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In recent years, there has been a growing demand for high-quality sunscreens that combine high efficacy with ecological characteristics. This trend has led to an increased use of triazine compounds, which represent an emerging class of UV filters. While it is well-established that sunscreens can have significant environmental impacts, there is limited data on the degradation of triazine UV filters, despite available information on their environmental persistence, particularly in relation to disinfection processes. This study investigates the chemical fate of ethylhexyl triazone (EHT) under chlorination conditions, typical of swimming pools. Twelve disinfection byproducts (DBPs) were isolated and fully identified using nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry, with three of these byproducts being identified for the first time. DBP1-DBP12 were isolated at relative percentages of 1.26, 9.68, 1.05, 0.42, 0.84, 3.37, 3.58, 1.89, 0.84, 1.47, 0.42, and 0.63. Additionally, a mechanism for their formation was proposed. The ecotoxicological assessment of EHT and of byproducts (DBP1-DBP4) was conducted using acute, sub-chronic or chronic toxicity tests in producers and primary consumers of the freshwater trophic chain. The organisms included the alga Raphidocelis subcapitata, the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus, the crustacean anostracan Thamnocephalus platyurus and the benthic ostracod Heterocypris incongruens. EHT caused a lethal median concentration in rotifers, with values in the range of tens of mg/L. EHT, DBP1, and DBP4 exhibited sub-chronic effects in ostracods at concentrations in the μg/L range, with EC50s of 210, 9, 20 μg/L, respectively. Rotifers were slightly affected by DBP3 with a chronic EC50 of 200 μg/L. Algae were not affected by either EHT or byproducts., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The use of algaecides to control high-density cyanobacterial blooms is often complicated by secondary pollution and the toxicity to non-target organisms. This study investigates the individual and combined effects of sodium dichloroisocyanurate (NaDCC, 5, 50, and 100 mg/L) and isothiazolinone (0.1, 0.5, and 1.5 mg/L) on a cyanobacteria-Vallisneria natans-microbe aquatic ecosystem, focusing on their interactions and ecological impacts. Results indicate that NaDCC could achieve a higher algae removal rate than isothiazolinone within 15 days, but has a greater negative effect on Vallisneria natans. Both algaecides disrupt nutrient and secondary metabolite balances at low and high concentrations, increasing nutrient loads and harmful substances. Optimal results were obtained with low concentrations of NaDCC (5 mg/L) and isothiazolinone (0.1 mg/L), effectively controlling cyanobacteria while minimizing harm to Vallisneria natans and reducing nutrient loads and microcystin accumulation. Algaecide application enhanced microbial diversity in water and leaves, shifting the dominant community from cyanobacteria to organisms adapted to the post-cyanobacterial decay environment. Metabolomic analysis indicated increased secretion of lipids and organic acids by cyanobacteria in response to algaecide stress. High concentrations of NaDCC and isothiazolinone disrupted nitrogen metabolism in cyanobacteria and induced ROS overproduction, affecting unsaturated fatty acid synthesis and other metabolic pathways. These findings highlight the importance of exploring different combinations of algaecides to reduce their concentrations, balance algal control with ecological stability, and offer insights for effective eutrophication management., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Persistent, mobile, and toxic compounds released to the environment are likely to pollute drinking water sources due to their slow environmental degradation (persistency) and high water solubility (mobility). The aim of the present study was to create in vitro hazard profiles for 16 triazoles, 9 triazines, and 11 poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) based on their agonistic and antagonistic effects in estrogen receptor (ER), androgen receptor (AR), and thyroid hormone receptor (TR) reporter gene assays, their ability to bind human transthyretin (TTR), and their effects on steroidogenesis. The triazole fungicides tetraconazole, bitertanol, fenbuconazole, tebuconazole, cyproconazole, difenoconazole, propiconazole, paclobutrazol, and triadimenol had agonistic or antagonistic effects on the ER and AR. Difenoconazole, propiconazole, and triadimenol were also found to be TR antagonists. The triazine herbicide ametryn was an ER, AR, and TR antagonist. The same 9 triazole fungicides and the triazines atrazine, deethyl-atrazine, and ametryn affected the secretion of steroid hormones. Furthermore, PFAS compounds PFBS, PFHxS, PFHxA, PFOS, PFOA, and GenX and the triazoles bitertanol, difenoconazole, and 4-methyl benzotriazole were found to displace T4 from TTR. These results are in line with earlier in vitro and in vivo studies on the endocrine-disrupting properties of triazines, triazoles, and PFAS. The present study demonstrates that this battery of in vitro bioassays can be used to profile compounds from different classes based on their endocrine-disrupting properties as a first step to prioritize them for further research, emission reduction, environmental remediation, and regulatory purposes., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology.)

As a commonly used pesticide, the widespread use of terbuthylazine (TBA) may cause toxic effects in animals and human. However, the nephrotoxicity induced by TBA is unclear. Here, we explored the mechanism of TBA-induced nephrotoxicity through transcriptomics and molecular biology techniques in broilers. Pathologic analysis showed that TBA could cause renal cell vacuolation and fibrosis in broilers. Additionally, transcriptomic analysis showed that TBA can cause significant changes in the expression of some apoptosis-related genes, and GO and KEGG analysis also found that TBA can significantly change the functions of apoptosis pathway and AMPK signaling pathway in kidney. Subsequently, the protein expression levels of Bax, Bak-1, FADD, and cleaved Caspase-3/Caspase-3 were elevated significantly and the number of TUNEL-positive cells was increased markedly in kidney under TBA exposure. Meanwhile, we also found that TBA could activate AMPK/p53 pathway, as evidenced by the upregulated levels of AMPKα1 phosphorylation and protein expression of p53. Therefore, our results suggested that TBA could induce apoptosis via AMPK/p53 pathway in kidney. These findings identified the nephrotoxic mechanism of TBA through transcriptomics, providing a new insight into TBA toxicology., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Irgarol 1051 is an herbicide extensively utilized in antifouling paint due to its ability to inhibit photosynthesis. Irgarol and its photodegradation products are highly persistent in waters and sediments, although they are present in low concentrations. However, our understanding of the harmful effects of Irgarol on non-target organisms remains limited. In this study, we assessed the effects of acute (24 h) and chronic (14 days across three generations) exposure to different concentrations (including the 1/10 NOEC, NOEC, and 1/10 LC50 calculated from the 24-h acute toxicity test) of Irgarol using the water flea Moina macrocopa. Acute exposure to 1/10 LC50 significantly decreased survival, feeding rate, thoracic limb activity, heart rate, and acetylcholinesterase activity. Elevated levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde, along with a significant increase in catalase and superoxide dismutase activity, suggested the induction of oxidative stress in response to 1/10 LC50. An initial boost in glutathione level and the enzymatic activities of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase, followed by a plunge, implies some compromise in the antioxidant defense system. Upon chronic exposure to the NOEC value, both generations F1 and F2 displayed a significant decrease in survival rate, body length, number of neonates per brood, and delayed sexual maturation, suggesting maternal transfer of potential damage through generations. Taken together, Irgarol induced acute toxicity through physiological and cholinergic damage, accompanied by the induction of oxidative stress, in the water flea. Even its sub-lethal concentrations can induce detrimental effects across generations when consistently exposed., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Pesticides are crucial for crop protection and have seen a 50 % increase in use in the last decade. Besides preventing significant crop losses their use has raised health concerns due to consumer exposure through residues in food and water. The toxicity data from individual components is often used to assess overall mixture toxicity, but uncertainty persists in understanding the behaviors of individual chemicals within these mixtures. Assessing the risk of pesticide mixture exposure remains challenging, potentially leading to overestimation or underestimation of toxicity. This study aims to establish a possible link between exposure to a herbicide mixture and genotoxic effects, focusing on cancer development. Our analysis was focused on four herbicides glyphosate, nicosulfuron, S-metolachlor and terbuthylazine. To determine the link between genes associated with cancer development due to exposure to herbicide mixture, a CTD database tools were used. Through the ToppFun tool molecular function and biological process associated with genes common to the disease of interest and selected herbicides were evaluated. And finally, GeneMANIA was used in order to analyze the function and interaction between common genes of herbicide mixture. Among the 7 common genes for herbicide mixture and cancer development coexpression characteristics were dominant at 65.41 %, 22.14 % of annotated genes shared the same pathway and 7.88 % showed co-localization. Among six target genes involved in genetic disease development co-expression was dominant at 87.34 %, colocalization at 8.03 % and shared protein domains at 4.52 %. Comprehensive molecular analyses, encompassing genomics, proteomics, and pathway analysis, are essential to unravel the specific mechanisms involved in the context of the studied mixture and its potential carcinogenic effects., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Triazine herbicides are widely used in agriculture and have become common pollutants in marine environments. However, the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics and water quality criteria (WQC) of triazine herbicides are still unclear. This study found that triazine herbicides had a high detection rate of 100 % in surface seawater of Laizhou Bay, China, with average concentrations of 217.61, 225.13, 21.97, and 1296.72 ng/L in March, May, August, and October, respectively. Moreover, estuaries were important sources, and especially the Yellow River estuary exhibited the highest concentrations of 16,115.86 ng/L in October. The 10 triazine herbicides were detected in the sediments of Laizhou Bay, with a concentration ranging from 0.14-1.68 μg/kg. Atrazine and prometryn accounted for 33.41 %-59.10 % and 28.93 %-50.06 % of the total triazine herbicides in the seawater, and prometryn had the highest proportion (63.50 %) in the sediments. Correlation analysis revealed that triazine herbicides led to the loss of plankton biodiversity, which further decreased the dissolved oxygen. In addition, this study collected 45 acute toxicity data and 22 chronic toxicity data of atrazine, 16 acute toxicity data of prometryn, and supplemented with toxicity experiments of prometryn on marine organisms. Based on the toxicity database, the WQCs of atrazine and prometryn were derived using species sensitivity distribution. The overall risk probability of atrazine and prometryn were both less than 1.75 % in the Laizhou Bay, indicating an acceptable risk. This study not only clarified the pollution status and ecological risk of triazine herbicides, but also provided scientific basis for their environmental management standards., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Color vision, initiated from the cone photoreceptors, is essential for fish to obtain environmental information. Although the visual impairment of triazine herbicide prometryn has been reported, data on the effect of herbicide such as prometryn on natural color sensitivity of fish is scarce. Here, zebrafish were exposed to prometryn (0, 1, 10, and 100 μg/L) from 2 h post-fertilization to 160 days post-fertilization, to explore the effect and underlying mechanism of prometryn on color perception. The results indicated that 10 and 100 μg/L prometryn shortened the height of red-green cone cells, and down-regulated expression of genes involved in light transduction pathways (arr3a, pde6h) and visual cycle (lrata, rpe65a); meanwhile, 1 μg/L prometryn increased all-trans-retinoic acid levels in zebrafish eyes, and up-regulated the expression of genes involved in retinoid metabolism (rdh10b, aldh1a2, cyp26a1), finally leading to weakened red and green color perception of female zebrafish. This study first clarified how herbicide such as prometryn affected color vision of a freshwater fish after a long-term exposure from both morphological and functional disruption, and its hazard on color vision mediated-ecologically relevant tasks should not be ignored., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The decline in male reproductive health, characterized by diminishing sperm count and testosterone levels, has raised concerns about environmental influences, particularly endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Tris(2,3-dibromopropyl)isocyanurate (TBC), a novel brominated flame retardant widely used in electronics, textiles, and furniture, has emerged as a significant environmental contaminant with potential reproductive health implications. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying TBC-induced reproductive toxicity, particularly focusing on its impact on steroidogenesis and androgen signaling pathways using the GC-1 spg cell line as an in vitro model. Exposure of GC-1 spg cells to TBC, alone or in combination with testosterone or the anti-androgen flutamide resulted in decreased metabolic activity and increased lactate dehydrogenase release, indicating cytotoxic effects. Furthermore, TBC exposure led to a reduction in progesterone synthesis, while testosterone production remained unaffected. Interestingly, estradiol synthesis was diminished after TBC exposure, suggesting a disruption in steroid hormone balance critical for spermatogenesis. Mechanistic investigations revealed alterations in key proteins involved in the non-classical testosterone pathway and steroidogenesis. TBC exposure downregulated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), protein kinase B (AKT), and phosphorylated cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (p-CREB), indicating suppression of non-classical androgen signaling. Additionally, decreased levels of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and 3-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD3β1) suggest impaired steroidogenesis. Here we uncover the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying TBC-induced reproductive toxicity, highlighting its potential to disrupt steroid hormone synthesis and androgen signaling pathways. Understanding the adverse effects of TBC on male reproductive health is crucial for developing strategies to mitigate its environmental impact and safeguard human fertility., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflict of interest to report., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The presence of microplastics in the ecological environment, serving as carriers for other organic pollutants, has garnered widespread attention. These microplastics exposed in the environment may undergo various aging processes. However, there is still a lack of information regarding how these aged microplastics impact the environmental behavior and ecological toxicity of pollutants. In this study, we modified polystyrene microplastics by simulating the aging behavior that may occur under environmental exposure, and then explored the adsorption behavior and adsorption mechanism of microplastics before and after aging for typical triazine herbicides. It was shown that all aging treatments of polystyrene increased the adsorption of herbicides, the composite aged microplastics had the strongest adsorption capacity and the fastest adsorption rate, and of the three herbicides, metribuzin was adsorbed the most by microplastics. The interactions between microplastics and herbicides involved mechanisms such as hydrophobic interactions, surface adsorption, the effect of π-π interactions, and the formation of hydrogen bonds. Further studies confirmed that microplastics adsorbed with herbicides cause greater biotoxicity to E. coli. These findings elucidate the interactions between microplastics before and after aging and triazine herbicides. Acting as carriers, they alter the environmental behavior and ecological toxicity of organic pollutants, providing theoretical support for assessing the ecological risk of microplastics in water environments., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Renoliths were removed at necropsy from dogs that had died from acute kidney injury in Asia in 2004 and submitted to our laboratories for analysis including elemental composition, mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The presence of a mixed s-triazine matrix comprising melamine, cyanuric acid, and ammelide, but no detectable ammeline, was found in the stone samples we analyzed. The unusual and unique green coloration of these stones was determined to be due to the presence of biliverdin. The occurrence of these green stones distinguished the 2004 incident from another incident in 2007 in the USA and other reported cases. The presence of crystals was reported in renal tubules and collecting ducts in both outbreaks, but no stones were reported in the 2007 incident. This difference suggested a variation in the disease process caused by mixed s-triazine ingestion. Careful monitoring of food additives is warranted to prevent future problems in animals and humans., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: James A Campbell, reports financial support was provided by Mars, Inc. Tom Metz reports financial support was provided by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. James A Campbell reports a relationship with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory that includes: employment. No conflicts of interest. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Oxylipins are a group of bioactive fatty acid metabolites generated via enzymatic oxygenation. They are notably involved in inflammation, pain, vascular tone, hemostasis, thrombosis, immunity, and coagulation. Oxylipins have become the focus of therapeutic intervention since they are implicated in many conditions, such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease, and aging. The liver plays a crucial role in lipid metabolism and distribution throughout the organism. Long-term exposure to pesticides is suspected to contribute to hepatic carcinogenesis via notable disruption of lipid metabolism. Prometryn is a methylthio-s-triazine herbicide used to control the growth of annual broadleaf and grass weeds in many cultivated plants. The amounts of prometryn documented in the environment, mainly waters, soil and plants used for human and domestic consumption are significantly high. Previous research revealed that prometryn decreased liver development during zebrafish embryogenesis. To understand the mechanisms by which prometryn could induce hepatotoxicity, the effect of prometryn (185 mg/kg every 48 h for seven days) was investigated on hepatic and plasma oxylipin levels in mice. Using an unbiased LC-MS/MS-based lipidomics approach, prometryn was found to alter oxylipins metabolites that are mainly derived from cytochrome P450 (CYP) and lipoxygenase (LOX) in both mice liver and plasma. Lipidomic analysis revealed that the hepatotoxic effects of prometryn are associated with increased epoxide hydrolase (EH) products, increased sEH and mEH enzymatic activities, and induction of oxidative stress. Furthermore, 9-HODE and 13-HODE levels were significantly increased in prometryn treated mice liver, suggesting increased levels of oxidation products. Together, these results support that sEH may be an important component of pesticide-induced liver toxicity., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Japanese radish (Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus) plants grown under laboratory conditions were individually exposed to the same doses of atrazine (2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-1,3,5-triazine, ATR) or its main degradation products: either 2-amino-4-chloro-6-isopropylamino-1,3,5-triazine (DEA) or 2-amino-4-chloro-6-ethylamino-1,3,5-triazine (DIA) or desethyl-desisopropyl-atrazine (DEDIA) or 4-(ethylamino)-2-hydroxy-6-(isopropylamino)-1,3,5-triazine (HA), respectively. One week after treatment in plants exposed to ATR, DIA, and DEA, their concentrations were 7.8 μg/g, 9.7 μg/g, and 14.5 μg/g, respectively, while those treated with DEDIA and HA did not contain these compounds. These results were correlated with plant amino acid profile obtained by suspect screening analysis and metabolomic "fingerprint" based on non-target analysis, obtained by liquid chromatography coupled with QTRAP triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. In all cases, both ATR and its by-products were found to interfere with the plant's amino acid profile and modify its metabolic "fingerprint". Therefore, we proved that the non-target metabolomics approach is an effective tool for investigating the hidden effects of pesticides and their transformation products, which is particularly important as these compounds may reduce the quality of edible plants., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Melamine caused acute nephrotoxicity in a past food adulteration incident, but it is unclear whether and how widespread ambient exposure to melamine and related compounds might affect pediatric kidney health. We assessed cross-sectional associations between childhood exposure to melamine and its derivatives and biomarkers of kidney injury and health and explored potential heterogeneity by sex suggested by sex-dependent differences in renal physiology. We measured melamine and its derivatives ammeline, ammelide, and cyanuric acid (CYA) in spot urine samples collected from 192 children from an urban site (Seattle, WA) and 187 children from a rural site (Yakima, WA) aged 4-8 years in the Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth (GAPPS) Study. In addition, biomarkers of kidney injury were measured in the same urine samples, including albumin, total protein, KIM-1, NAG, NGAL, and EGF. We utilized linear regressions to examine associations between individual chemical exposures and kidney biomarkers. Interaction terms examined association modification by sex, as well as potential interactions between melamine and CYA. Despite comparable exposures, girls had higher levels of many kidney injury biomarkers compared to boys. A ten-fold higher melamine concentration was associated with a 18% (95% CI: 5.6%, 31%) higher EGF in the full sample, while ten-fold higher melamine was associated with a 76% (14.1%, 173%) higher KIM-1 in boys but not in girls (-10.1% (-40.6%, 36.1%), interaction p = 0.026). Melamine exhibited significant negative interactions with CYA in association with total protein and NAG that appeared to be specific to girls. Our results suggest possible associations between melamine exposure and markers of kidney injury that may be more pronounced in boys. These findings provide novel insights into melamine and related derivative compound health effects at low levels of exposure in children and emphasize the role of sex in mediating the relationship between nephrotoxicant exposure and kidney injury., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: All authors report that financial support was provided by National Institutes of Health. All authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Melamine-tainted products have been found in the market and raised issues about food safety. Recent studies done in rodents and humans demonstrated the toxicities of melamine, especially in causing kidney damage and bladder stone formation. However, very few studies assessed its behavior toxicity in organisms, including fish. Therefore, in this study, the researchers aim to determine whether sub-chronic exposure to melamine via oral and systematic administration could induce behavioral abnormality in zebrafish. After 14 days of systematic exposure to melamine at doses of 0.1 and 10 ppm levels, zebrafish were subjected to multiple behavioral assays. Results from both exposure routes showed that melamine indeed slightly increased fish locomotion and altered their exploratory behaviors in the novel tank assay. Furthermore, tightened shoaling formation was also displayed by the treated fish in the waterborne exposure group. However, melamine exposure did not cause any obvious alterations in fish behaviors during other behavioral tests. In addition, in comparison with previously published data on the behavior toxicities of several solvents in zebrafish, our phenomic analysis suggests the relatively low behavior toxicities of melamine via either systematic exposure or oral administration to zebrafish compared to those solvents. Nevertheless, our data indicate that the potential neurotoxicity of chronic low-dose melamine should not be ignored., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Melamine, a heterocyclic nitrogen-rich triazine chemical compound, is widely used in various household products, including furniture, dinnerware, and kitchen appliances. The unauthorized addition of the mixture to various foodstuffs to misrepresent protein content resulted in catastrophic, frequently life-threatening health consequences for kids as well as canines and has garnered international attention. Numerous primary studies and evaluations have been focused on melamine toxicity's implications on kidney function. Despite the profusion of literature on melamine's nephrotoxicity, evidence regarding its toxicity to other organs remains scarce. A number of recent studies suggest melamine can disrupt central nervous system (CNS) function and bring about cognitive impairments, contradicting the commonly held belief that melamine's detrimental effects are limited to the urinary system. The accumulation of melamine in the body is linked to various adverse effects, including depression, impaired synaptic transmission, oxidative stress, and neurodegenerative diseases. Several mechanisms may lead to such complications. However, numerous safeguards against melamine accumulation have been identified. This review could shed light on the potential neurological effects and mechanisms underlying melamine toxicity. Afterward, we will dive into the body's possible protective mechanisms against melamine-induced toxicity.

Triazine herbicides are common contaminants in coastal waters, and they are recognized as inhibitors of photosystem II, causing significant hinderance to the growth and reproduction of phytoplankton. However, the influence of these herbicides on microalgal toxin production remains unclear. This study aimed to examine this relationship by conducting a comprehensive physiological and 4D label-free quantitative proteomic analysis on the harmful dinoflagellate Karenia mikimotoi in the presence of the triazine herbicide dipropetryn. The findings demonstrated a significant decrease in photosynthetic activity and pigment content, as well as reduced levels of unsaturated fatty acids, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and hemolytic toxins in K. mikimotoi when exposed to dipropetryn. The proteomic analysis revealed a down-regulation in proteins associated with photosynthesis, ROS response, and energy metabolism, such as fatty acid biosynthesis, chlorophyll metabolism, and nitrogen metabolism. In contrast, an up-regulation of proteins related to energy-producing processes, such as fatty acid β-oxidation, glycolysis, and the tricarboxylic acid cycle, was observed. This study demonstrated that dipropetryn disrupts the photosynthetic systems of K. mikimotoi, resulting in a notable decrease in algal toxin production. These findings provide valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms of toxin production in toxigenic microalgae and explore the potential effect of herbicide pollution on harmful algal blooms in coastal environments., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

As one of the most frequently used explosives, hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) can cause persistent pollution in the environment, leading to the potential ecological threat crossing the generations. In this study, we employed Caenorhabditis elegans to explore the toxic effects of RDX on the parental and offspring worms and the involved signaling pathways. Exposure up to 1000 ng/mL of RDX produced a significant increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, germ cell apoptosis, and decrease in eggs laid. Various mutants were used to demonstrate the RDX-induced apoptosis signaling pathway, and the metabolism of RDX in the nematodes was found related to cytochrome P450 and GST through RNA sequencing. Exposure of parental worms to RDX produced significant reproductive toxicity in F1 and F2, but was recovered in F3 and F4. The transgenerational effects were associated with the decreased expression of met-2, spr-5, and set-2. Our findings revealed the signaling pathways related to the reproductive toxicity caused by RDX in C. elegans and their future generations, which provided the basis for further exploration of the ecological risks of energetic compounds in the environment., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Melamine or cyanuric acid alone has low toxicity, but combined exposure to melamine and cyanuric acid was reported to cause unexpected toxicological effects. This study investigated the potential effects and toxic mechanism of combined exposure to melamine and cyanuric acid on placental and fetal development in rats. Exposure to melamine and cyanuric acid caused maternal toxicity manifested by increased abnormal symptoms and decreased body weight gain. Developmental toxic effects included a decrease in placental and fetal weights with increased fetal deaths and post-implantation loss. Melamine and cyanuric acid induced oxidative stress in the developing placenta and fetus. The placentas from rats treated with melamine and cyanuric acid showed shortening of the placental layers with histological changes, decreased cell proliferation, increased apoptotic changes, and decreased insulin-like growth factor (IGF)/IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) and placental lactogen (PL) expression levels. Fetuses from melamine- and cyanuric acid-treated dams showed increased apoptotic changes and suppressed cellular proliferation in their livers and vertebrae. Consequently, combined exposure to melamine and cyanuric acid resulted in high levels of oxidative stress and impaired placental development associated with impairment of the IGF/IGFBP and PL systems, resulting in increased apoptotic changes and reduced fetal cell proliferation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This paper describes the synthesis of new heterocycles from oxazol-5(4 H )-one and 1,2,4-triazin-6(5 H )-one classes containing a phenyl-/4-bromophenylsulfonylphenyl moiety. The oxazol-5(4 H )-ones were obtained via condensation of 2-(4-(4-X-phenylsulfonyl)benzamido)acetic acids with benzaldehyde/4-fluorobenzaldehyde in acetic anhydride and in the presence of sodium acetate. The reaction of oxazolones with phenylhydrazine, in acetic acid and sodium acetate, yielded the corresponding 1,2,4-triazin-6(5 H )-ones. The structures of the compounds were confirmed using spectral (FT-IR, 1 H-NMR, 13 C-NMR, MS) and elemental analysis. The toxicity of the compounds was evaluated on Daphnia magna Straus crustaceans and on the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae . The results indicate that both the heterocyclic nucleus and halogen atoms significantly influenced the toxicity against D. magna , with the oxazolones being less toxic than triazinones. The halogen-free oxazolone had the lowest toxicity, and the fluorine-containing triazinone exhibited the highest toxicity. The compounds showed low toxicity against yeast cells, apparently due to the activity of plasma membrane multidrug transporters Pdr5 and Snq2. The predictive analyses indicated an antiproliferative effect as the most probable biological action. The PASS prediction and CHEMBL similarity studies show evidence that the compounds could inhibit certain relevant oncological protein kinases. These results correlated with toxicity assays suggest that halogen-free oxazolone could be a good candidate for future anticancer investigations.

Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine, or Royal Demolition Explosive (RDX), is a major component of plastic explosives such as C-4. Acute exposures from intentional or accidental ingestion are a documented clinical concern, especially among young male U.S. service members in the armed forces. When ingested in large enough quantity, RDX causes tonic-clonic seizures. Previous in silico and in vitro experiments predict that RDX causes seizures by inhibiting α1β2γ2 γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA A ) receptor-mediated chloride currents. To determine whether this mechanism translates in vivo, we established a larval zebrafish model of RDX-induced seizures. After a 3 h of exposure to 300 µM RDX, larval zebrafish exhibited a significant increase in motility in comparison to vehicle controls. Researchers blinded to experimental group manually scored a 20-min segment of video starting at 3.5 h post-exposure and found significant seizure behavior that correlated with automated seizure scores. Midazolam (MDZ), an nonselective GABA A R positive allosteric modulator (PAM), and a combination of Zolpidem (α1 selective PAM) and compound 2-261 (β2/3-selective PAM) were effective in mitigating RDX-triggered behavioral and electrographic seizures. These findings confirm that RDX induces seizure activity via inhibition of the α1β2γ2 GABA A R and support the use of GABA A R-targeted anti-seizure drugs for the treatment of RDX-induced seizures., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The nitramine explosive, hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) is associated with acute and chronic toxicity in mammals and targets both the central nervous system and liver. After a single oral dose of RDX in male rats, the systemic distribution of RDX and the toxicodynamic response was measured using clinical chemistry and Affymetrix Rat Genome® 230 2.0 gene expression arrays, respectively. Nominal doses of 0, 9 and 36 mg/kg pure RDX were administered to animals followed by liver, cerebral cortex, and hippocampus gene expression analysis at 0, 3.5, 24, and 48 hours. RDX quickly entered the liver and brain, increasing up to 24 hours. For the 36 mg/kg dose, RDX was still measurable in liver and brain at 48 hours, but was non-detectible for the 9 mg/kg dose. At 3.5 hours, the time within which most convulsions reportedly occur after RDX ingestion, the hippocampus displayed the highest response for both gene expression and pathways, while the cortex was relatively non-responsive. The top 2 impacted pathways, primarily involved in neurotransmission, were the GABAergic and glutamatergic pathways. High numbers of genes also responded to RDX in the liver with P450 metabolism pathways significantly involved. Compared to the liver, the hippocampus displayed more consistent biological effects across dose and time with neurotransmission pathways predominating. Overall, based on gene expression data, RDX responses were high in both the hippocampus and liver, but were minimal in the cerebral cortex. These results identify the hippocampus as an important target for RDX based on gene expression.

As an effective herbicide, 1, 3, 5-Triazine herbicides (S-THs) are used widely in the pesticide market. However, due to their chemical properties, S-THs severely threaten the environment and human health (e.g., human lung cytotoxicity). In this study, molecular docking, Analytic Hierarchy Process-Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution (AHP-TOPSIS), and a three-dimensional quantitative structure-active relationship (3D-QSAR) model were used to design S-TH substitutes with high herbicidal functionality, high microbial degradability, and low human lung cytotoxicity. We discovered a substitute, Derivative-5, with excellent overall performance. Furthermore, Taguchi orthogonal experiments, full factorial design of experiments, and the molecular dynamics method were used to identify three chemicals (namely, the coexistence of aspartic acid, alanine, and glycine) that could promote the degradation of S-THs in maize cropping fields. Finally, density functional theory (DFT), Estimation Programs Interface (EPI), pharmacokinetic, and toxicokinetic methods were used to further verify the high microbial degradability, favorable aquatic environment, and human health friendliness of Derivative 5. This study provided a new direction for further optimizations of novel pesticide chemicals.

Background: The development of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is promoted by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Notably, combined exposure to triazine herbicides atrazine (ATR), simazine (SIM), and propazine (PRO) may promote the development of AD, but the mechanism is unknown., Aim: To study the molecular mechanism of AD induced by triazine herbicides., Methods: Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of AD patients and controls were identified. The intersectional targets of ATR, SIM, and PRO for possible associations with AD were screened through network pharmacology and used for gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. The binding potentials between the core targets and herbicides were validated by molecular docking and molecular dynamics., Results: A total of 1,062 DEGs were screened between the AD patients and controls, which identified 148 intersectional targets of herbicides causing AD that were screened by network pharmacology analysis. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that cell cycling and cellular senescence were important signalling pathways. Finally, the core targets EGFR, FN1, and TYMS were screened and validated by molecular docking and molecular dynamics., Conclusion: Our results suggest that combined exposure to triazine herbicides might promote the development of AD, thereby providing new insights for the prevention of AD.

This study provides a comprehensive compilation of published toxicological and environmental data further used to assess the ecological risks of six antifouling biocides, including tributyltin (TBT), Irgarol 1051, Diuron, Chlorothalonil, 4,5-Dichloro-N-octyl-3(2H)-isothiazolone (DCOIT), and Dichlofluanid. The standard maximum concentration and standard continuous concentration of antifouling biocides were derived by the species susceptibility distribution method. Following that, the ecological risk assessment of antifouling biocides in the aquatic environment was conducted using the hazard quotient, margin of safety, joint probability curve, and Monte Carlo random sampling method. The following is a concise list of the antifouling biocide dangers associated with acute and chronic risks: Irgarol 1051 > TBT > Diuron > DCOIT > Chlorothalonil > Dichlofluanid. It is strongly advised that systematic and ongoing monitoring of these biocides in coastal areas take place, as well as the creation of acceptable and efficient environmental protection measures, to safeguard the coastal environment's services and functions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

As one of the triazine herbicides with widespread usage in agriculture, metribuzin exerted nonnegligible hazardous effects on plants via excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species and destruction of antioxidant enzymes, but the underlying harmful mechanism of metribuzin-induced oxidative damage to plants has never been exploited. Here, Arabidopsis thaliana glutathione reductase 2 (AtGR2) was employed as the biomarker to evaluate the adverse impacts of metribuzin on plants. The fluorescence intensity of AtGR2 was decreased based on the static quenching mechanism with the prediction of a single binding site toward metribuzin, and the complex formation was presumed to be mainly impelled by hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces from the negative ΔH and ΔS. In addition, the loosened and unfolded skeleton of AtGR2 along with the increased hydrophilicity around the tryptophan residues were investigated. Besides, the glutathione reductase activity of AtGR2 was also destroyed due to structural and conformational changes. At last, the severe inhibiting growth of Arabidopsis seedling roots was discovered under metribuzin exposure. Hence, the evaluation of the molecular interaction mechanism of AtGR2 with metribuzin will establish valuable assessments of the toxic effects of metribuzin on plants., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Terbuthylazine is an effective and widely used s-triazine herbicide. However, limited data exists on its toxicity and bioaccumulation in earthworms (Eisenia fetida). In this study, we investigated the bioaccumulation, antioxidant enzyme activity, detoxification enzyme activity, and DNA damage in earthworms when exposed to terbuthylazine. The results indicated that terbuthylazine in soil had low bioaccumulation in earthworms and the biota-soil accumulation factors of terbuthylazine declined with an increasing soil terbuthylazine concentration. In the enzyme activity assays, the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities showed upward trends when compared with the control. The carboxylesterase (CarE) activity increased on day 21. The 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) content, a DNA damage bioindicator, was higher than that of the control on day 21. Combined with the integrated biological response index version 2 analysis, these results can provide a comprehensive evaluation of the toxicological effects that terbuthylazine has on earthworms and soil ecosystems., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Li Shun reports financial support was provided by Safety Evaluation Center of Shenyang SYRICI Test Co. Ltd., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Tri-(2,3-dibromopropyl) isocyanate (TBC), a newly brominated flame retardant, is widely used in the synthesis of flame retardant materials with characteristics of persistent organic pollutants. To obtain environmental exposure risks of TBC, Wistar rats and HepG2 cell were used for in vivo and in vitro studies on the toxicity of TBC and relevant ecotoxicological mechanisms of apoptosis. 80 Wistar rats were randomly selected and divided into four exposure groups (0, 0.313, 0.625, 1.250) g/(kg·bw) TBC, half male and half female, with oral administration for 28 days. Wistar rats exhibited appetite loss, weight loss, and dull hair with increasing period of TBC exposure. The pathological examinations revealed the most severe damage of liver and the ratio of liver/body weight of 35.497 × 10 -3 for high-dosed group (1.250 g/kg·bw) was higher than that of 32.792 × 10 -3 for control group in female rats with identical trend in male rats. The above indicators was fairly consistent with the serum test results which further confirmed the liver to be the target organ. The exposure dosages of HepG2 cell were (0, 12.5, 25, 50) μg/mL, individually. The HepG2 cells exposed to TBC for 72 h displayed hazy cell contour and decreased density of cell growth. And there was an inhibition detected by MTT assay, where the maximum inhibition rate was 19.93% under the dose of 50 μg/mL TBC. Apoptosis rate detected by flow cytometry which was demonstrated to be positively correlated to exposure dosage of TBC. The apoptosis rates of the low, medium and high dose groups of TBC exposure were (1.082 ± 0.109) %, (3.017 ± 0.09) % and (6.813 ± 0.233) %, individually. Targeted genes and corresponding protein expressions that triggering apoptosis both in vivo and in vitro were significantly altered. Overall, this work discloses the impacts of TBC exposure on hepatotoxicity, which provides new insights for chemical risk assessments of accelerate cell apoptosis via mitochondrial and death receptor pathway., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The leafminer Liriomyza trifolii is an important insect pest of ornamental and vegetable crops worldwide. Cyromazine is an effective, commonly-used insecticide that functions as a growth regulator, but its effect on L. trifolii has not been previously reported. In this study, transcriptome analysis was undertaken in L. trifolii exposed to cyromazine. Clusters of orthologous groups analysis indicated that a large number of differentially expressed genes responding to cyromazine were categorized as "lipid transport and metabolism", "post-translational modification, protein turnover, chaperones", and "cell wall/membrane/envelope biogenesis". Gene ontology analysis indicated that pathways associated with insect hormones, growth and development, and cuticle synthesis were significantly enriched. In general, the transcriptome results showed that the genes related to insect hormones were significantly expressed after treatment with cyromazine. Furthermore, the combined exposure of L. trifolii to cyromazine and the hormone analogues 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) or juvenile hormone (JH) indicated that hormone analogues can change the expression pattern of hormone-related genes (20EP and JHEH) and pupal length. The combined application of cyromazine with 20E improved the survival rate of L. trifolii, whereas the combination of JH and cyromazine reduced survival. The results of this study help elucidate the mechanistic basis for cyromazine toxicity and provide a foundation for understanding cyromazine resistance., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) is a highly toxic explosive that contaminates soil and water and may interfere with the degradation of co-occurring compounds, such as hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX). We proposed that TNT may influence RDX-degrading bacteria via either general toxicity or a specific effect on the |RDX degradation mechanisms. Thus, we examined the impact of TNT on RDX degradation by Rhodococcus strains YH1, T7, and YY1, which were isolated from an explosives-polluted environment. Although partly degraded, TNT did not support the growth of any of the strains when used as either sole carbon or sole nitrogen sources, or as carbon and nitrogen sources. The incubation of a mixture of TNT (25 mg/l) and RDX (20 mg/l) completely inhibited RDX degradation. The effect of TNT on the cytochrome P450, catalyzing RDX degradation, was tested in a resting cell experiment, proving that TNT inhibits XplA protein activity. A dose-response experiment showed that the IC50/trans values for YH1, T7, and YY1 were 7.272, 5.098, and 9.140 (mg/l of TNT), respectively, illustrating variable sensitivity to TNT among the strains. The expression of xplA was also strongly suppressed by TNT. Cells that were pre-grown with RDX (allowing xplA expression) and incubated with ammonium chloride, glucose, and TNT, completely transformed into their amino dinitrotoluene isomers and formed azoxy toluene isomers. The presence of oxygen-insensitive nitroreductase that enable reduction of the nitro group in the presence of O2 in the genomes of these strains suggests that they are responsible for TNT transformation in the cultures. The experimental results concluded that TNT has an adverse effect on RDX degradation by the examined strains. It inhibits RDX degradation due to the direct impact on cytochrome P450, xplA, or its expression. The tested strains can transform TNT independently of RDX. Thus, degradation of both compounds is possible if TNT concentrations are below their IC50 values., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Melamine (MEL) and its derivatives, ammeline (AMN), ammelide (AMD), cyanuric acid (CYA) are widely existed in environmental media. Animal studies have reported the cumulative risk assessment (CRA) of simultaneous exposure to MEL and its derivatives and explored the associations between exposure and routine blood parameters. Such information is largely unknown in human studies. In this study, we detected the urinary concentrations of MEL and its derivatives in 239 Chinese adults to conduct the CRA by evaluating their hazard quotients (HQ) and hazard Index (HI), and also explored the possible associations between exposure and measured routine blood parameters in study population. The detectable frequencies of MEL, AMN, AMD and CYA were 96.65%, 41.00%, 97.91% and 97.07%, respectively. The median values of creatinine (Cr)-adjusted MEL, AMN, AMD, CYA and the total concentrations of MEL and its derivatives (∑MEL) were 11.41 μg/g Cr, not detected (ND), 2.64 μg/g Cr, 15.30 μg/g Cr, 35.02 μg/g Cr, respectively. There were 9 (3.77%) participants with estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of CYA exceeding the tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 2500 ng/kg bw/day, and 12 (5.02%) participants with HI of ∑MEL exposure exceeding 1 based on the strictest TDI value. Urinary concentrations of MEL and its derivatives were positively associated with specific routine blood parameters, including hematocrit, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, white blood cell, neutrophil count (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, exposure to MEL and its derivatives increased the risk of red blood cell abnormality (P < 0.05). Our study is the first study to provide evidence-based data on the CRA of exposure to MEL and its derivatives in Chinese adults, and to propose a possible association between such exposure and routine blood parameters in human., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A variety of pesticides are often used in agricultural management to control target pests but may trigger disruptions in the metabolism of nontarget organisms, ultimately affecting crop quality. Acetamiprid (ACE) and cyromazine (CYR) are two frequently used insecticides on cowpea, so it is critical to understand whether these two insecticides cause metabolic disorders in cowpea quality changes and the mechanism by which they do so. Here, we used metabolomic and transcriptomic methods to explore the mechanisms of the effects of ACE, CYR, and their mixture (MIX) on cowpea. In this study, ACE, CYR and MIX had no significant effects on plant biomass or growth status but decreased the contents of starch, soluble protein, and total flavonoids. All treatments reduced the total flavonoid content, but MIX showed the largest reduction of 10.02%. Metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed that ACE markedly affected amino acid metabolism, and CYR and MIX affected sugar metabolism and flavonoid synthesis pathways. ACE and CYR reduced the levels of alanine, glutamic acid, isoleucine and phenylalanine and the expression of amino acid-related genes in cowpea, while MIX significantly increased the levels of most amino acids. All pesticide treatments reduced saccharide levels and related genes, with the most pronounced reduction in the MIX treatment. Exposure to ACE decreased the content of naringenin chalcone and quercetin and increased the content of anthocyanins in cowpeas, while MIX caused a significant decrease in the contents of quercetin and anthocyanins. According to the current study, single and mixed pesticides had different effects on the active ingredients of cowpea, with MIX causing the most significant decrease in the metabolite content of cowpea. These results provide important insights from a molecular perspective on how neonicotinoids and triazine insecticides affect cowpea metabolism., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease that affects more than 50 million people worldwide. Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are the mainstay of treatment for most patients with epilepsy. However, AEDs have been reported to be associated with adverse cardiac effects. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the possible cardiac effects of low-dose (LD) and high-dose (HD) treatment of valproic acid (VPA) and lamotrigine (LTG), which are commonly used AEDs, in rats without epilepsy. Rats were randomly grouped as control, LD-VPA, HD-VPA, LD-LTG, and HD-LTG. The cardiac effects of AEDs were evaluated using immunohistological, biochemical, and hemodynamic parameters. A dose-dependent increase in the intensity of caspase-3 staining was detected in the VPA and LTG groups. The intensity of connexin-43 and troponin-T staining in the VPA groups and desmin staining in the LTG groups was significantly reduced. Biochemically, HD-VPA and HD-LTG administrations caused a significant increase in MDA level in myocardial tissue. In addition, as a result of hemodynamic evaluations, cardiac functions were found to be affected and blood pressure increased in HD-LTG group. The results of present study support that VPA and LTG treatment can increase cardiac risk markers., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Melamine is an important chemical raw material used in industries, which has potential health risks to animals and humans. Current research mainly focuses on the toxic effects of high-dose melamine ingestion. However, there are few reports on whether melamine at the current limited standard dose has adverse effects on various tissues and organs, and whether there are sensitive target genes for risk evaluation. For this, 24 female Kunming mice were fed 0, 1.8-, 3.6-, and 7.2- mg/kg/d melamine via drinking water for consecutive 28 days, respectively. The morphological changes of the ovarian, hepatic, and renal tissues were firstly observed. The results demonstrated that the histopathology of ovary, liver, and especially in kidney had been altered by melamine intake in female. And then, the transcriptional levels of MAPK signaling genes including p38, ERK1, ERK2, JNK1, and JNK2 in kidneys were investigated by real-time PCR. The data showed that ERK1 and p38 mRNAs expressions were up-regulated significantly by melamine, suggesting that ERK1 and p38 transcriptional levels in the kidney might to be considered as candidate targets for lower-dose melamine toxicity. This study not only provides potential targets for the diagnosis and prevention of melamine damage, but also helps to assess the health risks of the current minimum allowable levels of melamine in food and environment., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Exposing the immature nervous system to specific antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) during pregnancy is linked to neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Newer AEDs like lamotrigine (LTG) are hailed as safer, but recent epidemiological data suggest that even LTG carries a risk, although much lower than that associated with valproic acid (VPA), an older AED, which is also known to cause morphological alterations in the developing brain. Increasing evidence highlights cerebellar abnormalities as important in ASD pathophysiology. Transcription factor PAX6 is a key activity-dependent mediator and regulates crucial processes during cerebellar development. The chicken cerebellum recapitulates important characteristics of human cerebellar development, and may thus be suitable for the assessment of interventions aiming to modify maturation and cerebellar development. In the present study, exposure of chicken on embryonic day 16 (E16) to LTG or VPA resulted in decreased cerebellar mass and level of proliferating nuclear cell antigen (PCNA) for clinically relevant concentrations of VPA. However, both AEDs reduced cerebellar protein levels of PAX6 and MMP-9 at E17. Furthermore, PAX6 immunohistochemical staining of coronal sections of chicken cerebellum showed a significant reduction in PAX6-positive cell density and changes in cerebellar cortex thickness, mostly caused by the change in IGL-layer thickness. In conclusion, prenatal exposure to LTG or VPA provoked differential maturational changes in the developing cerebellum that may reflect some of the underlying molecular mechanisms for the observed human ASD pathology after AEDs exposure during pregnancy., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Triazine herbicides are widely used in agricultural production, and large amounts of herbicide residue enter the ocean through surface runoff. In this study, the toxicities of the triazine herbicides atrazine, prometryn and terbutryn (separately and mixed) to Phaeodactylum tricornutum were investigated. The EC50 values of atrazine, prometryn and terbutryn were 28.38 μg L -1 , 8.86 μg L -1 , and 1.38 μg L -1 , respectively. The EC50 of an equitoxic mixture of the three herbicides was 0.78 TU, indicating that they had synergistic effects. The equitoxic mixture accumulated in P. tricornutum, which damaged chloroplast and mitochondria structures and significantly decrease the biomass, levels of key cellular components (such as chlorophyll a (chl a), carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) content, fatty acid content) and the effective photochemical quantum yield of photosystem II (PSII, ∆Fv/Fm). The mixture also downregulated key genes in the light response (PsbD, PetF), dark response (PGK, PRK), tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle (CS, ID, OGD, and MS) and fatty acid synthesis (FABB, SCD, and PTD9). P. tricornutum partially alleviates the effects of the mixture on photosynthesis and fatty acid synthesis by upregulating PetD, PsaB, RbcL and FabI expression. The triazine herbicide mixture reduced the biomass and nutritional value of marine phytoplankton by inhibiting photosynthesis and energy metabolism., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

2,4,6-Tribromophenol (2,4,6-TBP) is a brominated flame retardant that accumulates in human tissues and is a potential toxicant. Previous studies found 2,4,6-TBP levels in human tissues were significantly higher than those of brominated flame retardants measured in the same samples. In contrast, the levels of 2,4,6-TBP in the environment and foodstuff are not elevated, suggesting a low potential for direct intake through environmental exposure or diet. Here, we hypothesized that high levels of 2,4,6-TBP in human tissues are partially from the indirect exposure sources, such as biotransformation of highly brominated substances. We conducted in vitro assays utilizing human and rat liver microsomes to compare the biotransformation rates of four highly brominated flame retardants, which could potentially transform to 2,4,6-TBP, including decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), 2,4,6-tris-(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)-1,3,5-triazine (TTBP-TAZ), 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA). Our results show that TTBP-TAZ rapidly metabolizes in both human and rat liver microsomes with a half-life of 1.1 and 2.2 h, respectively, suggesting that TTBP-TAZ is a potential precursor of 2,4,6-TBP. In contrast, 2,4,6-TBP was not formed as a result of biotransformation of TBBPA, BTBPE, and DBDPE in both human and rat liver microsomes. We applied suspect and target screening to explore the metabolic pathways of TTBP-TAZ and identified 2,4,6-TBP as a major metabolite of TTBP-TAZ accounting for 87% of all formed metabolites. These in vitro results were further tested by an in vivo experiment in which 2,4,6-TBP was detected in the rat blood and liver at concentrations of 270 ± 110 and 50 ± 14 μg/g lipid weight, respectively, after being exposed to 250 mg/kg body weight/day of TTBP-TAZ for a week. The hepatic mRNA expression demonstrated that TTBP-TAZ significantly activates the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and promotes fatty degeneration (18 and 28-fold change compared to control, respectively) in rats., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The infant and fetus may be exposed to cyanuric acid (CA) via several different routes into the diet or milk product as well as deliberate contamination. Previous findings indicated chronic CA treatment caused neurotransmission and synaptic impairment in the early developing hippocampus. This study was designed to characterize the effects of different doses (10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg) of CA exposure on the developing fetus. Pregnant rats were intraperitoneally exposed to CA during the entire period of gestation and male offspring were selected for water maze task, neural recording and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor detection around the eighth postnatal week. We found that CA exposure impaired the learning and memory function in a dose-dependent manner. The paired-pulse ratio (PPR) and GluN2A-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP) at the Schaffer collateral-CA1 pathway were affected in CA-exposed rats. Remarkably, hippocampal levels of NMDA-GluN2A, but not NMDA-GluN2B, were significantly decreased. Meanwhile, the spine density of hippocampal CA1 neurons was not altered by the CA exposure. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that CA treatment during the prenatal period produces deficits in spatial cognition by disrupting hippocampal synaptic function., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors report no declarations of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The contamination of aquatic environments has increased over time, affecting environmental integrity and human health. Herbicides represent a source of this contamination, and among the most commercialized are the triazines and glyphosate. In contrast, there are natural herbicides, which are less harmful to the environment. The aim of this study was to verify the ecotoxicological effects of the conventional herbicides (Atrazine and Glyphosate) and a natural herbicide on Zebrafish ( Danio rerio ). Fish were exposed for 72 h to different concentrations of conventional herbicides (1, 65, and 5,000 µg L -1 ) and the natural herbicide (0.62, 1.25, and 2.5 µg L -1 ) in aquaria (20 L). At end of the experiment, blood was collected from the fish, and slides were prepared to verify the frequency of nuclear abnormalities and micronuclei. A greater number of morphological nuclear alterations were recorded in the conventional herbicide treatments. In addition, significant differences were observed in the composition of abnormalities between treatments. Atrazine and Glyphosate can cause greater damage in D. rerio , demonstrating potential toxicity at all concentrations applied. The natural herbicide showed less mutagenic potential and was less harmful to fish. Thus, natural herbicides can be a better option for the preservation of the environment.

Purpose: Despite growing evidence that neuroinflammation and pro-inflammatory cytokines are involved in the pathogenesis of seizures and epilepsy, this knowledge has not been incorporated in the proposed mechanism of action of any of the current antiseizure medications (ASMs). Here, we tested the hypothesis by assessing inflammation markers in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) exposed to lamotrigine (LTG)., Methods: In order to establish the most appropriate LTG concentrations for the transcriptome analysis (RNAseq), we initially assessed for teratogenic (spinal cord deformation, heart oedema, failed inflation of the swim bladder) and behavioural effects (distance moved, time spent active, and average swimming speed during a light/dark test) in zebrafish larvae exposed to 0, 50, 100, 300, 500, 750, and 1000 μM LTG continuously between 5 and 120 h post fertilisation. Subsequently, we repeated the experiment with 0, 50, 100, or 300 μM LTG for transcriptomic analyses. Two databases (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes; Gene Ontology) were used to interpret changes in gene expression between groups., Results: Major teratogenic effects were observed at concentrations of ≥ 500 μM LTG, whereas behavioural changes were observed at ≥ 300 μM LTG. Transcriptome analysis revealed a non-linear response to LTG. From the suite of differentially expressed genes (DEG), 85% (n = 80 DEGs) were upregulated following exposure to 50 μM LTG, whereas 58% (n = 12 DEGs) and 91% (n = 210 DEGs) were downregulated in response to 100 and 300 μM LTG. The metabolic pathways affected following exposure to 50 and 300 μM LTG were associated with responses to inflammation and pathogens as well development and regulation of the immune system in both groups. Notable genes within the lists of DEGs included component complement 3 (C3.a), which was significantly upregulated in response to 50 μM LTG, whereas interleukin 1β (IL-1β) was significantly downregulated in the 300 μM LTG group. The lowest exposure of 50 μM LTG is regarded as clinically relevant to therapeutic exposure., Conclusion: We demonstrated that LTG had an impact on the immune system, with a non-monotonic response curve. This dose-dependent relation could indicate that LTG can affect inflammatory responses and also at clinically relevant concentration. Further studies are needed to establish this method as a tool for screening the effects of ASMs on the immune system., (Crown Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Melamine and its analogues are illegally added to raise the apparent protein content in foods. The elevated concentrations of these compounds cause adverse effects in humans and animals. In this contribution, the protective effects of the synthesized starch-stabilized selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs@starch) on melamine-induced hepato-renal toxicity have been systematically investigated. The Se-NPs@starch were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) mapping analysis, TEM, and FT-IR. Starch plays a crucial role in the stabilization and dispersion of Se NPs, as noticed from the TEM and EDS investigations. Furthermore, the atomic ratio of Se distribution over the starch surface is approximately 1.67%. The current study was conducted on four groups of adult male rats, and the oral daily treatments for 28 days were as follows: group I served as control, group II received Se-NPs@starch, group III was exposed to melamine, while group IV was treated with melamine and Se-NPs@starch. The results reveal a significant alteration in the histoarchitecture of both hepatic and renal tissues induced by melamine. Furthermore, elevated liver and kidney function markers, high malondialdehyde, and increased expression levels of apoptosis-related genes besides a reduction in GSH and expression levels of antioxidant genes were observed in the melamine-exposed group. Interestingly, the administration of the Se-NPs@starch resulted in remarkable protection of rats against melamine-induced toxicity through increasing the antioxidant capacity and inhibiting oxidative damage. Collectively, this study provides affordable starch-stabilized Se-NPs with potent biological activity, making them auspicious candidates for prospective biomedical applications., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Environmental melamine exposure has been associated with deteriorating kidney function in early-stage chronic kidney disease patients. In this study, a benchmark dose (BMD) approach was used to establish melamine exposure threshold in 293 patients with eGFR≥30 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 . The patients were enrolled 2006-2010 and followed-up for a median of 7.0 years to monitor kidney outcomes. Average daily intakes (AvDI) of melamine were estimated using one-spot urine samples collected at enrollment. BMDs and corresponding one-sided 95% lower bound (BMDLs) were derived using established dose-response models relating estimated AvDIs and dichotomous kidney outcomes: doubling of serum creatine levels, eGFR decreased > 3 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 per year, and >30% decline in eGFR during the first 2 years. In addition, survival time to doubling of serum creatinine and eGFR decline over time were assessed as continuous endpoints. Given a benchmark response of 0.10, BMDLs ranged from 0.74 to 2.03 μg/kg&#95;bw/day after Bayesian model averaging, a range one to two orders lower than the current WHO recommended tolerable daily intake of 200 μg/kg&#95;bw/day and the US FDA's 63 μg/kg&#95;bw/day. Our results suggest that early-stage CKD patients should strictly refrain from using melamine tableware and related melamine-made products., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Among other negative effects, herbicides induce oxidative stress, leading to lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation. Therefore, there is a growing need to identify natural compounds with sufficient antioxidant capacity and mitigate the negative effects of herbicides without side effects. Objective: Our study aimed to examine the protective effect of the phenolic extract of wild garlic (WG) leaves on terbuthylazine-treated erythrocytes. Material and methods: In human erythrocytes treated with the herbicide terbuthylazine (4.5 mg/L) alone and a combination of terbuthylazine and WG extract, we measured malondialdehyde (MDA) and haemoglobin (Hb) concentrations and the antioxidant activities of CuZn superoxide dismutase (SOD1; EC 1.15.1.1) and catalase (CAT; EC 1.11.1.6) in vitro . Results: In comparison with terbuthylazine, WG extract reduced the concentrations of MDA and Hb from 59.69 to 43.45 nmol/gHb (27%, p  < 0.001) and 165.08 to 128.64 g/L (22%, p  < 0.05), respectively. Catalase activity was induced for samples treated with both WG extract and terbuthylazine compared with terbuthylazine alone ( p  < 0.05). Conclusions: The results demonstrated that WG may reduce the toxicity of terbuthylazine, and the erythrocyte membrane may be the primary site of phenolic action. Therefore, the lipid peroxidation intensity could be a biomarker of oxidative damage caused by terbuthylazine and the protective effect of WG.

Myzus persicae is a globally important pest with the ability to adjust to a wide range of environmental situations, and many molecular technologies have been developed and applied to understand the biology and/or control this pest insect directly. Reverse-transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) is a primary molecular technology that is used to quantify gene expression. Choosing a stable reference gene is significantly important for precisely clarifying the expression level of the target gene. Actin and 18S have been recommended as stable compounds for real-time RT-qPCR in M. persicae under the tested biotic and abiotic conditions. In this study, we checked the stability of Actin and 18S by analyzing the relative expression levels of the cytochrome 450 monooxygenase family member genes CYP6CY3 and CYP6-1, carboxylesterase gene E4 and vacuolar protein sorting gene VPS11 via RT-qPCR under various conditions. The expression levels of these four target genes were normalized using both Actin and 18S individually and the combination of these two genes. Our results confirmed that Actin and 18S can be used as reference genes to normalize the expression of target genes under insecticide treatment and starvation in M. persicae. However, at the developmental stages of M. persicae, the expression of the four tested target genes was normalized stably by Actin but not 18S, with the latter presenting a problematic change with the developmental stages. Thus, the stability of reference genes in response to diverse biotic and abiotic factors should be evaluated before each RT-qPCR experiment., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Recent studies have reported that melamine can accumulate in several regions of the brain including the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Although melamine accumulation in the hippocampus has been verified to induce cognitive impairments, whether it can cause mPFC-dependent working memory deficits is still unknown. After chronic treatment with melamine (150 (Mel(150)) or 300 (Mel(300)) mg/kg), rats were tested during both delay nonmatching-to-sample spatial and odor discrimination tasks. Levels of AMPA receptor subunits in the mPFC were detected using western blotting. To further explore the mechanism at the cellular level, prefrontal activity was recorded during the odor discrimination. The working memory of Mel(150) rats was found to be significantly impaired in a 3-minute delay odor discrimination task (control: n = 6, Mel(150): n = 6; P < 0.05). Compared with the control group (n = 6), rats in the 300 mg/kg Mel(300)-treated group (n = 8) displayed working memory deficits in 60-second delay Y-maze task (P < 0.05), 1-minute and 3-minute delay odor discrimination tasks (both P < 0.05). The levels of AMPA receptor mGluR2/3 subunit were significantly decreased in rats of the Mel(150) (n = 7) and Mel(300) (n = 7) groups (both P < 0.05). Exposure to 150 (n = 7) or 300 mg/kg (n = 7) melamine resulted in significant inhibition of the regular-spiking neuron activity during the delay period of the memory test (both P < 0.05). Intraperitoneal (n = 7) and intra-mPFC (n = 6) infusions of GluR2/3 agonists, effectively enhanced the neural correlate (both P < 0.05) while rescuing cognitive deficits in Mel(300)-treated rats (both P < 0.05). Collectively, these findings suggested that melamine could induce prefrontal dysfunction and cause cognitive impairments., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest There is not a conflict of interest for authors., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Using molecular dynamics, we address uric acid (UA) replacement by a model small-molecule inhibitor, allopurinol (AP), from its aggregated cluster in a columnar fashion. Experimentally it has been affirmed that AP is efficient in preventing UA-mediated renal stone formation. However, no study has presented the underlying mechanisms yet. Hence, a theoretical approach is presented for mapping the AP, which binds to melamine (MM) and UA clusters. In AP's presence, the higher-order cluster of UA molecules turns into a lower-order cluster, which "drags" fewer MM to them. Consequently, the MM-UA composite structure gets reduced. It is worth noting that UA-AP and AP-MM hydrogen-bonding interactions often play an essential role in reducing the UA-MM cluster size. Interestingly, an AP around UA makes a pillar-like structure, confirmed by defining the point-plane distribution function. The decomposition of the preferential interaction by Kirkwood-Buff integral into different angles like 0°-30°, 30°-60°, and 60°-90° firmly establishes the phenomenon mentioned above. However, the structural order for such π-stacking interactions between AP and UA molecules is not hierarchical but rather more spontaneous. The driving force behind UA-AP-MM composite formation is the favorable complexation energy that can be inferred by computing pairwise binding free energies for all possible combinations. Performing enhanced sampling and quantum calculations further confirms the evidence for UA degradation.

Melamine is a chemical substance used as a food adulterant because of its high nitrogen content; it is known to induce neurotoxicity, thereby adversely affecting the central nervous system. The biocompatibility, bioavailability, lower toxicity, and the large surface area of nanosized selenium relative to its other forms indicate that selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have a potential ameliorative effect against melamine-induced neurotoxicity. In this study, we tested this hypothesis using 40 adult male albino rats that were randomly assigned into four groups (n = 10 per group): group I rats served as the untreated negative controls and were fed with standard diet and distilled water; group II rats were orally treated with melamine (300 mg/kg body weight/d); group III rats orally received melamine (300 mg/kg body weight/d) and SeNPs (2 mg/kg body weight/d); and group IV rats received SeNPs only (2 mg/kg body weight/d) for 28 days. Blood and brain samples were collected from all rats and processed for biochemical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical investigations. SeNPs were encapsulated in starch as a natural stabilizer and a size-controlling agent (SeNP@starch). The prepared SeNPs were characterized using different techniques. Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) indicated that the percentage of selenium loaded in starch was 1.888 %. Powder x-ray diffractometer (XRD) was used to investigate the crystalline structure of the Se-NP@starch, to be tubular and composed of amorphous starch as well as metallic selenium. Thermogravimetric analysis confirmed the thermal stability of the product and determined the interactions among the different components. Transmission electron microscope demonstrated the spherical shape of SeNPs and their dispersion into starch surface as well as evaluating their size in nanoscale (range 20-140 nm). Our results revealed that the melamine- exposed rats had significantly elevated in malondialdehyde levels, significantly reduced in total antioxidant capacity, down-regulated expression of the antioxidant related genes Nrf2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2) and GPx (glutathione peroxidase), as well as up-regulated expression of the apoptosis-related gene Bax (B-cell lymphoma 2-associated X protein), with down regulation of Bcl-2 (B-cell lymphoma 2). Histopathological examination exhibited several alterations in the cerebrum, cerebellum, and hippocampus of the treated rats compared with the controls. Neuronal degeneration, vacuolation of the neuropils, and pericellular and perivascular spaces were observed. In addition, the pyramidal and granular cell layers of the hippocampus and cerebellum, respectively, were found to have significantly reduced thickness. Furthermore, a significant decrease in the percentage area of the glial fibrillary acidic protein and a significant increase in the percentage area of caspase-3 were noted. On the other hand, co-treatment with SeNPs partially ameliorated these alterations. A significant reduction in malondialdehyde levels; a non- significant elevation in total antioxidant capacity; up-regulation, upregulation of Nrf2, GPx, and Bcl-2 and downregulation of Bax were recorded. Neuronal degeneration, vacuolation of neuropils, and pericellular spaces were reduced. The pyramidal and granular cell layers restored their normal thickness. The percentage area of the glial fibrillary acidic protein significantly increased, whereas that of caspase-3 significantly decreased. In conclusion, SeNPs have an ameliorative effect against melamine-induced neurotoxicity in albino rats., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Exposure to cyanuric acid (CA) causes multiple organ failure accompanied by the involvement in kinds of target proteins, which are detectable and play central roles in the CNS. The hippocampus has been identified as a brain area which was especially vulnerable in developmental condition associated with cognitive dysfunction. No studies have examined the effects of CA on hippocampal function after in vitro or in vivo treatment. Here, we aimed to examine hippocampal synaptic function and adverse behavioral effects using a rat model administered CA intraperitoneally or intrahippocampally. We found that infusion of CA induced a depression in the frequency but not the amplitude of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs), miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs), or N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-mediated excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) of the CA1 neurons in dose-dependent pattern. Both intraperitoneal and intrahippocampal injections of CA suppressed hippocampal LTP from Schaffer collaterals to CA1 regions. Paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), a presynaptic phenomenon, was enhanced while the total and phosphorylated expression of NMDA-GluN1, NMDA-GluN2A, and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)-GluA1 subunits were comparable between CA-treated and control groups. In Morris water maze test, both groups could effectively learn and retain spatial memory. Our studies provide the first evidence for the neurotoxic effect of CA and the insight into its potential mechanisms., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Although booster biocides (Irgarol, diuron, chlorothalonil, dichlofluanid, and DCOIT) have been detected in sediments along the Brazilian coastal areas, the risk associated to their occurrence and levels is still unknown. Thus, the ecological risk of booster biocides to sediment-dwelling organisms from the Brazilian coast was assessed using a risk characterization approach through the Risk Quotient (Measured environmental concentration (MEC)/Predicted no effect concentrations (PNECs)). Sedimentary PNECs for Irgarol, diuron, chlorothalonil and DCOIT were derived based on published ecotoxicological data from both freshwater and marine studies, while a NORMAN methodology was used to derived it for dichlofluanid. Results showed that DCOIT, diuron, Irgarol, chlorothalonil, and dichlofluanid can pose high risk on 47%, 35%, 15%, 1% and 1%, respectively, of the 113 Brazilian sites appraised. Considering the trend of expansion of navigation/maritime activities, DCOIT may worsen its impact over the coastal areas of Brazil, especially ports, but also ship/boatyards, marinas, and maritime traffic zones. The present study is an important contribution to support advance on policy formulation concerning booster biocides worldwide, particularly considering the lack of regulation on the use of antifouling biocides in Brazil., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The optimization of the bacterium Pseudomonas stutzeri SPM-1, obtained from textile wastewater dumping sites of Surat, Gujarat was studied for the degradation of the textile azo dye Procion Red-H3B. The strain showed significant activities of azoreductase (95%), laccase (76%) and NADH-DCIP reductase (88%) at 12, 10 and 8 h of growth, respectively, indicating the evidence for reductive cleavage of the dye. The optimization was carried on phenanthrene enrichment medium followed by exposing it to variable environmental factors and nutritional sources. The complete decolourization of dye (50 mg/L) happened within 20 h of incubation at pH 8 and temperature 32 ± 0.2 °C under microaerophilic condition. Decolourization was monitored with the shifting of absorbance peak in UV-Vis spectrophotometry and HPLC analysis. The changes in the functional groups were confirmed by the presence of new peaks in FT-IR data. GC-MS analysis helped in recognizing the degraded dye compounds thus elucidating the proposed pathway for Procion Red-H3B. The potential of bioremediation process was completed by phytotoxicity test using two plants Vigna radiata and Cicer arietinum. Our study concludes that the strain Pseudomonas stutzeri SPM-1, with its rapid decolourization efficiency holds noteworthy prospective in industrial application for textile wastewater treatment.