show that β-HCH reduces the efficacy of TKIs. The STAT3 protein, in this context, plays a central role. In fact, by inhibiting its activity, the efficacy of the anticancer drug is restored. Furthermore, this manuscript aimed to draw the attention of the scientific and socio-healthcare community to the issue of prolonged exposure to contaminants and their impact on drug efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, dispersive micro-solid phase extraction technique was developed for the purpose of extracting and preconcentrating organochlorine pesticide residues in juice samples before their separation and quantitative analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A sorbent composed of a silica-supported Fe2O3-modified khat leftover biochar nanocomposite (SiO2-Fe2O3-KLBNC) was implemented in the process. To improve the dispersion of the sorbent in the solution, vortex mixer was employed. Experimental parameters influencing the performance of the method were optimized, and the optimal conditions were established. With these conditions, linear dynamic ranges ranged from 0.003 to 100.0 ng/mL were achieved, with a correlation coefficient (r2) ≥ 0.9981. The limits of detection and quantification, determined by signal-to-noise ratios of 3 and 10, respectively, were found to be in the ranges of 0.001–0.006 ng/mL and 0.003–0.020 ng/mL. Intra- and inter-day precision, values ranging from 0.3–4.8% and 1.7–5.2% were obtained, respectively. The matrix-matched extraction recoveries demonstrated favorable outcomes, falling within the range of 83.4–108.3%. The utilization of khat leftover as an adsorbent in contemporary sample preparation methodologies offers a cost-effective alternative to the currently available, yet expensive, adsorbents. This renders it economically viable, particularly in resource-constrained regions, and is anticipated to witness widespread adoption in the coming future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Situated in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, Sanshan Lake represents a typical rural-urban junction lake. In May 2019, sediment core samples were gathered from five distinct sites within the lake to assess contamination levels and potential health hazards stemming from organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). The OCPs scrutinized included p,p’-DDE, α-HCH, γ-HCH, β-HCH, and δ-HCH, with concentrations of ∑DDTs and ∑HCHs ranging from 0.03 to 1.49 mg/kg and from 0.03 to 1.42 mg/kg, respectively. Average DDT and HCH residues stood at 0.04 ± 0.03 and 0.51 ± 0.41 mg/kg, respectively. This study unveiled substantial OCP contamination in Sanshan Lake, notably with remarkably elevated HCH residue levels compared to other analyzed compounds. The predominant OCP detected was β-HCH, prevalent across all samples. Moreover, the average HCH residue concentrations were an order of magnitude higher than those found in soils of the United States and Italy. At some sampling points, DDT residue levels surpassed both the ecological screening benchmark for soil DDT established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (0.0025 mg/kg) and China’s primary standard as per soil environmental quality regulations (GB15618–2008, 0.05 mg/kg). Source analysis indicated that historical agricultural practices primarily contributed to DDT contamination, while technical blends accounted for HCH pollution. Carcinogenic risk assessments conducted on HCH exposure through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact revealed higher non-carcinogenic risks for children, with α-HCH posing the most significant carcinogenic risk among the various homologues studied. Conversely, the associated carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks linked with DDT residue exposure were minimal or negligible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to explore the relationship of adipose tissue concentrations of some persistent organic pollutants (POPs) with the risk of endometriosis and the endometriotic tissue expression profile of genes related to the endometriosis-related epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. This case–control study enrolled 109 women (34 cases and 75 controls) between January 2018 and March 2020. Adipose tissue samples and endometriotic tissues were intraoperatively collected to determine concentrations of nine POPs and the gene expression profiles of 36 EMT-related genes, respectively. Associations of POPs with endometriosis risk were explored with multivariate logistic regression, while the relationship between exposure and gene expression profiles was assessed through Spearman correlation or Mann–Whitney U tests. After adjustment, increased endometriosis risk was associated with p,p'-DDT, PCB-180, and ΣPCBs. POP exposure was also associated with reduced gene expression levels of the CLDN7 epithelial marker and increased levels of the ITGB2 mesenchymal marker and a variety of EMT promoters (HMGA1, HOXA10, FOXM1, DKK1, CCR1, TNFRSF1B, RRM2, ANG, ANGPT1, and ESR1). Our findings indicate that exposure to POPs may increase the risk of endometriosis and might have a role in the endometriosis-related EMT development, contributing to the disease onset and progression. Further studies are warranted to corroborate these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of efficacious and cost‐effective pesticides (OP and OC) has undoubtedly proven to be a blessing and a baron because these pesticides are safeguarding the world from food insecurity. Unfortunately, their presence in aquatic bodies brings about an upsurge in water pollution. Amazingly, the photocatalytic degradation approach utilizing biogenic nanoparticles (BNPs) is a trendy state‐of‐the‐art approach and has been established to be a sustainable methodology for the complete mineralization of contaminants into harmless molecules. Thus, this work holistically explores the use of BNPs for photocatalytic degradation of OP and OC. Based on the review, it was found that the least amount of time needed for degradation was less than 5 minutes, while the maximum degradation efficiency was >80 %. The dominant radicals participating in the degradation are ⋅OH and O2⋅ and this radical dominance was enhanced by the oxygenated functional groups present in the biogenic entities employed for the biosynthesis of BNPs. The photocatalytic degradation data fits the pseudo‐first‐order and Langmuir isotherm models (R2 > 0.9), which indicates that the main adsorption mechanisms involved during electron‐hole pair formation and photocatalytic degradation are physisorption and monolayer at the surface of the BNPs. BNPs can sustain a >80 % degradation efficiency for approximately 5 cycles and are reusable for up to 8 cycles. It was also revealed that plants constitute 80 % of the engaged biogenic entities for BNP synthesis. Ultimately, this work offers novel avenues and future research hotspots that might accelerate the use of BNPs for sustainable agricultural and wastewater management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was presented to obtain the first insight into the pollution profile, potential sources, and human health risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in indoor dusts taken from Istanbul and Kocaeli, Türkiye. ΣPAH concentrations in dusts from Istanbul varied between 73.64 ng/g d.w. (IST-3) and 434.3 ng/g d.w. (IST-2), whereas PAH concentrations changed between 4573 ng/g d.w. (KOC-2) and 12,311 ng/g d.w. (KOC-1) in Kocaeli which is at least 10.5 times higher than the measured PAH value in IST-2 which has the highest value in Istanbul. IST-1, IST-2, and IST-4 indoor dusts are weakly polluted in terms of PAH contamination, while the other two dusts (IST-3 and IST-5) in Istanbul are not polluted. In Kocaeli, however, they are heavily polluted because the ΣPAH concentrations in the dusts are much higher than 1000 ng/g. Pyrene, Fluoranthene, Phenanthrene, and Naphthalene were the dominant PAHs in all indoor dusts. The predominant OCPs found in all indoor dusts were DDE p,p, HCH alpha, and HCH beta, respectively. The source identification through diagnostic ratios demonstrated that PAHs arise from more than one source and they originated almost equally from petrogenic and pyrogenic sources due to the high traffic density from highways near the sampling points and the existence of many industrial activity areas. All HQ, HI, and TLCR values demonstrated that there is no risk of non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic hazards for children and adults in case of ingestion, inhalation, or skin contact with indoor dusts containing related POPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing worldwide recognition of the threat posed by persistent organic pollutants (POPs) to wildlife populations. We aimed to measure exposure levels to POPs in a Southern Hemisphere aquatic waterbird species, the nomadic gray teal (Anas gracilis), which is found across Australia. We collected wings from 39 ducks harvested by recreational hunters at two sites (one coastal, one inland) in Victoria, southeastern Australia, in 2021. We examined three groups of POPs: nine congeners of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 13 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and 12 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The PCBs, OCPs, and PAHs were detected at quantifiable levels in 13%, 72%, and 100% of birds, respectively. Of the congeners we tested for in PCBs, OCPs, and PAHs, 33%, 38%, and 100% were detected at quantifiable levels, respectively. The highest levels of exposure to POPs that we found were to the PAH benzo[b]fluoranthene, occurring at a concentration range of 1.78 to 161.05 ng/g wet weight. There were some trends detected relating to differences between geographical sites, with higher levels of several PAHs at the coastal versus inland site. There were several strong, positive associations among PAHs found. We discuss potential sources for the POPs detected, including industrial and agricultural sources, and the likely role of large‐scale forest fires in PAH levels. Our results confirm that while Australian waterbirds are exposed to a variety of POPs, exposure levels are currently relatively low. Additional future investigations are required to further characterize POPs within Australian waterbird species. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:736–747. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The controlled synthesis of two‐dimensional nanocrystals of graphene particles instead of amorphous carbon quantum dots is highly challenging and requires tremendous efforts to optimize the reaction conditions. It has been observed that as a significant bio‐compatible zero‐dimensional material, graphene quantum dots are considered as a novel material for opto‐electronics, energy, biological and environmental applications. However, very few are known about their utilization in photocatalytic degradation of pesticides, especially organochlorine pesticides which are resistant to removal by conventional wastewater treatment methods. In this work, graphene quantum dots were produced from rice husk at relatively low temperatures, resulting in an average particle size of 3.3 nm. The high resolution transmission electron microscopy clearly showed the formation of spherical quantum dots having lattice fringes and the selected area electron diffraction pattern showed the crystallinity of the graphene quantum dots. A study of photodegradation of three highly toxic organochlorine pesticides namely, dichlorodiphenyl trichloro ethane, cypermethrin and fenvalerate were carried out using as‐synthesized graphene quantum dots from rice husk. Interestingly, all these pesticides were found to be degraded around 60 % to 70 % under visible light conditions. It confirmed that synthesized graphene quantum dots from rice husk can act as prominent photocatalyst for the degradation of pesticides and other pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effects of organochlorine pesticide (OCP) exposure on the development of human papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) are not well understood. A nested case-control study was conducted with data from the U.S. Department of Defense Serum Repository (DoDSR) cohort between 2000 and 2013 to assess associations of individual OCPs serum concentrations with PTC risk. Methods: This study included 742 histologically confirmed PTC cases (341 females, 401 males) and 742 individually-matched controls with pre-diagnostic serum samples selected from the DoDSR. Associations between categories of lipid-corrected serum concentrations of seven OCPs and PTC risk were evaluated for classical PTC and follicular PTC using conditional logistic regression, adjusted for body mass index category and military branch to compute odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Effect modification by sex, birth cohort, and race was examined. Results: There was no evidence of associations between most of the OCPs and PTC, overall or stratified by histological subtype. Overall, there was no evidence of an association between hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and PTC, but stratified by histological subtype HCB was associated with significantly increased risk of classical PTC (third tertile above the limit of detection (LOD) vs.

Background: Cutaneous melanoma arises from skin melanocytes and has a high risk of metastatic spread. Despite better prevention, earlier detection, and the development of innovative therapies, melanoma incidence and mortality increase annually. Major clinical risk factors for melanoma include fair skin, an increased number of nevi, the presence of dysplastic nevi, and a family history of melanoma. However, several external inducers seem to be associated with melanoma susceptibility such as environmental exposure, primarily unprotected sun experience, alcohol consumption, and heavy metals. In recent years, epidemiological studies have highlighted a potential risk of β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), the most studied organochlorine pesticide, causing cancer induction including melanoma. Methods: We evaluated in vitro the impact of this pollutant on epidermal and dermal cells, attempting to describe mechanisms that could render cutaneous cells more prone to oncogenic transformation. Results: We demonstrated that β-HCH impacts melanocyte biology with a highly cell-type specific signature that involves perturbation of AKT/mTOR and Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and AMPK activation, resulting in lowering energy reserve, cell proliferation, and pigment production. Conclusions: In conclusion, long-term exposure to persistent organic pollutants damages melanocyte metabolism in its function of melanin production with a consequent reduction of melanogenesis indicating a potential augmented skin cancer risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Live-strandings of cetaceans are uncommon in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. However, an adult female bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) with normal body condition was recorded at Pelicano's Beach on the coast of Veracruz State. Health assessment showed multiple external injuries, possibly caused by the stranding event, as well as potential bacterial infection, and, thus, the individual was held in temporary facilities for rehabilitation. Blood samples were taken to assess the health status of the individual and were also analyzed for concentrations of 20 pollutants (14 organochlorine pesticides [OCPs] and six heavy metals [HMs]). The animal was released and found dead within a few days. The concentration of OCPs and HMs were close or above the government limits. Although these were lower than those reported in other living, free-ranging bottlenose dolphins, there are well-known negative effects for health. Low OCP values were attributed to an offloading process through lactation or mobility of the lipophilic OCPs that pass from blood to fat. Whereas HM concentrations (mainly non-essential metals: mercury [Hg], lead [Pb], and cadmium [Cd]-2.73, 21.13, and 12.67 µg L-1, respectively) were probably linked to the diet and the possible distribution of the specimen (possibly offshore). This is the first report on pollutants from anthropogenic origin in the area where uncontrolled activities are of major concern within a protected national reef park. Since marine ecosystems are under continuous pressure, several health issues for top predators are being noticed; therefore, this study underlines the relevance of studying health status of marine mammals in the Mexican waters of the Gulf of Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncontrolled use of pesticides could result in contamination of air, water, food, and ecosystems. This study aimed to determine pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables collected from selected farmlands of southwest Ethiopia from the end of April 2019 until mid of May 2019. The samples were extracted using a quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) extraction and clean-up method. Quantitative analysis of four organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) and seven organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were conducted using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. All the fruit and vegetable samples obtained from all sampling sites were contaminated with one or more pesticide residues. Chloroflurenol-methyl was the most predominantly detected OPPs residue in all crop samples obtained from different sampling sites, with a maximum concentration of 0.402 mg kg−1 in potato samples obtained from the Gurafarda site and a minimum value of 0.049 mg kg−1 in onion samples obtained from the South Bench site. Dibutyl chlorendate was the predominant OCPs in all samples, with the minimum value of 0.498 mg kg−1, which was detected in tomato samples collected from the Jamo site, and the maximum concentration of 1.003 mg kg−1 detected in pineapple samples obtained from the North Bench site. Dimethoate concentrations in tomato samples (0.045–0.084 mg kg−1) were above the maximum residue limits (MRLs) established by the European Union (EU) guidelines (0.01 mg kg−1) but were below the MRLs established by Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) guidelines (0.5 mg kg−1). Relatively high residue concentrations of dibutyl chlorendate and chloroflurenol-methyl were detected in all the samples obtained from all sampling sites. There is widespread use of pesticides for agriculture by the producers in the study area and there is a need for the regular monitoring of pesticide residues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient analytical method has been developed based on dispersive solid‐phase extraction followed by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry for the determinations of 13 organochlorine pesticides in fruit juice samples. In this method, dispersive solid phase extraction was used for the extraction of target analye using iron‐doped zinc oxide nanoparticles supported with silica as a sorbent. Different experimental parameters affecting the extraction efficiencies the proposed method were carefully optimized. Under the optimum conditions, the calibration graphs were linear in the concentration range of 0.6–100 ng/mL with coefficients of determinations in the range of 0.9927–0.9991. The limits of detection and quantification determined as 3 and 10 times the signal‐to‐noise ratio were in the range of 0.01–0.03 and 0.6–1.0 ng/mL, respectively. Intra‐ and inter‐day precision studies of the proposed method, expressed as relative standard deviations, were in the range of 2.1%–9.2% and 2.2%–9.7%, respectively. The recoveries of the spiked fruit juices samples were in the range of 81.4%–105.1% with the corresponding relative standard deviations ranging from 1.0%–8.8%. In general, the proposed method demonstrated satisfactory analytical performance. Thus,it could be used as simple and attracive alternative method for the extraction of organochlorine pesticides from fruit juice sample and other related matrices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: In the global distribution of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) forests play a key role due to the forest canopy effect. In this study, mountain beech forests were selected to identify the level and distribution of selected POPs. Methods: Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were analyzed by capillary gas chromatography with an electron capture detector (GC–ECD). Analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was performed by gas chromatography with a mass spectrometry detector (GC–MS). The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed by liquid chromatography with a diode array detector (HPLC–DAD). Results: The total ∑20OCP concentrations in the soil from mountain beech forests at a depth of 0 – 40 cm ranged from 24.46 µg kg−1 to 331.11 µg kg−1, and at a depth of 40 – 80 cm from 15.80 µg kg−1 to 247.12 µg kg−1. The mass concentration for ∑6PCB ranges from 9.21 to 95.28 µg kg−1 in the surface soil layer and from 8.07 to 66.56 µg kg−1 in the soil sublayer. The total concentration of ∑7PBDE congeners measured in soil samples from mountain beech forests across Europe was from 1.38 to 29.68 µg kg−1 in the surface soil layer and from 1.01 to 53.31 µg kg−1 in the soil sublayer. The total concentration of ∑16PAH varied from 271.52 to 1154.52 µg kg−1 in the surface soil layer and from 318.95 to 1052.54 µg kg−1 in the soil sublayer. Conclusion: The results of this study can serve as an important basis for international, national, and regional measures of environmental protection of beech forests from POPs pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is a popular visitor in gardens and recreational areas all over Europe, but hedgehog populations are declining. Research exploring the causes of the decline, including exposure to potentially harmful pollutants and metals, may provide relevant information to improve conservation initiatives to protect this species in the wild. Hedgehogs are ground-dwelling mammals, feeding on a range of different food items such as insects, slugs, snails, and earthworms but also eggs, live vertebrates, and carrion, and therefore come into close contact with pollutants present in their habitats and in their prey. This review investigated published research on the occurrence of metals and pollutants in hedgehogs and found that a vast range of different pesticides; rodenticides; persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including organochlorine compounds and brominated flame retardants (BFRs); as well as toxic heavy metals could be detected in samples from hedgehogs representing different European countries. Due to their ecology, combined with the opportunity to apply non-invasive sampling techniques through the collection of spines as sampling material, we suggest that the European hedgehog is a relevant bioindicator species for monitoring the exposure of omnivorous terrestrial wildlife to potential toxicants in urban and rural environments. Monitoring data from several European countries indicate that European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) populations are declining, and research exploring the causes of the decline, including exposure to potentially harmful xenobiotics and metals, may inform conservation initiatives to protect this species in the wild. Hedgehogs are ground-dwelling mammals, feeding on a range of insects, slugs, snails, and earthworms, as well as eggs, live vertebrates, and carrion, including carcasses of apex predator species representing higher levels of the food chain. Consequently, hedgehogs come into close contact with contaminants present in their habitats and prey. This review investigated the studies available on the subject of the occurrence of metals and organic xenobiotics in hedgehogs. This study found that a vast range of different pesticides; persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including organochlorine compounds and brominated flame retardants (BFRs); as well as toxic heavy metals could be detected. Some compounds occurred in lethal concentrations, and some were associated with a potential adverse effect on hedgehog health and survival. Due to their ecology, combined with the opportunity to apply non-invasive sampling techniques using spines as sampling material, we suggest that the European hedgehog is a relevant bioindicator species for monitoring the exposure of terrestrial wildlife to potential toxicants in urban and rural environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the levels and health threat assessment of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and heavy metal (HM) residues in five selected foodstuffs--sorghum, maize, rice, garri (processed fried cassava), and beans--randomly collected from three markets within the Abeokuta metropolis in southwestern Nigeria. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) methods were used to analyze the foodstuffs for OCPs and HMs, respectively. The collected data were analyzed using simple descriptive and inferential statistics. Health risk indices, including non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic effects, were estimated for organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and heavy metals (HMs) in food samples. The findings revealed that the concentrations of OCPs and HMs in many food samples exceeded the recommended dietary allowances. The risk index values of OCPs and estimated HMs in each foodstuff exceed the permissible limit of 1.0, indicating potential negative health impacts, although not cancer-causing. Dieldrin was the largest contributor to adverse health effects, ranging from 10 to 98%, while Pb had the highest contribution, with values between 43 and 54%. The combined cancer risk of OCPs and HMs was above the allowable limit of 1 x 10-4, suggesting a potential risk for cancer development. The data on OCPs and HMs in the analyzed foodstuffs represent direct threats to public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the levels and health threat assessment of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and heavy metal (HM) residues in five selected foodstuffs--sorghum, maize, rice, garri (processed fried cassava), and beans--randomly collected from three markets within the Abeokuta metropolis in southwestern Nigeria. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) methods were used to analyze the foodstuffs for OCPs and HMs, respectively. The collected data were analyzed using simple descriptive and inferential statistics. Health risk indices, including non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic effects, were estimated for organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and heavy metals (HMs) in food samples. The findings revealed that the concentrations of OCPs and HMs in many food samples exceeded the recommended dietary allowances. The risk index values of OCPs and estimated HMs in each foodstuff exceed the permissible limit of 1.0, indicating potential negative health impacts, although not cancer-causing. Dieldrin was the largest contributor to adverse health effects, ranging from 10 to 98%, while Pb had the highest contribution, with values between 43 and 54%. The combined cancer risk of OCPs and HMs was above the allowable limit of 1 x 10-4, suggesting a potential risk for cancer development. The data on OCPs and HMs in the analyzed foodstuffs represent direct threats to public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1,1,1-Trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl) -ethane (DDT) is the first synthetic insecticide and one of the most widely used pesticides. The use of DDT has been banned, but it remains one of the most notorious environmental pollutants around the world. In this study, we found that γ -hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH) dehydrochlorinase LinA from a γ -HCH-degrading bacterium, Sphingobium japonicum UT26, converts DDT to 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (4-chlorophenyl) -ethylene (DDE). Because of the weak DDT degradation activity of LinA, we could not detect such activity in UT26 cells expressing LinA constitutively. However, the linA -deletion mutant of UT26 harboring a plasmid for the expression of LinA, in which LinA was expressed at a higher level than UT26, showed the DDT degradation activity. This outcome highlights the potential for constructing DDT-degrading sphingomonad cells through elevated LinA expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has demonstrated its efficacy in degrading organophosphorus or organochlorine pesticide residues without generating secondary pollution. Yet its potential in degrading triazole pesticides and methoxyacrylate pesticides that are gaining popularities in more and more countries remains unexplored. Using benazoxystrobin as the modelling molecule to be degraded, we demonstrated in this paper that CAP could effectively degrade triazole or methoxyacrylate pesticides, with the efficacy being influenced by many factors such as the voltage, flow rate, and frequency. Specifically, CAP could effectively degrade benazoxystrobin via destroying the benzene ring structure; the degradation efficacy can reach 90%, with 'ionized oxygen', '60 V voltage' '2 L.min−1 oxygen flow rate' and '9 min treatment duration' being associated with the optimal degradation effect; active CAP articles capable of degrading benazoxystrobin are enriched with ROS, where more oxygen is needed to degrade higher concentration of benazoxystrobin. Our study, for the first time, showed the efficacy of CAP in degrading triazole and methoxyacrylate type of pesticides, providing experimental support for its industrial translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Production and processing of oil and gas are associated with the formation of a huge volume of wastewater of complex composition disposed in different ways after thorough treatment. Environmental control of the composition and degree of purification of oil- and gas-bearing wastewater requires using effective methods for determining various pollutants, including chloride and fluoride. The object of the study was a sample of wastewater from the largest gas field Mustakillikning 25 yilligi in the Surkhandarya region of the Republic of Uzbekistan. It was shown that the sample was salty (dry residue was 34.1–31.7 g/dm3) and had a neutral reaction. The method of atomic emission analysis of water revealed high concentrations of potassium, sodium, and sulfur, a significant amount of calcium and magnesium, and a significantly smaller amount of a number of other elements contained in water. Study of various methods of sample preparation for ionometric measurements of chloride ion shows that a significant proportion of chlorine is bound with organic components of water. It is shown that boiling (~100°C) or fusing at 800–850°C with NaOH eliminates the interfering effect of accompanying components (sulfur, iodine, and organic matter) on the chloride determination. The results obtained provide quantitative determination of the total content of chlorine in water both in the form of a free chloride ion and in a bound state, probably in the composition of organochlorine compounds. The presence of fluorine in the organic part of the sample has not been revealed. The possibility of using a single sample preparation (boiling or fusing) for the determination of both chloride and fluoride ions has been shown. The interfering effect of the accompanying elements upon fluorine determination is masked by a buffer solution regulating the total ionic strength. The developed procedures are easy to use, selective, and cost-effective. The trueness and precision of the developed techniques have been evaluated and proved using a method of varying the sample volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The older age group of big golomyanka (Comephorus baicalensis) from three basins of Lake Baikal was studied to assess the levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides, using the chromatographic-mass spectrometric system "Crystal 5000." The results obtained suggest that there has been no improvement in the pollution caused by these hazardous compounds in Lake Baikal throughout the entire research period from 1997 to 2017. The observed variations in the concentrations of POPs in the lipids of the big golomyanka are compared with the results of previous studies on POPS in the coastal soils of the lake and in relation to the pollutant content in the fat of the Baikal seal. The authors propose the use of the older age group of the big golomyanka species for the purpose of POPs biomonitoring in the pelagial of Lake Baikal as a method to find an optimal solution to this problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides are among the ubiquitous and lipophilic persistent organic pollutants that pose environmental hazards to humans. In this study, four fish of different species; mochokidae, perpyroclanusalpha, cintharinidae and ciclidae, locally known as Okpo, Ubu, Ifuru and Egu, respectively, from Oguta Lake were analysed for poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and the data obtained were subjected to some chemometric assessments models. 10 g of each of the samples were subjected to soxhlet extraction using 100 mL of methanol for the extraction of the organic pollutants. The extracts were analysed for PAHs, PCBs and OCPs using Buck 530 Gas Chromatograph. PAHs, PCBs and OCPs were detected in all the samples, however, Ifuru had an equal level of PAHs followed by Ubu and Egu. The total mean for PAH were 18.367 mg/kg. The concentration of PCBs were in the order Okpo> ubu> ifuru > egu with a total mean of 0.0513 mg/kg. Ifuru recorded the highest level of OCPs while Ubu had the lowest with a total mean of 0.0666 mg/kg. Estimated dietary intake (EDI) showed higher in children than in adults for all the pollutants. Okpo showed equal EDI with Ifuru for PAHs followed by Ubu and Egu. EDI for PCBs were in the order Okpo> Ubu> Ifuru> Egu. EDI for OCPs were insignificant except for Ifuru. The health risk analysis showed that consumption of fish from Oguta Lake could pose a non-carcinogenic health hazard especially in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of organochlorine pesticides has been banned because of their persistent nature. In response to this ban, the agricultural sector replaces organochlorine pesticides with organophosphate pesticides that are more easily degraded but are generally more toxic. Cikeruh River is part of the Upper Citarum Watershed. This research was aimed to determine the effects of using organochlorine and organophosphate pesticides in the water and sediment of the Cikeruh River. The water and sediment samples were taken from ten points along the river and then analyzed using a gas chromatography method to determine the pesticide concentration. The results of organochlorine pesticides were not detected in all water samples, while in the sediment were found 4-point samples, namely lindane and endrine. Organophosphate pesticides detected in all water samples were diazinon, chlorpyrifos, malathion, fenitrothion, parathion, methidathion and profenofos. Meanwhile, organophosphate pesticides detected in sediment samples were diazinon, chlorpyrifos, malathion, fenitrothion, parathion, methidathion and profenofos. The highest organochlorine was found in the sediments (7.376 ppb), and the highest organophosphate was found in the water (223.61 ppb). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work organochlorine pesticides were first extracted from water using a solvent mixture (hexane:dichloromethane) and the quantities were then determined using a GC-MS fitted with an Electron Ionization (EI) and Selective Ion Monitoring (SIM) method. At the same time changes in the recovery ratios of spike levels were seen ranging from 73.6% to 96.1% (Chlorfenapyr). The recovery values that we found to be the lowest and greatest were 0.100 µg L -1 and 1.600 µg L -1 respectively. We also noticed that the Bromophos-ethyl, Bromophosmethyl and Chlorfenapyr pesticides had the lowest recovery efficiency. Additionally, the important values of pesticides with double benzene rings were detected in the following decreasing order: 4.4'-DDE > 4.4'-DDD > o.p'-DDE > Chlorfenapyr > 2.4'-DDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) having numerous toxicological properties, including thyroid endocrine disruption. Our aim was to assess the impact of POPs on thyroid hormones among 12-year-old children, while taking puberty into consideration. Methods: Exposure to 7 PCBs, 4 OCPs, and 6 PFASs (in µg/L), and free tri-iodothyronine (fT3, pg/mL), free thyroxine (fT4, ng/dL), and thyroid-stimulating hormones (TSH, mIU/L) were assessed through blood-serum measurements at age 12 years in 249 boys and 227 girls of the PELAGIE mother-child cohort (France). Pubertal status was clinically rated using the Tanner stages. For each POP, associations were estimated using linear regression, adjusted for potential confounders. Results: Among boys, hexachlorobenzene and perfluorodecanoic acid were associated with decreased fT3 (log-scale; β [95% confidence interval] = -0.07 [−0.12,−0.02] and β = −0.03 [−0.06,−0.00], respectively). Intermediate levels of perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) and PCB180 were associated, respectively, with increased and decreased fT4. After stratification on pubertal status, PCBs and OCPs were associated with decreased TSH only in the more advanced Tanner stages (3–5) and with decreased fT3 among early Tanner stages (1–2). Among girls, PFHxS was associated with decreased TSH (log-scale; β = −0.15 [−0.29,-0.00]), and perfluorooctanoic acid was associated with decreased fT3 (β2nd_tercile = −0.06 [−0.10,-0.03] and β3rd_tercile = −0.04 [−0.08,-0.00], versus. 1st tercile). Discussion: This cross-sectional study highlights associations between some POPs and thyroid function disruption, which appears consistent with the literature. Considering that the associations were sex-specific and moderated by pubertal status in boys, complex endocrine interactions are likely involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) have been widely used around the world due to their high-efficiency and broad-spectrum insecticidal effects. However, they pose a severe threat to ecosystems and human health due to their easy bioaccumulation and high toxicity. Periphyton is ubiquitous in the submerged substrates surface. It plays a crucial role in carbon, nutrients elements cycling and contaminants transformation in environment. Periphyton can remove OCPs through bioadsorption, bioaccumulation and biodegradation, which alters the fate of OCPs in environment. This review presents a comprehensive summary of OCPs occurrence, global cycle, potential harm in environment, and their removal by periphyton. The OCPs residual have been detected frequently in different environmental medias such as water, soil, atmosphere, sediment, and organisms. Their harm is depending on their physicochemical properties and the exposure route. The main compositions and functions of periphyton have been summarized. Moreover, the artificial cultivation methods of periphyton in laboratory and in-situ field are compared. In addition, the mechanisms of periphyton-mediated OCPs removal and the main factors impacting OCPs removal are also discussed. Periphyton could self-regulate its biological communities to adapt to the OCPs and environment, and then regenerate new species to degrade OCPs. Finally, the prospect of OCPs removal by periphyton and future studies are also proposed. This review provides a systematic introduction on current knowledge of OCPs occurrence, cycle, potential harm in environment, and their removal by periphyton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the fastest-growing neurological disease worldwide, with increases outpacing aging and occurring most rapidly in recently industrialized areas, suggesting a role of environmental factors. Epidemiological, post-mortem, and mechanistic studies suggest that persistent organic pollutants, including the organochlorine pesticide dieldrin, increase PD risk. In mice, developmental dieldrin exposure causes male-specific exacerbation of neuronal susceptibility to 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) and synucleinopathy. Specifically, in the α-synuclein (α-syn) pre-formed fibril (PFF) model, exposure leads to increased deficits in striatal dopamine (DA) turnover and motor deficits on the challenging beam. Here, we hypothesized that alterations in DA handling contribute to the observed changes and assessed vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) function and DA release in this dieldrin/PFF 2-hit model. Female C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 0.3 mg/kg dieldrin or vehicle every 3 days by feeding, starting at 8 weeks of age and continuing throughout breeding, gestation, and lactation. Male offspring from independent litters underwent unilateral, intrastriatal injections of α-syn PFFs at 12 weeks of age, and vesicular 3H-DA uptake assays and fast-scan cyclic voltammetry were performed 4 months post-PFF injection. Dieldrin-induced an increase in DA release in striatal slices in PFF-injected animals, but no change in VMAT2 activity. These results suggest that developmental dieldrin exposure increases a compensatory response to synucleinopathy-triggered striatal DA loss. These findings are consistent with silent neurotoxicity, where developmental exposure to dieldrin primes the nigrostriatal striatal system to have an exacerbated response to synucleinopathy in the absence of observable changes in typical markers of nigrostriatal dysfunction and degeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Populations of some fish‐ and meat‐eating birds suffered dramatic declines globally following the introduction of organochlorine pesticides during the late 1940s and 1950s. It has been hypothesised that these population declines during the 1950s–1970s were largely driven by a combination of reproductive failure due to eggshell‐thinning, egg breakage and embryonic death attributable to DDT and its metabolites, and to enhanced mortality attributable to the more toxic cyclodiene compounds such as aldrin and dieldrin.Using 75 years (1946–2021) of Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) monitoring data (315 unique nest‐sites monitored for 6110 nest‐years), we studied the breeding performance of a resident Peregrine population in southern Scotland relative to the spatiotemporal pattern of organochlorine pesticide use.We show that (i) Peregrine breeding success and measures of breeding performance increased substantially following the reduction in, and subsequently a complete ban on, the use of organochlorine pesticides; (ii) improvements in Peregrine breeding performance were more dramatic in southeastern Scotland where agriculture was the predominant land use than in southwestern Scotland where there was less arable and more forested land; (iii) Peregrines nesting closer to the coast generally had higher fledging success (that is, a higher proportion of clutches that produced at least one fledgeling) than those nesting inland farther away from the coast; (iv) low temperatures and excessive rain in May negatively affected Peregrine fledging success; and (v) Peregrine abundance increased in parallel with improvements in reproductive performance following the reduction and then complete ban on the use of organochlorine pesticides in the UK. However, recovery was gradual and occurred over four decades, and rate of recovery varied among measures of reproductive performance (egg, nestling and fledgeling production).Our results suggest that the temporal pattern of organochlorine pesticide use strongly influenced Peregrine reproductive parameters but that the pattern of influence differed regionally. Overall results are consistent with the hypothesis that reproductive failure caused by organochlorine pesticides was an important driver of the decline in the south Scottish Peregrine population, and that improvements in all measures of breeding performance following a reduction and eventual ban on organochlorine use facilitated the observed increase in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the quality and safety were addressed for tilapia fish cultured in two fish farms around Lake Qaroun which is irrigated with untreated agricultural drainage water from El-Battas and El-Wadi drains. The chemical composition, quality parameters, heavy metals (HMs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and bacteriological were assessed and compared with the permitted Egyptian and International borders. A high rate of lipid was administered for tilapia cultured in farm 1, while tilapia fish of farm 2 exhibited high levels of protein and energy. Compared to the species under study in farm 2, the values of TVB-N, TMA-N, TBA and pH were higher for tilapia raised in farm 1. In addition, values of HMs (lead, cadmium, zinc and manganese) and OCPs were higher in tilapia fish of farm1 compared to those of farm 2. Total bacterial count and total coliforms were 3.85 and 1.60 (cell×103cfu/g) for tilapia farm 1, respectively; whereas, values of 3.22 and 1.10 (cell ×103cfu/g) were recorded for tilapia fish of farm 2. For the two farms under investigation, no staphylococcus or salmonella bacteria were detected in tilapia. Generally, values of freshness and quality, HMs, OCPs and bacteriological aspects in tilapia from the two farms were below the Egyptian and International maximum permissible limits (MPLs). Therefore, these fish are suitable and safe for human consumption. Accordingly, the quality and safety of fish in aquaculture is in the interest of public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review aims to bring together the works on pesticide analysis in alternative biological matrices, such as hair, breast milk, meconium, and placenta. Much is known about the harmful effects of the use and indirect consumption of pesticides; however, the assessment of long-term contamination is still unclear. In this sense, the use of hair as an alternative biological matrix has some advantages, such as segmentation, which makes it possible to assess the presence of xenobiotics to which individuals have been exposed over the years, and possibly relate this exposure to symptoms or diseases that may affect them. Complementarily, the other matrices discussed are able to provide information about the exposure of mothers and newborn children, who may have been indistinctly exposed to pesticides while in the womb. Through the analysis of studies already performed, it can be observed that organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are the most likely to be found within the biological matrices discussed here, due to the lipophilic characteristics of these compounds. For the other classes, biotransformation products are more easily detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, effervescence-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction method has been developed for the extraction and preconcentration of organochlorine pesticides in water samples before their determination by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The method involves in-situ generation of CO2 bubbles to induce dispersion of the extraction solvent in the aqueous sample. Different parameters affecting the extraction efficiency of the method including the type and concentration of the effervescent agents as well as the type and volume of extraction solvent were optimized. Under optimum conditions, matrix matched calibration curves were constructed at eight concentrations ranging from 0.6-4.0 ng/mL showed good linearity with coefficient of determinations of ≥ 0.9961. The limits of detections and quantifications ranged from 0.2-0.4 and 0.6-1.0 ng/mL, respectively. The intra- and inter-day precisions studied at two concentration levels had below 5% relative standard deviation values. Similarly, recoveries investigated at two concentration levels ranged from 80.7-117.4%. The findings demonstrated that proposed method is simple, rapid, and efficient to be used as alternative method for analysis of organochlorine pesticides from environmental water and other similar matrices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, experimental measurements were carried out on dietary fats purchased in stores or bought online and produced in different countries of the world. Shortenings of animal origin (lard, butter) or vegetable-made (margarine, coconut oil, hydrogenated palm/soybean oil) were selected. The concentrations of organochlorines (OC pesticides and PCBs) were measured to ascertain whether the level of these contaminants in food has decreased since they were banned and to assess the today consumer exposure to such xenobiotics. Analyses were carried out by GC-ECD and GC-MS according to the United Nations Environment Program on persistent organic pollutants. Organochlorines were detected in 85% of the samples analysed. The observed levels were not high (maximum value 5.54 ± 2.33 ng g−1) and point out a slow decline over the last years. Butter from Europe was the most studied matrix showing HCB and 4,4′-DDE as the main organochlorines that were constantly detected above the limit of quantitation. This can be explained if the past use of the two pesticides is considered. Consumption data from the EFSA database were combined with the HCB and 4,4′-DDE concentrations measured in the present research to obtain the Estimated Daily Intakes (EDIs) of the two contaminants from butter. The comparison with the Tolerable Daily Intakes (TDIs) set by World Health Organization indicates that the observed EDIs are far below the TDIs, so allowing to conclude that the risk deriving from the intake of the investigated organochlorines through butter is acceptably low for European consumers. Results relating to some non-Aroclor PCBs detected in shortenings, such as PCB 47, which have recently been discovered to be released into the environment are also reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Living organisms may be simultaneously exposed to several stressors. Trout are a clear example of this scenario, being usually exposed to chemical contaminants and parasites. Moreover, it is also an intensely farmed fish, often caught for human consumption. Thus, trout may be considered a sentinel species, and the related evidence is a matter of importance. We looked at a sample of wild brown trout from a protected area of Southern Italy. Different numbers of gastro-intestinal helminths and concentrations of organochlorine pollutants were detected among sample units. In particular, a negative correlation between the presence of parasites and the concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls was assessed, suggesting that these organochlorine pollutants can affect parasite survival. Our results provide a contribution to the advancement of the knowledge of the interplay among environment, parasites, and host. We investigated the occurrence of organochlorine pollutants (OCs) in the muscle of brown trout and evaluated their potential modulation of parasite infection. The toxicological risk for consumer health was assessed, too. Trout were collected from the Sila National Park (Calabria region, South of Italy). The highest concentrations emerged for the sum of the 6 non-dioxin-like (ndl) indicator polychlorinated biphenyls (Σ6ndl-PCBs), followed by the 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-di(4-chlorophenyl)-ethane (DDT), dioxin-like PCBs, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and dieldrin. Measured on lipid weight (LW), the mean value of Σ6ndl-PCBs amounted to 201.9 ng g−1, that of ΣDDTs (the sum of DDT-related compounds) to 100.2 ng g−1, with the major contribution of the DDT-metabolite p,p'-DDE which was detected in all sample units (97.6 ng g−1 on average). Among dioxin-like congeners, PCB 118 showed the highest mean concentration (21.96 ng g−1 LW) and was detected in all sample units. Regression analysis of intestinal parasites on OC concentration was performed, controlling for two potential confounding factors, namely sex and sexual stage. The results evidenced the existence of interactions between the dual stressors in the host-parasite system in the wild. A negative and statistically significant correlation was estimated, suggesting that OCs may decrease parasite infection degree. Regarding the toxicological risk evaluation, OC concentrations were consistently below the current European Maximum Residue Limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A polypyrrole‐coated rubber foam sorbent with a steel wire insert was developed for the magnetic solid phase extraction of fipronil and fipronil sulfone from tea samples for analysis by a gas chromatography‐electron capture detector. Under the optimum conditions, the method linear ranges were 0.05–100 μg/L for fipronil and 0.01–100 μg/L for fipronil sulfone. The limits of detection were 0.01 and 0.005 μg/L while limits of quantitation were 0.05 and 0.01 μg/L for fipronil and fipronil sulfone, respectively. The preparation procedure of the developed sorbent exhibited good reproducibility with a relative standard deviation in the range of 1.9%–2.4% spiked at 50 μg/L. Good precision was obtained with a relative standard deviation below 6.7% in four concentrations ranging from 0.0 to 50 μg/L. Fipronil sulfone was detected in two tea samples at concentrations of 1.79 ± 0.05 and 2.64 ± 0.03 μg/L with recoveries ranging from 80.4 ± 1.5% to 110.0 ± 2.0%. Thus, the developed sorbent exhibited high extraction efficiency with good selectivity towards the target analytes in real samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study objective was to determine a possible association between maternal exposure to organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and anthropometric measures at birth in group of postpartum women in urban and rural areas of Armenia. The anthropometric measures of infants were obtained from birth records and gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene, and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane were measured in breast milk. Gas-liquid chromatography with electron capture detection was used to identify OCPs. Total OCPs and DDTs were calculated, and the anthropometrics were analyzed for sex and areas, and group differences were compared (Student's t-test). Both individual OCPs and total OCPs and DDTs were significantly higher in rural samples than in urban ones (P < 0.01–0.000), with lower and upper quartiles differing by 2.6-fold and 3.1-fold, respectively (P < 0.000). There was no association between the anthropometrics and OCPs levels in rural or urban areas. However, this does not rule out the possibility of OCPs impact on health later in life. To our knowledge, this was the first study addressing these issues in Armenia. The results obtained will provide data on the current situation regarding birth outcomes in terms of prenatal exposure to OCPs in Armenia and will contribute to the available results from previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) is a widely distributed organochlorine pesticide and a well-known endocrine modulator. The population residing near the lindane manufacturing plant and its dumping sites in Lucknow, India are at high risk of HCH exposure. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was designed to investigate the reproductive toxicity of HCH in 57 HCH exposed and 57 unexposed men in relation to oxidative stress (malondialdehyde [MDA], glutathione [GSH]), genetic alteration in SRY and AZF gene, semen quality and infertility. RESULTS: The mean blood HCH level and MDA level were found significantly higher (P<0.01) in the exposed group as compared to the unexposed group. However, antioxidant glutathione (GSH) levels and semen quality were found significantly lower (P<0.01) in the exposed group as compared to the unexposed group. The prevalence of infertility was found to be significant (P<0.05) in the exposed group. Multiple correlation analyses showed the significant impact of HCH isomers on semen quality and oxidative stress parameters (GSH and MDA). The odds ratio for semen volume (OR=9.37, P=0.01), sperm motility (OR=28.75, P<0.01), and sperm count (OR=21.40, P<0.01), GSH (OR=0.97, P=0.01) MDA (OR=1.14, P<0.01) were found to be significant. We found three patients (5.3%) with Yq deletion in AZFa and AZFc regions in exposed men. In addition, the five subjects showed a mutation in the HMG box of the SRY gene. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide evidence that higher HCH exposure may cause oxidative damage to DNA in terms of AZF microdeletions and point mutation in the SRY gene, and poor semen quality, resulting in male infertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, chlorinated cyclic hydrocarbon pesticides were extracted from water using a solvent mixture (hexane: dichloromethane), and their content was determined by GC-MS equipped with electron ionization (EI) and selected ion monitoring (SIM) methods. Additionally, the validation parameters for the method used were established. The recovery ratios of the spike levels varied between 82.7% and 95.4%. Heptachlor had the lowest recovery value, 82.7%, at a concentration of 1.480 μg/L, while Aldrin had the highest recovery value, 95.4%, at 11.200 μg/L. A satisfactory linearity was found for each pesticide at the four varied spike levels during the extraction procedure. Trans-Heptachlor > Heptachlor > trans-Chlordane > cis-Chlordane was the order in which the recovery efficiency of pesticides containing chlorine cyclo rings declined. Trans-Chlordane > trans-Heptachlor >Endosulfan > Dieldrin > Heptachlor > Aldrin > cis-Chlordane was followed by a decline in the relevant value of pesticides having two or more cyclic rings for the seven pesticides that made up the entire analysis period in this experiment a sufficient differentiation was made in around 18 minutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analytical method for the determination of 41 pesticide residues in crucian carp and bottom sediment was established using modified QuEChERS sample preparation and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). The crucian carp samples were extracted by acetonitrile and ethyl acetate (V:V = 1:1) and cleaned-up with 600 mg Alumina-B. The bottom sediment samples were extracted by ethyl acetate and cleaned-up with 600 mg Florisil and 150 mg Graphitized carbon black. The pesticide residues were analyzed by GC-MS/MS. A HP-5MS column was used for the separation, and the electron ionization (EI) was employed using dynamic multiple reaction monitoring (dMRM) mode for the detection. The matrix-matched external standard calibration curves were used for quantitative analysis. The method validation results indicated that in crucian carp, the instrumental limits of detection (LOD) for 41 pesticides were 0.05-2.5 μg/L, and the limits of quantification (LOQ) were 0.1-5.0 μg/kg for the method. The linear correlation coefficients (r) of the calibration curves were 0.9960-0.9999. The average recoveries at three spiked levels (LOQ, 2LOQ and 10LOQ) were 73%-116% (n = 6) with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 0.65%-13%. In aquaculture sediment, the instrumental LODs for 41 pesticides were 0.05-2.5 μg/L, and the LOQs were 0.1-5.0 μg/kg for the method. r of the calibration curves were 0.9964-1.000. The average recoveries at three spiked levels (LOQ, 2LOQ and 10LOQ) were 73%-104% (n = 6) with RSDs of 0.051%-10%. The method was rapid, sensitive and accurate, and has a good application prospect in the detection of amides, triazines, phenyl pyrazoles, organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticide residues in crucian carp and bottom sediment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A subcritical water degradation and extraction method was developed to remediate environmental soils contaminated by highly recalcitrant organochlorine pollutants. Hydrogen peroxide was used to effectively decompose organochlorine pollutants under subcritical water conditions. As a method optimization study, the static wet oxidation of chlorophenols was first performed in subcritical water with and without added hydrogen peroxide. Complete oxidation was achieved using an added oxidant, and thus, the oxidation and extraction of chlorophenols from a sand matrix was then attempted. Complete oxidation and extraction with added oxidant were achieved within 30 min at 100 °C. We then investigated the subcritical water degradation and extraction of dieldrin, mirex, and p,p′-DDD. These organochlorine pesticides were not as easily oxidized as the chlorophenols, and the benefit of adding hydrogen peroxide was only clearly observed at 200 °C. Approximately a 20% increase in degradation was noted for each pesticide and insecticide at this temperature. Unfortunately, this difference was not observed with an increase in temperature to 250 °C, except in some cases, where the amount of degradation byproducts was reduced. Dieldrin and p,p′-DDD were essentially destroyed at 250 °C, while all the pesticides and the insecticides were completely removed from the sand at this temperature. The proposed method was then used to remediate a soil sample highly contaminated with DDT. The soil was obtained from the grounds of an old DDT mixing facility in Virginia and has been aging for several decades. Not only was 100% removal of DDT from this soil achieved using the proposed method at 250 °C, but also, the extracted DDT was completely destroyed during the process. The proposed remediation method, therefore, demonstrates a high potential as an efficient and environmentally sound technique for the detoxification of soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are harmful to the environment and human health. A simple method was developed for the determination of 58 POPs, including 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 18 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and 24 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), in atmospheric gaseous and particle-phase samples. Different extraction solvents, solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges and elution steps were used and compared to optimize the extraction efficiency. The POPs were isolated from the atmospheric samples by Soxhlet extraction using 1:1 acetone:n-hexane and separated using SPE cartridges. The fractions were collected by two-step elution with10 mL of n-hexane and 10 mL of 1:1 n-hexane:dichloromethane. The method validation showed that PAHs, PCBs and OCPs had good linearity, with the coefficients of determination higher than 0.995, from 2.5 to 800, 2.5 to 800, and 2.5 to 600 ng/mL, respectively. The average recoveries were 67–117%, 67–113%, and 73–114% for the PAHs, PCBs, and OCPs. The limits of detection for PAHs, PCBs, and OCPs were from 0.55 to 3.29, 0.09 to 2.00, and 0.57 to 4.86 pg/m3. The limits of quantification (LOQs) for PAHs, PCBs and OCPs were 1.80 to 10.48, 0.29 to 6.37, and 1.82 to 15.48 pg/m3. The applicability of the method was confirmed using an urban dust standard reference material. The method was employed for the analysis of atmospheric samples collected weekly for one-half year on the rooftop of a 14 m tall building in the downtown Mianyang, Sichuan, China. The developed method is demonstrated to accurately monitor persistent organic pollutants in the atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive use of pesticides, heavy metals, and detergents may have negative effects on non-target organisms in soil and water and may seriously harm ecosystems. A total of 181 earthworm specimens from various habitats were gathered from three separate locations, namely the Anthikkad and Chalakudi locality in the Thrissur district and the Meenangadi locality in Wayanad. We were able to identify four different earthworm species which belonged to two distinct families and four different genera. Thereafter from this study it was clear that the Density of different species of earthworm (P. sansibaricus and L. mauritii) collected from study areas are same. Pb was found to be undetectable in earthworm samples from study sites out of the four pollutants evaluated. Earthworm samples from Anthikkad and Meenangadi sites had the greatest levels of the heavy element Zn. Of the 32 pesticides tested, 4 organochlorine pesticides and 4 organophosphorus pesticides were found to be at in samples collected from two different districts. By statistical analysis it was concluded that soil samples from all the sites (As, Cs & Ms) were homogeneous. It is not essential to be exposed to a large concentration of xenobiotics for the bodily tissues to become toxic; by extending the exposure period, the concentration can rise to dangerous levels. One more sensitive and early-warning biomarker of ecosystem health is the observation of earthworm immunological capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism of mountain cold-trapping and global distillation effect of persistent organic pollutants（POPs） make the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau a hot research area of POPs. The research status and progress of polychlorinated biphenyls（PCBs）, organochlorine pesticides（OCPs）, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons（PAHs）, brominated flame retardants（BFRs） and perfluorinated substances（PFASs） in the multi-media of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were systematically reviewed. The content occurrence characteristics and environmental behavior of five types of POPs in multi-medium environment were elaborated. The content distribution characteristics of various POPs in the multi-media environment of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were summarized, OCPs: atmosphere＞soil＞fish; BFRs: soil＞fish＞highland barley; PCBs: highland barley＞rape＞soil; PAHs: fir＞soil＞water/sediment＞glacier; PFASs: surface water＞snowfall＞soil. To provide a feasible reference for the study of POPs source, occurrence characteristics and pollution research, and to provide a scientific basis for strengthening the research of new POPs on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, development of treatment technologies and improving the monitoring system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pesticides have a number of significant benefits to humans with improved crop yield and controlled vector populations. The pesticides such as organochlorines, organophosphates and carbamates cause toxicity by either targeting the nervous system of the prospective pests or by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). Because humans are also exposed to them in the runaway process, there is an increasing risk of toxicity such as neurotoxicity or carcinogenicity. Apart from altering signal transduction pathways, disruption of protein phosphorylating pathways, hormonal impairment, etc., the pesticides interact with proteins, which may lead to various unexplored physiological consequences. Focusing on pesticides induced neurotoxicity, the interaction of pesticides with human serum albumin (HSA) and anti-proteinase alpha-2-macroglobulin (α2M) has been discussed in the review article. The article presents a possible unexplored mechanism of neurotoxicity of pesticides and their interaction with α2M, as it has a defensive role in the clearance of beta amyloid plaques in brain. This review also focuses on the possibilities of pesticide interaction with other non-plasma proteins leading to unknown biological consequences yet to be investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rivers are the main source of domestic and industrial water supplies in Kenya. In this study, water sampling was done at eight upstream sites in the Kuja River catchment, Kenya, between October 2016 and April 2017, specifically to test for residue levels of the organochlorine pesticide, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p,p′-DDT), and its degradation products, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p′-DDE) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (p,p′-DDD). The analysis was performed with gas chromatography coupled with electron-capture detection in an autosampler. Concentrations of these residues in the surface water samples ranged from below detection limit (BDL) to 1.1113 μg l-1 in the wet season, and from BDL to 2.007 μg l-1 in the dry season. Overall, the highest mean residue concentration was for p,p′-DDT (0.9669 ± 0.2994 μg l-1). The lowest mean concentration in the dry season was that of p,p′-DDE (0.1824 ± 0.0964 μg l-1), and in the wet season it was p,p′-DDD (0.0610 ± 0.0038 μg l-1). From our results it is evident that DDT is still in use and detectable in the study area, though the mean levels detected were below the acceptable thresholds for natural water as suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO). Except for a slightly higher mean spatial distribution of the metabolite p,p′-DDT, the resides were recorded as below the maximum admissible concentrations of pesticide residues in drinking water, as set out in WHO guidelines and by Kenya's National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). Monitoring organochlorine pesticide contamination levels in Kenya's water resources should be scaled up to leverage potential for a sustainable blue economy and in safeguarding human and environmental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amethodological approach to regional ecological and pharmacognostic quality assessment of medicinal plant raw materials has been developed. Modern physicochemical analytical methods (atomic absorption spectrometry, gas chromatography, spectroradiometry, chromatography-mass spectrometry, spectrophotometry, gravimetry) were used for a comprehensive study of the ecological and pharmacognostic state of medicinal plant raw materials using knotgrass (Polygonum aviculare L.), absinth herb (Artemisia absinthium L.), common yarrow herb (Achillea millefolium L.), motherwort herb (Leonurus quinquelobatus Gilib.), plantain leaves (Plantago major L.), nettle leaves (Urtica dioica L.), linden flowers (Tilia cordata Mill.), tansy flowers (Tanacetum vulgare L.), dandelion roots (Taraxacum officinalis F. H. Wigg), and burdock roots (Arctium lappa L.) as examples. Contamination of them by various ecotoxins (heavy metals and arsenic, organochlorine pesticides, natural radionuclides) and the accumulation of the main groups of biologically active compounds (BACs) (flavonoids, phenolcarboxylic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, essential oils, polysaccharides) were studied. Voronezh Region was chosen as a model region. A correlation between the contents of these ecotoxins in the upper soil layers and the plants was revealed. The impact of the determined ecotoxins on the accumulation of the various groups of BACs in the medicinal plant raw materials was studied. Features and regularities of the accumulation of heavy metals and arsenic, pesticides, radionuclides, and the main groups of BACs in plants of various ecotopes are shown. The results of the theoretical and experimental studies of the quality of plant resources formed the basis of methodological approaches developed to conduct regional ecological and pharmacognostic quality assessment of medicinal plant raw materials that can be scaled for studying plant resources of other territories of the Russian Federation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]