Biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles by Penicillium rubens and catalytic detoxification of ochratoxin A and organic dye pollutants / Biosíntesis de nanopartículas de oro por Penicillium rubens y desintoxicación catalítica de ocratoxina A y contaminantes colorantes orgánicos

The environmental pollution caused by chemical dyes is a growing concern nowadays. Limitations of traditional methods opened the route for nanotechnology; owing to the versatile properties of nanomaterials, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) became a potential strategy for different applications. In the present study, biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles (BioAuNPs) was carried out by reacting chloroauric acid (HAuCl4) with cell-free filtrate of Penicillium rubens sp. nov. NCIM 1937. The AuNPs were then characterized by UV–visible spectroscopy, HR-TEM, FTIR, and DLS analysis to further examine their efficacious biosynthesis and morphological properties including size, shape, and stability. The biogenic AuNPs are polydisperse in nature, with a mean size of 14.92 ± 5 nm. These AuNPs exhibited promising antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli NCIM-2065, Bacillus subtilis NCIM-2010, and Penicillium verrucosum MTCC 4935. In vitro quantitative HPLC results revealed that BioAuNPs significantly inhibited the biosynthesis of ochratoxin A (OTA). Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are intriguing for power generation and wastewater treatment since they can directly transform chemical energy stored in organic matter to electricity by extracellular electron transfer (EET) via membrane proteins. AuNPs also showed excellent potential for dye degradation of organic pollutants, viz., methylene blue (MB), phenol red (PR), bromothymol blue (BTB), Congo red (CR), and 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). All dye removal efficiencies were estimated and fitted to pseudo-first-order processes using kinetic rate constants (Ka).The present study reveals a simple, original, and eco-friendly method for the synthesis of multifunctional biogenic AuNPs that could be effective in OTA detoxification in food products and organic pollutant removal during wastewater treatment for a sustainable environment.(AU)

Contribution of Serendipita indica on growth improvement, antioxidative capacity of Dracocephalum kotschyi, and its resistance against cadmium stress / Contribución de Serendipita indica a la mejora del crecimiento, la capacidad antioxidante de Dracocephalum kotschyi y su resistencia al estrés por cadmio

Cadmium pollution is a severe issue worldwide which causes an elevated concern in agriculture. The utilization of plant–microbial interactions offers a promising approach for the remediation of cadmium-polluted soils. To elucidate the mechanism of Serendipita indica-mediated cadmium stress tolerance, a potting experiment was conducted to study the impact of S. indica on Dracocephalum kotschyi plants grown under different cadmium concentrations (0, 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg). The effects of cadmium and S. indica on plant growth, antioxidant enzyme activities, and accumulation of cadmium were investigated. The results showed that cadmium stress significantly decreases biomass, photosynthetic pigments, and carbohydrate content concomitantly with increasing antioxidant activities, electrolyte leakage, and hydrogen peroxide, proline, and cadmium content. Inoculation with S. indica alleviated the adverse effect of cadmium stress by enhancing shoot and root dry weight, photosynthetic pigments, and carbohydrate, proline, and catalase activity. Unlike cadmium stress, the presence of fungus led to a reduction in electrolyte leakage and hydrogen peroxide content as well as the content of cadmium in D. kotschyi leaf which mitigates cadmium-induced oxidative stress. Our findings demonstrated S. indica inoculation alleviates the adverse effects of cadmium stress in D. kotschyi plants which could prolong their survival under stressful conditions. Due to the importance of D. kotschyi and the effect of biomass increase on the amount of its medicinal substances, exploiting S. indica not only promotes plant growth, but also may be used as a potential eco-friendly method for relieving the phytotoxicity of Cd and remediating Cd-contaminated soil.(AU)

Characterization of the biosurfactant production and enzymatic potential of bacteria isolated from an oil-contaminated saline soil / Caracterización de la producción de biosurfactantes y potencial enzimático de bacterias aisladas de un suelo salino contaminado con aceite

Biosurfactants are amphiphilic compounds with extensive applications in oily contaminated environments to remove hydrocarbons. Moreover, enzymes such as laccase and manganese peroxidase are responsible for the oxidation of a variety of phenolic compounds and aromatic amines. Therefore, in the present study, bacteria with the potential to produce biosurfactants and enzymes (namely, laccase, manganese peroxidase, and endoglucanase carboxymethyl cellulose (CMCase)) were isolated from petroleum oil-contaminated soil. From 15 isolated bacteria, three isolates were selected as the best producers of biosurfactants according to the related tests, such as tests for surface tension reduction. These three bacteria indicated tolerance to a salinity test and were classified as resistant and very resistant. The isolates 3, 12, 13, and 14 showed positive results for the degradation of guaiacol, phenol red, and carboxymethylcellulose, as well as the decoloration of methylene blue by the creation of a clear halo around the bacterial colony. Upon the quantitation of the laccase and manganese peroxidase activities, 22.58 U/L and 21.81 U/L, respectively, were measured by isolate 13. Furthermore, CMCase activity was recorded with 0.057436 U/ml belonging to isolate 14. Bacterial strains with appreciable laccase, peroxidase, CMCase activity, and biosurfactant production potentials were identified through 16S rDNA sequence analysis as Bacillus sp. (isolate 3), Bacillus toyonensis (isolate 12), Bacillus cereus (isolate 13), and Bacillus tropicus (isolate 14), and their nucleotide sequences were deposited in the GenBank. The potentials for the industrial applicability of the biosurfactants and enzymes abound, and production needs to be optimized by the selected bacterial strains.(AU)

Impacto medioambientalde los servicios de Urgenciasen la Salud Pública: una herramienta de valoración / Carbon footprinting the Emergency Departments in the United Kingdom: an assessment too

FUNDAMENTOS: El cambio climático está directamente relacionado con el aumento de ciertas patologías como enfermedadescardiovasculares, respiratorias y/o infecciosas, así como con la desnutrición, provocada por la reducción de los alimentos disponibles,y el deterioro de la salud mental. La evidencia ha señalado que los servicios sanitarios son responsables del 4%-5% de las emisionesde gases efecto invernadero en todo el mundo. El objetivo de este estudio fue diseñar una herramienta de evaluación de la huella decarbono de los servicios de Urgencias.MÉTODOS: Se diseñó la herramienta a través de cinco etapas. En primer lugar, se seleccionaron las categorías a incluir en laherramienta desde una revisión de la literatura. Posteriormente, se determinaron el alcance y límites, se seleccionaron los factoresde conversión, se recopilaron datos del servicio de Urgencias del Royal Free Hospital de Londres como sitio piloto y se seleccionó elmétodo de cálculo de la huella de carbono.RESULTADOS: La herramienta resultante se dividió en tres ámbitos, y cada ámbito en una o más categorías que contienen varioselementos. Los datos se recopilaron de diferentes fuentes, como facturación, medidores, auditorías y encuestas. La herramienta sepresentó en un documento de Microsoft Excel.CONCLUSIONES: Esta herramienta de evaluación de carbono ofrece una oportunidad para monitorear las emisiones de carbonoen los servicios de Urgencias. Pretende proporcionar una valoración de la huella de carbono de referencia, identificando puntoscríticos de emisión dentro del servicio, que puede dar lugar a iniciativas ambientales locales.PALABRAS CLAVE: Huella de carbono; Emisiones de gases efecto invernadero; Servicios de Urgencias; Evaluación del ciclo devida; Impacto medioambiental.(AU)

BACKGROUND: Climate change is directly related to increasing medical conditions such as cardiovascular, respiratory and/or infectious diseases, as well as malnutrition and mental illness caused by the reduction of available food and the growth of situations with significant emotional impact, respectively. Evidence showed that healthcare services are responsible for 4-5% of the greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. The aim of this study is the development of an assessment tool to evaluate the carbon footprint ofemergency departments.METHODS: The development of the proposed assessment tool followed five stages. Firstly, the categories of GHGs to be included in the assessment tool were determined through a literature review. This was followed by establishment of scopes and boundaries, selection of conversion factors, collection of data from the Emergency Department at the Royal Free Hospital in London as a pilot site, and finally, the development of methodology to assess the carbon footprint.RESULTS : The assessment tool was divided in three scopes and each scope included one or more categories containing several items. Data was collected from different sources such as meters invoicing and billing, auditing, and surveys. The tool is presented in a Microsoft Excel document.CONCLUSIONS : This carbon assessment tool offers an opportunity to monitor carbon emissions in emergency departments, aiming to proliferate environmental strategies. The assessment tool seeks to provide a baseline carbon footprint assessment, identifying carbon hotspots within the department. The identification of these areas of intensive carbon emissions can help guide and focuslocal environmental initiatives that later can be monitored with a follow-up assessment to evaluate their effectiveness.KEYWORDS: Carbon footprint; Greenhouse gases emissions; Emergency departments; Life cycle assessment; Environmental impact.(AU)

Estrategia «Salud Zer0 Emisiones Netas 2030» del Servicio Canario de la Salud / “Carbon Net Zer0 2030” strategy of Canary Islands Health Service

El Servicio Canario de la Salud es consciente de los riesgos para la salud derivados del cambio climático y de que los sistemas de salud deben ser, con su acción, parte de la solución y no parte del problema. Actualmente, el 4,4% de las emisiones mundiales de dióxido de carbono provienen de actividades relacionadas con el ámbito sanitario. Para dar respuesta a esta situación, el Servicio Canario de la Salud ha puesto en marcha la estrategia «Salud Zer0 Emisiones Netas 2030», con la que se pretende alcanzar la neutralidad en emisiones netas de carbono en el año 2030 aplicando medidas tanto directas como indirectas, en especial sobre la cadena de suministro del sistema público de salud de Canarias. Este proyecto es pionero en España y está sujeto a revisión continua, sumándose nuevas acciones concretas a la estrategia conforme se vaya cuantificando la huella de carbono de los diferentes procedimientos implicados en la prestación de servicios sanitarios. (AU)

The Canary Islands Health Service is aware of the health risks arising from climate change. So health systems must be, with their action, part of the solution, not part of the problem. Currently, 4.4% of global carbon dioxide emissions come from activities related to the health field. To respond to this situation, the Canary Islands Health Service has launched the “Carbon Net Zer0 2030” strategy intending to achieve neutrality in net carbon emissions in the year 2030, applying measures direct and indirect, especially on the supply chain of the public health system. This is a ground-breaking project in Spain and is under continuous review, adding new specific actions to the strategy as the carbon footprint of the different procedures involved in the provision of health services is quantified. (AU)

El sistema inmunitario y la contaminación ambiental son los inductor de los cánceres de pulmón en personas no fumadoras / The immune system and environmental pollution are the inducers of lung cancer in non-smokers

En esta visión de Panorama os presento una idea revolucionaria sobre la formación de tumores enla que está implicada la respuesta inmunitaria. Y me baso en un estudio (Swanton C, ESMO 2022)que posiblemente cambiará la forma en que vemos el cáncer de pulmón en personas que nuncahan fumado. (AU)

Lindane removal in contaminated soil by defined microbial consortia and evaluation of its effectiveness by bioassays and cytotoxicity studies / Eliminación de lindano en suelos contaminados por consorcios microbianos definidos y evaluación de su eficacia mediante bioensayos y estudios de citotoxicidad

Lindane contamination in different environmental matrices has been a global concern for long. Bacterial consortia consisting of Paracoccus sp. NITDBR1, Rhodococcus rhodochrous NITDBS9, Ochrobactrum sp. NITDBR3, NITDBR4 and NITDBR5 were used for the bioremediation of soil artificially contaminated with lindane. The bacteria, Paracoccus sp. NITDBR1 and Rhodococcus rhodochrous NITDBS9, have been selected based on their lindane degrading capacity in liquid culture conditions (~80-90 %). The remaining three bacteria were chosen for their auxiliary properties for plant growth promotion, such as nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, indole-3-acetic acid production and ammonia production under in vitro conditions. In this study, market wastes, mainly vegetable wastes, were added to the soil as a biostimulant to form a biomixture for assisting the degradation of lindane by bioaugmentation. Residual lindane was measured at regular intervals of 7 days to monitor the biodegradation process. It was observed that the consortium could degrade ~80% of 50 mg kg-1 lindane in soil which was further increased in the biomixture after six weeks of incubation. Bioassays performed on plant seeds and cytotoxicity studies performed on human skin fibroblast and HCT116 cell lines revealed that the groups contaminated with lindane and treated with the bacterial consortium showed lower toxicity than their respective controls without any bacteria. Hence, the use of both pesticide degrading and plant growth-promoting bacteria in a consortium can be a promising strategy for improved bioremediation against chemical pesticides, particularly in soil and agricultural fields, simultaneously enhancing crop productivity in those contaminated soil(AU)

Prevention of coronavirus contamination from the environment using an air-cleaning closed system drug-transfer device

Background: Closed system drug-transfer devices (CSTD) allow the reconstitution of hazardous drugs into infusion bags, while preserving the sterility of the product and preventing the escape of liquids and aerosols into the environment. Air-cleaning technology CSTD is based on an activated carbon filter and a membrane which enable maintaining the drug sterile by filtration of air entering the vial during pressure equalization. Objective: The study aimed to investigate if an air-cleaning CSTD can prevent liquid viral contamination by human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43). Methods: ChemfortTM CSTD with (intact) or without (control) a Toxi-Guard system was used to transfer liquids between an IV bag and an empty vial (a total of 5 liquid transfers) inside a sealed glove box contaminated by HCoV-OC43 aerosols. In addition, the vial adaptor was challenged by direct spray of HCoV-OC43 solution on the septum and filter areas. HCoV-OC43 RNA was extracted from samples of the transferred liquid and compared between the devices with or without a Toxi-Guard system. Results: Use of a CSTD with the Toxi-Guard system resulted in non-detectable cycle threshold (CT) values, indicative of no detectable HCoV-OC43RNA in the transferred liquid, even when the septa and filter areas were directly sprayed with HCoV-OC43 stock solution. In contrast, use of the CSTD with no Toxi-Guard system resulted in a detectable CT value of the transferred liquid. Conclusions: Using Chemfort CSTD with integral Toxi-Guard technology can prevent the introduction of microbial and airborne contaminants into the fluid path, thus potentially protecting patients from infection (AU)

COVID-19, contaminación y asma / COVID-19, contamination and asthma

En diciembre de 2019, comenzó en Wuhan, China, una pandemia cuya repercusión a nivel mundial aún está por determinar. Al tratarse de un proceso infeccioso que afecta fundamentalmente a las vías respiratorias se propusieron en primera instancia dos vías de transmisión, fómites y gotas. La evolución de la enfermedad ha revelado el papel de los aerosoles en su propagación descubriendo así nuevas medidas para evitar la expansión del virus. A diferencia de otras infecciones respiratorias, los pacientes con asma no han visto agravada su enfermedad, evaluándose en algunos estudios el posible efecto protector de los corticoides inhalados. Tras analizar los factores de riesgo asociados a esta enfermedad, la contaminación ambiental vuelve a estar en el punto de mira como en brotes previos originados por el SARS-CoV-1. Algunos autores relacionan los niveles de contaminación y el aumento de la morbimortalidad por COVID-19, aunque reconocen que hacen falta otro tipo de estudios para demostrar causalidad ya que son múltiples los factores de confusión implicados. Las medidas de: distanciamiento social, uso de mascarillas, equipos de protección individual, desinfección de superficies… han resultado eficaces en la protección frente al virus. La significativa reducción de los desplazamientos y la actividad industrial durante la pandemia ha demostrado la influencia del ser humano sobre la calidad del aire y nos conduce a reflexionar sobre la necesidad de seguir implementando medidas para mejorar el entorno ambiental (AU)

In December 2019, a pandemic began in Wuhan, China, whose global impact has yet to be determined. It is an infectious process that mainly affects the respiratory tract. Two transmission routes, fomites and drops, were proposed in the first instance. The evolution of the disease has revealed the role of aerosols in its spread, thus discovering new measures to prevent the spread of the virus. Unlike other respiratory infections, patients with asthma have not seen their disease worsened, and the possible protective effect of inhaled corticosteroids has been evaluated in some studies. After analyzing the risk factors associated with this disease, environmental contamination is once again in the spotlight as in previous outbreaks caused by SARS-CoV-1. Some authors relate the levels of contamination and the increase in morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19, although they acknowledge that other types of studies are needed to demonstrate causality since there are multiple confounding factors involved. The measures of social distancing, use of masks, individual protection equipment, disinfection of surfaces … have been effective in protecting against the virus. The significant reduction in travel and industrial activity during the pandemic has demonstrated the influence of human beings on air quality and leads us to reflect on the need to continue implementing measures to improve the environment. (AU)

Contaminación del Río Santiago: Un problema epidemiológico ambiental persistente de Salud Pública en Jalisco, México / River pollution in Santiago: A persistent epidemiologic environmental problem of Public Health in Jalisco, Mexico

El Río Santiago es hoy en día uno de los contextos ambientales más contaminados como resultado de la actividad antropogénica e industrial, representa a simple vista la exposición a múltiples sustancias químicas y a agentes biológicos que ahí concurren y que impactan en la salud de los pobladores del Salto y Juanacatlán Jalisco. Objetivo. Establecer el estado del arte en cuanto a la contaminación ambiental y los riesgos asociados por exposición a residuos peligrosos y agentes biológicos con los que convive la población humana en este contexto socio-ambiental. Material y métodos. Se realizó una revisión sistemática de la información presente en la red y se realizó un análisis crítico de la realidad objetiva presente actualmente en este contexto. Resultados. De un total de 15 referencias detectadas, 2 corresponden a videos de Instituto Mexicano de Desarrollo Comunitario [IMDEC], parte 1 y parte 2, además se detectaron fotografías que denotan un contexto socio-ambiental contaminado y una referencia con la manifestación de GREENSPACE. Conclusión. Los títulos de los artículos en su incidente expresión “Veneno” y los casos de cáncer visibles en los videos de IMDEC, los riesgos asociados en la salud humana, subrayan la intervención necesaria ya de las autoridades en búsqueda del control en cuanto a calidad ambiental y una revisión emergente en cuanto a legislación ambiental.(AU)

The Santiago River is today one of the most contaminated environmental contexts as a result of anthropogenic activity and industrial, represents a simple view of the exposure to multiple chemicals and biological agents that there exist and that impact on the health of the inhabitants of the leap and Juanacatlán Jalisco. Objective. Set the state of the art in terms of the environmental pollution and the risks associated with exposure to hazardous waste and biological agents with the living human population in this social and environmental context. Material and methods. We conducted a systematic review of the information present in the network and made a critical analysis of the objective reality currently present in this context. Results. Of a total of 15 references detected, 2 correspond to video of the Mexican Institute for Community Development (IMDEC], part 1 and Part 2, Furthermore it detected photographs that denote a socio-environmental contaminated and a reference to the expression of GREENSPACE. Conclusion. The titles of the items in your incident expression "poison" and cases of cancer visible in videos of IMDEC, the associated risks to human health, underline the intervention necessary because of the authorities in search of control in terms of environmental quality and a pop-up review in regard to environmental legislation.(AU)

Environmental pollution and lung cancer: The carcinogenic power of the air we breathe / Contaminación ambiental y cáncer de pulmón: el poder carcinogénico del aire que respiramos

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Niveles de ruido ambiental en dos unidades de cuidados intensivos pediátricos con diferente infraestructura / Comparative analysis of environmental noise levels in two paediatric intensive care units

OBJETIVOS: 1) Determinar los niveles de ruido ambiental en dos unidades de cuidados intensivos pediátricos (UCIP) de un hospital pediátrico de tercer nivel asistencial y 2) analizar si dichos valores cumplen con la normativa actual. MÉTODO: Estudio observacional, descriptivo y transversal llevado a cabo en dos UCIP con infraestructura diferente: boxes separados por cortinas y habitaciones individuales. Se empleó un sonómetro PCE-999 tipo 2 para determinar el ruido ambiental y la unidad de medida registrada fue en decibelios (dB). A la vez, se diseñó un documento de recogida de datos ad hoc diferenciando entre unidad (abierta y cerrada), hora de registro. RESULTADOS: Se recogió un total de 330 determinaciones, 72 en la UCIP abierta y 258 en la de habitaciones individuales. El ruido ambiental que imperaba en la unidad de críticos abierta fue de 56,74 ± 3,6 decibelios versus 50,36 ± 4,7 en la de boxes individuales, observándose valores mayores en el turno diurno. DISCUSIÓN: Tal como sucede en otros estudios previos, se observa que el ruido que impera en la unidad excede los límites permitidos. Además, se coincide con el hecho de que las principales fuentes de ruido ambiental de la UCI provienen de las alarmas, la maquinaria, como monitores o respiradores y las conversaciones entre profesionales sanitarios. CONCLUSIONES: Tras la presente investigación, se ha podido constatar que los niveles de ruido ambiental que imperan en las dos Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátricos analizadas son elevados. Los datos obtenidos apuntan a que la organización arquitectónica de concepto cerrado puede tener un impacto a la hora de disminuir la generación de dicho input medioambiental

AIMS: 1) To determine noise levels in two paediatric intensive care units (PICU) of a tertiary hospital and 2) to analyse whether these values comply with the current standards. METHOD: Observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study carried out in two PICU with different infrastructure: bays separated by curtains and individual bedrooms. A PCE-999 sound level meter was used to determine noise levels, which were registered in decibels (dB). At the same time, an ad hoc data recording document was designed in which we differentiated between each unit (open concept or closed), time of recording. RESULTS: A total of 330 tests, 72 from open PICUs and 258 from closed PICUs were collected. The noise in the open PICU was 56.74 ± 3.61 decibels versus 50.36 ± 4.71 in the closed PICU, obtaining the highest levels during the morning. DISCUSSION: As it occurs in other studies, noise levels exceed the allowed limits. At the same time, the main sources of noise in the PICU came from alarms, medical equipment, such as monitors or respirators, and conversations between health professional. CONCLUSIONS: This investigation has shown high levels of environmental noise in the two PICUs analysed. The data obtained indicate that the architectural concept of individual bedrooms may have an impact in decreasing this environmental input

Salut I medi ambient de la infància I l'adolescència en temps de covid-19 / No disponible

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Ensayo estandarizado (ISO 17512) de comportamiento de evitación de suelos contaminados. Efecto del pesticida dimetoato sobre la lombriz de tierra Aporrectodea caliginosa / Standardized avoidance test (ISO 17512) for contaminated soils. Effect of the pesticide dimethoate on the earthworm Aporrectodea caliginosa

La creciente preocupación por el bienestar animal ha propiciado el rechazo por parte de la sociedad a la utilización de animales en experimentación. Por este motivo, actualmente se están desarrollando métodos alternativos que cumplan con el principio de las 3Rs (reemplazar, reutilizar y refinar). Muchos de estos métodos se basan en la utilización de organismos inferiores, como las lombrices de tierra. El presente estudio desarrolla el ensayo estandarizado de la Organización Internacional de Normalización (ISO) 17512-1:2008, en el que se evalúa la toxicidad producida por el plaguicida organofosforado dimetoato en el suelo, utilizando la capacidad de repulsión o evitación que presentan las lombrices de tierra pertenecientes a la especie Aporrectodea caliginosa. Las concentraciones seleccionadas han sido 0,06, 0,3 y 1,5 mg/kg de suelo, ensayada cada una de ellas por triplicado, empleando 10 lombrices por cada réplica. Los resultados reflejan la capacidad de las lombrices de tierra de la especie Aporrectodea caliginosa para evitar suelos contaminados con el formulado comercial de dimetoato. Por otra parte, se confirma la tendencia de las lombrices a evitar el suelo contaminado a medida que aumenta la concentración de plaguicida ensayada, con significación estadística a la dosis más alta empleada (1,5 mg/kg). (AU)

The increasing concern about animal wellness has induced the repulse of society to the use of animals in research. For this reason, alternative methods which comply with the 3Rs principle (Replace, Reuse and Refine) are currently being developed. Many of these methods are based on the use of lower organisms on the evolutionary scale, such as earthworms. The present study develops the standardized test of the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) 17512-1:2008, in which the toxicity produced by the pesticide organophosphate dimethoate in the soil is evaluated, using the capacity of repulsion or avoidance that presents the earthworms Aporrectodea caliginosa. The assayed concentrations were 0.06, 0.3 and 1.5 mg/kg of soil, each one tested in triplicated, using 10 earthworms for each repetition. The results reflect the ability of earthworms of the species Aporrectodea calliginosa to avoid soils contaminated with the commercial formulation of dimethoate. On the other hand, the tendency of worms to avoid contaminated soils is confirmed as the concentration of pesticide increases, with statistical significance at the highest concentration used (1.5 mg/kg). (AU)