Risk assessment of pesticides used in the eastern Avocado Belt of Michoacan, Mexico: A survey and water monitoring approach.

Pesticides use raises concerns regarding environmental sustainability, as pesticides are closely linked to the decline of biodiversity and adverse human health outcomes. This study proposed a holistic approach for assessing the potential risks posed by pesticides for human health and the environment in the eastern region of Michoacan, where extensive agricultural lands, especially corn and avocado fields, surround the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. We used a combination of qualitative (semi-structured interviews) and quantitative (chemical analysis) data. Fifty-five interviews with smallholder farmers allowed us to identify pesticide types, quantities, frequencies, and application methods. A robust and precise analytical method based on solid-phase extraction and LC-MS/MS was developed and validated to quantify 21 different pesticides in 16 water samples (rivers, wells, runoff areas). We assessed environmental and human health risks based on the pesticides detected in the water samples and reported in the interviews. The interviews revealed the use of 28 active ingredients, including glyphosate (29 % of respondents), imidacloprid (27 %), and benomyl (24 %). The pesticide analysis showed the presence of 13 different pesticides and degradation products in the water samples. The highest concentrations were found for imidacloprid (1195 ngL-1) and carbendazim (a degradation product of benomyl; 932 ngL-1), along with the metabolite of pyrethroid insecticides, 3-PBA (494 ngL-1). The risk assessment indicates that among the most used pesticides, the fungicide benomyl and carbendazim pose the highest risk to human health and aquatic ecosystems, respectively. This study unveils novel insights on agricultural practices for the avocado, a globally consumed crop that is undergoing rapid production expansion. It calls for the harmonisation of crop protection with environmental responsibility, safeguarding the health of the people involved and the surrounding ecosystems.

One-Step Fabrication of a Multifunctional Magnetic Nickel Ferrite/Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes Nanohybrid-Modified Electrode for the Determination of Benomyl in Food.

Benomyl, as one kind of agricultural pesticide, has adverse impact on human health and the environment. It is urgent to develop effective and rapid methods for quantitative determination of benomyl. A simple and sensitive electroanalytical method for determination of benomyl using a magnetic nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) nanohybrid-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was presented. The electrocatalytic properties and electroanalysis of benomyl on the modified electrode were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). In the phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) of pH 6.0, this constructed biosensor exhibited two linear relationships with the benomyl concentration range from 1.00 × 10(-7) to 5.00 × 10(-7) mol/L and from 5.00 × 10(-7) to 1.00 × 10(-5) mol/L, respectively. The detection limit was 2.51 × 10(-8) mol/L (S/N = 3). Moreover, the proposed method was successfully applied to determine benomyl in real samples with satisfactory results. The NiFe2O4/MWCNTs/GCE showed good reproducibility and stability, excellent catalytic activity, and anti-interference.

Effects of ozone microbubble treatment on removal of residual pesticides and quality of persimmon leaves.

This study investigated the effects of ozone microbubble (OMCB) treatment on the removal of residual fenitrothion (FT) and benomyl pesticides from red and green persimmon leaves, and also the treatment effect on the leaf colours, physical properties and flavour. The continuous bubbling OMCB treatment was more effective than the non-bubbling OMCB treatments at reducing the FT and benomyl agricultural pesticide residues from both the red and green persimmon leaves. Moreover, the bubbling OMCB treatment had no effect on the colour and pulling strength of the leaves. These results indicate that the treatment by bubbling OMCB is an extremely effective method for removing the residues of FT and benomyl in persimmon leaves and has relatively little effect on leaf quality characteristics.

Fungicide resistance and genetic variability in plant pathogenic strains of Guignardia citricarpa / Resistência a fungicidas e variabilidade genética em linhagens patogênicas de plantas Guignardiacitricarpa

Citrus black spot (CBS) is a plant disease of worldwide occurrence, affecting crops in Africa, Oceania, and South America. In Brazil, climate provides favorable conditions and CBS has spread to the Southeast and South regions. CBS is caused by the fungus Guignardia citricarpa (anamorph: Phyllosticta citricarpa) and its control is based on the use of fungicides, such as benzimidazoles. In South Africa, the disease was kept under control for 10 years with benomyl, until cases of resistance to high concentrations of this fungicide were reported from all citrus-producing areas. Azoxystrobin (a strobilurin) has been found effective in controlling phytopathogens, including CBS, in a wide range of economically important crops. The present study investigated in vitro the effects of the fungicides benomyl and azoxystrobin on 10 strains of G. citricarpa isolated from lesions in citrus plants from Brazil and South Africa. Benomyl at 0.5 µg/mL inhibited mycelial growth in all strains except PC3C, of African origin, which exhibited resistance to concentrations of up to 100.0 µg/mL. The spontaneous mutation frequency for resistance to benomyl was 1.25 ï 10-7. Azoxystrobin, even at high concentrations, did not inhibit mycelial growth in any of the strains, but significantly reduced sporulation rates, by as much as 100%, at a concentration of 5.0 µg/mL. Variations in sensitivity across strains, particularly to the strobilurin azoxystrobin, are possibly related to genetic variability in G. citricarpa isolates.

A Mancha Preta dos Citros (MPC) tem ocorrência mundial afetando a produção de citros na África, Oceania e América do Sul. No Brasil, onde o clima é favorável ao seu desenvolvimento, a doença está espalhada nas regiões Sul e Sudeste. O controle da MPC, causada pelo fungo Guignardia citricarpa (anamorfo: Phyllosticta citricarpa) é baseado na aplicação de fungicidas, como os benzimidazóis. Na África do Sul, após 10 anos de controle da doença com o fungicida benomil, os casos de resistência a altas concentrações deste fungicida atingiram todas as áreas produtoras. O fungicida estrolilurina chamado azoxistrobina tem se mostrado eficiente no controle dos fitopatógenos de uma grande variedade de culturas economicamente importantes, incluindo a MPC. Neste trabalho foram investigados os efeitos in vitro dos fungicidas benomil e azoxistrobina em 10 linhagens de G. citricarpa isoladas de lesões em plantas cítricas no Brasil e na África do Sul. Houve inibição do crescimento micelial a 0,5 µg/mL do fungicida benomil entre as linhagens testadas, com exceção de PC3C de origem sul-africana, que apresentou resistência até a concentração de 100,0 µg/mL de benomil. A freqüência de mutação espontânea para resistência ao benomil foi de 1,25 ï 10-7. A estrobilurina azoxistrobina, mesmo em altas concentrações, não inibiu o crescimento micelial dos isolados, entretanto reduziu significativamente a produção de esporos, chegando a 100% de inibição em concentrações de 5,0 µg/mL de azoxistrobina. A variação na sensibilidade das linhagens, principalmente com a estrobilurina azoxistrobina, possivelmente está relacionada com a variabilidade genética dos isolados de G. citricarpa.

Spectrofluorimetric determination of benzoimidazolic pesticides: effect of p-sulfonatocalix[6]arene and cyclodextrins.

The effect of the addition of a macrocyclic host (H) such as p-sulfonatocalix[6]arene (C6S), native and modified cyclodextrins (CDs), on the fluorescence of benzoimidazolic fungicides (P), like Benomyl (BY) and Carbendazim (CZ), has been studied. The fluorescence of BY in water at pH 1.000 and 25.0 degrees C was increased in the presence of C6S, alphaCD and hydroxypropyl-beta-CD (HPCD). The association constants determined by fluorescence enhancement showed weak interactions (K(A) approximately 10(1) to 10(2) M(-1)) between the fungicide with both CDs, whereas they were stronger with C6S (K(A) approximately 10(5) M(-1)). Molecular recognition of BY for C6S was mainly attributed to electrostatic interactions, and for CDs to the hydrophobic effect and hydrogen bond formation. On the other hand, the fluorescent behaviour of CZ in the presence of C6S at pH 6.994 was interpreted as the formation of two complexes with 1:1 (P:H) and 1:2 (P:H(2)) stoichiometry, the latter being less fluorescent than the free analyte. Relative fluorescence quantum yield ratios between the complexed and free BY (phi(P:H)/phi(P)) were 2.00+/-0.05, 1.40+/-0.03 and 2.8+/-0.4 for C6S, alphaCD and HPCD, respectively. The analytical parameters improved in the presence of C6S and CDs. The best limit of detection (L(D), ng mL(-1)) was 17.4+/-0.8 with HPCD. The proposed method with C6S and HPCD was successfully applied to fortified samples of tap water and orange flesh extract with good recoveries (91-106%) and R.S.D. (< or = 2%) by triplicate analysis. The method is rapid, direct and simple and needs no previous degradation or derivatization reaction.

Nitrile glove permeation of benomyl.

The aim of this study was to investigate permeation of the fungicide benomyl at its highest field application concentration (0.70 mg/mL) in Benlate 50 WP aqueous solution (1.4 mg/mL) through two types of unsupported and unlined nitrile gloves--a disposable latex glove (Safeskin) and an industrial chemical-resistant glove (Solvex)--using an American Society for Testing and Materials (ATSM)-type permeation cell with isopropanol collection medium. The permeation cell was contained in a moving-tray water bath at 30.0 degrees C +/- 0.5 degrees C. The collection medium was evaporated and the residue derivatized with an optimized method (2,3,4,5,6-pentafluoro)benzyl bromide to form the disubstituted derivative of carbendazim (CARB), CARB.2PFB. The latter in isooctane was then quantified by gas chromatography- 63Ni-electron capture detection (GC-ECD) by the internal standard method. GC-ECD, GC-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and reflectance infrared investigations showed that little degradation of benomyl occurred in the challenge solution of aqueous Benlate during an 8-hour exposure period. Benomyl was collected as a mixture of CARB and benomyl as shown by the presence of a diagnostic chromatographic peak identified by GC-MS. The amounts permeated during the same time period were always higher for Safeskin than for Solvex gloves, with the latter being approximately 18 times more protective than the former after 8 hours of continuous exposure. Although the Solvex gloves were safe to wear at least for 4 hours and for almost 8 hours, the ASTM breakthrough threshold was used as reference and thus ignored carcinogenic effects. Reflectance infrared investigations detected benomyl and CARB on the glove challenge surface after drying and confirmed that the cleaned glove surfaces after permeation experiments did not differ in infrared reflectance spectra from the corresponding surfaces just before the permeation experiments.

Comparison of solid-phase extraction and micro-solid-phase extraction for liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis of pesticides in water samples.

Our recent on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) device for micro-liquid chromatography, known as micro-solid-phase extraction (microSPE), was compared with traditional SPE for the analysis, from aqueous samples, of 4 pesticides belonging to different classes. Two different kinds of adsorbents, C18 and graphitized carbon black, were tested. A 2-stage ion trap mass spectrometer, equipped with homemade microflow electrospray ion (ESI) source, was used. Detection limits with a signal-to-noise ratio of 3:1 for both extraction methods were in the range of 0.1 microg/L for all compounds. However, better recoveries were obtained when microSPE traps were used.

Determination of benomyl, diphenyl, o-phenylphenol, thiabendazole, chlorpyrifos, methidathion, and methyl parathion in oranges by solid-phase extraction, liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography.

A simple and rapid method was developed for determination of benomyl, diphenyl (DP), o-phenylphenol (OPP), thiabendazole (TBZ), chlorpyrifos, methidathion, and methyl parathion in whole oranges. These compounds were extracted from a mixture of samples and anhydrous sodium acetate with ethyl acetate. The ethyl acetate extract was concentrated and cleaned up by passing through tandem solid-phase extraction columns consisting of anion-exchange and primary/secondary amine bonded silica. The eluate was concentrated and volume was adjusted with methanol for subsequent liquid chromatography (LC) and gas chromatography (GC). Benomyl (as methyl-2-benzimidazole carbamate, MBC), DP, OPP, and TBZ residues were determined by LC with fluorescence detection. Recoveries at 3 fortified levels (0.1, 1, and 10 micrograms/g) ranged from 63.9 to 97.4%, with coefficients of variation (CVs) of 1.6 to 15.5%. Limits of detection (LODs) were 0.01 microgram/g for DP, OPP, TBZ and 0.05 microgram/g for benomyl. Chlorpyrifos, methidathion, and methyl parathion residues were determined by GC with flame photometric detection. Recoveries ranged from 90.4 to 97.0%, with CVs of 2.1 to 5.9%. LODs were 0.005 microgram/g for chlorpyrifos and methyl parathion, and 0.01 microgram/g for methidathion.

Resíduos de benomil em polpas de mangas "haden" armazenadas em atmosfera modificada / Benomyl residues in \"Haden\" mangos pulps stored in modified atmosphere

Mangas tratadas pós-colheita por imersao em Benomil (1OOO mg/Kg) foram armazenadas a 13 graus Celsius e 95 ñ 5 por cento UR, com e sem modificaçao da atmosfera por O, 10 e 20 dias. Os frutos foram descascados e nas polpas, os resíduos de Benomil foram quantificados por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência com detector de ultravioleta-visível a 286 nm. Nao foram detectados resíduos de Benomil em nenhum dos tratamentos, dentro do limite de quantificaçao do método (O,3 mg/Kg). Os resultados obtidos sugerem que a modificaçao da atmosfera nao exerceu influência sobre os níveis residuais de Benomil nas polpas de mangas.

[Radiometric determination of 11 carbamate pesticides in the nanogram and subnanongram ranges by means of cholinesterase inhibition]. / Radiometrische Bestimmung von 11 Carbamatpestiziden im Nanogramm- und Subnanogrammbereich mittels Cholinesterasehemmung.

This method for determining carbamates is based on the inhibiting action of these substances on acetylcholinesterase activity. The use of radioactively labelled acetylcholine as a substrate, the ensuing extractive separation of the radioactive acetic acid (formed by hydrolysis) and its radiometric determination permit to detect very small amounts of carbamates. The limit of detection for aldicarb, baygon, benomyl, bux, carbaryl, CIPC, matacil, phenmedipham and promecarb lies in the picogram range; that for barban and methomyl, in the nanogram range. The lower, linear parts of the curves for the different carbamates fall within the range 0.001-10 ng. The sensitivity (expressed as delta% inhibition/delta lg ng carbamate) ranges from 1.0 to 9.7.

High speed liquid chromatography of pesticides.

High speed liquid chromatography has just begun to be explored as an analytical technique for pesticides, particularly residues. It is the intent of this article to provide a comprehensive review of pesticide related applications, point out possibilities for better utilization of existing columns, describe some of the more promising experimental detectors and suggest approaches which could lead to the development of practical analytical methods.