Ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction followed by ion mobility spectrometry for the simultaneous determination of bendiocarb and azinphos-ethyl in water, soil, food and beverage samples.

A sensitive and fast ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction procedure combined with ion mobility spectrometry has been developed for the simultaneous extraction and determination of bendiocarb and azinphos-ethyl. Experimental parameters affecting the analytical performance of the method were optimized: type and volume of extraction solvent (chloroform, 150 µL), pH (9.0), type and volume of buffer (ammonium buffer pH = 9.0, 4.5 mL) and extraction time (3.0 min). Under optimum conditions, the linearity was found to be in the range of 2-40 and 6-100 ng/mL and the limits of detection (LOD) were 1.04 and 1.31 ng/mL for bendiocarb and azinphos-ethyl, respectively. The method was successfully validated for the analysis of bendiocarb and azinphos-ethyl in different samples such as waters, soil, food and beverage samples.

Characterization and in vitro sensitivity of cholinesterases of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) to organophosphate pesticides.

The characterization of cholinesterase activity in brain and muscle of gilthead seabream was carried out using four specific substrates and three selective inhibitors. In addition, K m and V max were calculated from the Michaelis-Menten equation for ASCh and BSCh substrates. Finally, the in vitro sensitivity of brain and muscle cholinesterases to three organophosphates (OPs) was also investigated by estimating inhibition kinetics. The results indicate that AChE is the enzyme present in the brain, whereas in muscle, a typical AChE form is present along with an atypical form of BChE. Very low ChE activity was found in plasma with all substrates used. The inhibitory potency of the studied OPs on brain and muscle AChEs based on bimolecular inhibition constants (k i ) was: omethoate < dichlorvos < azinphosmethyl-oxon. Furthermore, muscle BChE was found to be several orders of magnitude (from 2 to 4) more sensitive than brain and muscle AChE inhibition by dichlorvos and omethoate.

Binary mixtures of azinphos-methyl oxon and chlorpyrifos oxon produce in vitro synergistic cholinesterase inhibition in Planorbarius corneus.

In this study, the cholinesterase (ChE) and carboxylesterase (CES) activities present in whole organism homogenates from Planorbarius corneus and their in vitro sensitivity to organophosphorous (OP) pesticides were studied. Firstly, a characterization of ChE and CES activities using different substrates and selective inhibitors was performed. Secondly, the effects of azinphos-methyl oxon (AZM-oxon) and chlorpyrifos oxon (CPF-oxon), the active oxygen analogs of the OP insecticides AZM and CPF, on ChE and CES activities were evaluated. Finally, it was analyzed whether binary mixtures of the pesticide oxons cause additive, antagonistic or synergistic ChE inhibition in P. corneus homogenates. The results showed that the extracts of P. corneus preferentially hydrolyzed acetylthiocholine (AcSCh) over propionylthiocholine (PrSCh) and butyrylthiocholine (BuSCh). Besides, AcSCh hydrolyzing activity was inhibited by low concentrations of BW284c51, a selective inhibitor of AChE activity, and also by high concentrations of substrate. These facts suggest the presence of a typical AChE activity in this species. However, the different dose-response curves observed with BW284c51 when using PrSCh or BuSCh instead of AcSCh suggest the presence of at least another ChE activity. This would probably correspond to an atypical BuChE. Regarding CES activity, the highest specific activity was obtained when using 2-naphthyl acetate (2-NA), followed by 1-naphthyl acetate (1-NA); p-nitrophenyl acetate (p-NPA), and p-nitrophenyl butyrate (p-NPB). The comparison of the IC(50) values revealed that, regardless of the substrate used, CES activity was approximately one order of magnitude more sensitive to AZM-oxon than ChE activity. Although ChE activity was very sensitive to CPF-oxon, CES activity measured with 1-NA, 2-NA, and p-NPA was poorly inhibited by this pesticide. In contrast, CES activity measured with p-NPB was equally sensitive to CPF-oxon than ChE activity. Several specific binary combinations of AZM-oxon and CPF-oxon caused a synergistic effect on the ChE inhibition in P. corneus homogenates. The degree of synergism tended to increase as the ratio of AZM-oxon to CPF-oxon decreased. These results suggest that synergism is likely to occur in P. corneus snails exposed in vivo to binary mixtures of the OPs AZM and CPF.

An approach to an inhibition electronic tongue to detect on-line organophosphorus insecticides using a computer controlled multi-commuted flow system.

An approach to an inhibition bioelectronic tongue is presented. The work is focused on development of an automated flow system to carry out experimental assays, a custom potentiostat to measure the response from an enzymatic biosensor, and an inhibition protocol which allows on-line detections. A Multi-commuted Flow Analysis system (MCFA) was selected and developed to carry out assays with an improved inhibition method to detect the insecticides chlorpyrifos oxon (CPO), chlorfenvinfos (CFV) and azinphos methyl-oxon (AZMO). The system manifold comprised a peristaltic pump, a set of seven electronic valves controlled by a personal computer electronic interface and software based on LabView® to control the sample dilutions into the cell. The inhibition method consists in the injection of the insecticide when the enzyme activity has reached the plateau of the current; with this method the incubation time is avoided. A potentiostat was developed to measure the response from the enzymatic biosensor. Low limits of detection of 10 nM for CPO, CFV, and AZMO were achieved.

Performance of two monoclonal immunoassays in mixtures of cross-reacting dithiophosphorus pesticides.

A statistical approach for the analysis of complex samples by immunoassay is proposed in this article. Two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), one of them in the conjugate-coated format and the other in the antibody-coated format, were evaluated for their suitability to the analysis of mixtures of three organodithiophosphorus pesticides: azinphos-methyl, azinphos-ethyl and phosmet. It was found that the apparent affinity of the antibody to each analyte changed in the presence of a cross-reacting compound in the antibody-coated ELISA format, but not when the conjugate-coated ELISA format was used. The assays were thereafter applied to the analysis of mixtures of the three recognized pesticides. With the conjugate-coated ELISA format, accurate and precise determinations of mixtures could be performed if an azinphos-methyl standard curve was employed, with recoveries between 71% and 130% and with coefficients of variation lower than 12.7%. Neither accurate nor precise measurements could be accomplished with the enzyme immunoassay using the antibody-coated ELISA format, independently of the standard curve used. It is thought that the study presented here will have applicability in a variety of cases where the analytical goal is semiquantitative screening based on the total quantity of an unknown mixture of related compounds.

Ethylazinphos interaction with membrane lipid organization induces increase of proton permeability and impairment of mitochondrial bioenergetic functions.

Ethylazinphos increases the passive proton permeability of lipid bilayers reconstituted with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and mitochondrial lipids. A sharp increase of proton permeability is detected at insecticide/lipid molar ratios identical to those inducing phase separation in the plane of DPPC bilayers, as revealed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Ethylazinphos progressively depresses the transmembrane potential (DeltaPsi) of mitochondria supported by piruvate/malate, succinate, or ascorbate/TMPD. Additionally, a decreased depolarization induced by ADP depends on ethylazinphos concentration, reflecting a phosphorylation depression. This loss of phosphorylation is a consequence of a decreased DeltaPsi. A decreased respiratory control ratio is also observed, since ethylazinphos stimulates state 4 respiration and inhibits ADP-stimulated respiration (state 3). Ethylazinphos concentrations up to 100 nmol/mg mitochondrial protein increase the rate of state 4 together with a decrease in DeltaPsi, without significant perturbation of state 3 and carbonyl cyanide-p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP)-uncoupled respiration. For increased insecticide concentrations, the state 3 and FCCP-uncoupled respiration are inhibited to approximately the same extent. The perturbations are more pronounced when the energization is supported by pyruvate/malate and less effective when succinate is used as substrate. The present data, in association with previous DSC studies, indicate that ethylazinphos, at concentrations up to 100 nmol/mg mitochondrial protein, interacts with the lipid bilayer of mitochondrial membrane, changing the lipid organization and increasing the proton permeability of the inner membrane. The increased proton permeability explains the decreased oxidative phosphorylation coupling. Resulting disturbed ATP synthesis may significantly underlie the mechanisms of ethylazinphos toxicity, since most of cell energy in eukaryotes is provided by mitochondria.

Analysis of the additivity of in vitro inhibition of cholinesterase by mixtures of chlorpyrifos-oxon and azinphos-methyl-oxon.

Organophosphorus (OP) insecticides or their active metabolites act through a common mechanism of toxicity, the inhibition of cholinesterase (ChE). The effects of in vitro exposure of brain (target) and serum (biomarker) ChE to chlorpyrifos-oxon (C horizontal lineO) and azinphos-methyl-oxon (AZM horizontal lineO), the active metabolites of the insecticides chlorpyrifos and azinphos-methyl, respectively, were investigated to determine if simultaneous or sequential exposure to these two OP compounds results in purely additive effects. Additive was defined by the theoretical calculated percent inhibition (dose additivity), which takes into account the fraction of ChE molecules assumed to be available for inhibition by the second compound following inhibition by the first compound, not simple mathematical summation of percent inhibition (response additivity). Brain ChE simultaneously exposed to the two compounds resulted in additive effects, which were less than the simple mathematical summation of percent inhibition. However, serum ChE simultaneously exposed to the two compounds resulted in a nonlinear response, presumably due in part to the presence of detoxifying enzymes in the serum. Sequential exposure of both brain and serum ChE to the two compounds resulted in greater than additive effects at the higher concentrations of each compound. There was no departure from additivity at the lower concentrations of the two compounds. These data suggest that simple mathematical summation of percent inhibitions, i.e., response additivity, is not the appropriate method for describing the combined effects of C horizontal lineO and AZM horizontal lineO on ChE in vitro. In addition, there are other mechanisms involved, such as the presence of detoxication enzymes, that must be taken into account when analyzing the effects of combined exposure of ChE to these two compounds.

Rates of spontaneous reactivation and aging of acetylcholinesterase in human erythrocytes after inhibition by organophosphorus pesticides.

The in vitro rates of spontaneous reactivation and aging in human erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase were studied after inhibition by a dimethoxy (R1R2) and diethoxy substituted (R1R2) organophosphate pesticide (OP) of general structure R1R2P(O)X. These have been compared with data for human plasma cholinesterase previously reported using a similar methodology. A significantly slower rate of aging for erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase was found compared to plasma cholinesterase, whether inhibited by dimethoxy or diethoxy substituted OPs. For diethoxy OPs the rate of spontaneous reactivation of the inhibited plasma enzyme was significantly slower than for the inhibited red cell enzyme. This acetylcholinesterase, and previously published plasma cholinesterase, data suggest that in practise a blood sample taken 30-40 h after significant acute OP exposure will still show inhibition in either plasma or erythrocyte cholinesterase when analysed, but that any inhibited plasma enzyme is more likely to be in the aged form. In contrast a substantial proportion of the erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase is found unaged and therefore sensitive to reactivation by oximes. Samples from an occupational exposure where depressions in plasma or erythrocyte cholinesterase activity from baseline measurements were reactivated ex vivo using the oxime 2-PAM support this hypothesis. These data also confirm that the plasma enzyme is a more sensitive than erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase as an indicator of OP exposure and thus the potential value of ex vivo oxime reactivation of erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase in a blood sample to indicate subclinical OP exposure may be limited. However, this study is too small to draw conclusions on the sensitivity of ex vivo oxime reactivation of acetylcholinesterase as a novel biomarker of excessive OP absorption. Given that there is a better relationship between anticholinergic symptoms and red cell acetylcholinesterase inhibition, and that the slower resynthesis rate of any aged or inhibited red cell enzyme may be interpretatively useful when venepuncture is delayed, it is suggested that red cell acetylcholinesterase activity does have a place in monitoring potential OP exposure.

Biophysical perturbations induced by ethylazinphos in lipid membranes.

Perturbations induced by ethylazinphos on the physical organization of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and DPPC/cholesterol membranes were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and fluorescence polarization of 2-, 6-, 12-(9-anthroyloxy) stearic acids and 16-(9-anthroyloxy) palmitic acid. Ethylazinphos (50 and 100 microM) increases the fluorescence polarization of the probes, either in the gel or in the fluid phase of DPPC bilayers, and this concentration dependent effect decreases from the surface to the bilayer core. Additionally, the insecticide displaces the phase transition to a lower temperature range and broadens the transition profile of DPPC. A shifting and broadening of the phase transition is also observed by DSC. Furthermore at insecticide/lipid molar ratios higher than 1/7, DSC thermograms, in addition to the normal transition centered at 41 degrees C, also display a new phase transition centered at 45.5 degrees C. The enthalpy of this new transition increases with insecticide concentration, with a corresponding decrease of the main transition enthalpy. Ethylazinphos in DPPC bilayers with low cholesterol (< or = 20 mol%) perturbs the membrane organization as described above for pure DPPC. However, cholesterol concentrations higher than 20 mol% prevent insecticide interaction, as revealed by fluorescence polarization and DSC data. Apparently, cholesterol significantly modulates insecticide interaction by competition for similar distribution domains in the membrane. The present results strongly support our previous hypothesis that ethylazinphos locates in the cooperativity region, i.e. the region of C1-C9 atoms of the acyl chains, and extends to the lipid-water interface, where it increases lipid packing order sensed across all the thickness of the bilayer. Additionally, and, on the basis of DSC data, a lateral regionalization of ethylazinphos is here tentatively suggested.

Interaction of ethylazinphos with the physical organization of model and native membranes.

The interaction of ethylazinphos with the physical organization of model and native membranes was investigated by means of fluorescence polarization of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) and of its propionic acid derivative (DPH-PA). Ethylazinphos shifts the phase transition midpoint to lower temperature values and broadens the phase transition profile of bilayers reconstituted with dimyristoyl-, dipalmitoyl- and distearoylphosphatidylcholines (DMPC, DPPC, DSPC), as detected by DPH and DPH-PA. Additionally, both probes detect significant effects of ethylazinphos in the fluid phase of the above lipid bilayers. The insecticide perturbations are more pronounced in bilayers of short-chain lipids, e.g., DMPC, in correlation with the higher partition in these membranes. On the other hand, the insecticide increases to some extent the ordering promoted by cholesterol in the fluid phase of DMPC, but high cholesterol concentrations (> or = 30 mol%) almost prevent insecticide interaction, as revealed by DPH and DPH-PA. In agreement with the results in models of synthetic lipids, the increase of intrinsic cholesterol in fluid native membranes depresses the partition values of ethylazinphos and consequently its effects.

Passive diffusion through polymeric membranes: a novel cleanup procedure for analysis of azinphos-methyl and azinphos-ethyl residues in fruits and vegetables.

A novel procedure is described for simple removal of coextractives prior to analysis of fruits and vegetables for azinphos-methyl and azinphos-ethyl residues. The solvent extract is concentrated, placed in a polymeric membrane tube, and then dialyzed in cyclohexane. Both azinphos-methyl and azinphos-ethyl diffuse into the surrounding solvent while coextractants remain inside the membrane. The dialyzing solvent is exchanged during concentration with n-hexane and analyzed without further cleanup by gas-liquid chromatography with a specific thermionic detector. The detection limit for a 25 g grape sample with final volume of extract made to 15 mL was 0.01 mg/kg. Recoveries of both residues from grapes averaged 107% (spike levels of 0.3 to 2.0 mg/kg). From a 20 g spinach sample, recoveries averaged 82% for azinphos-methyl and 72% for azinphos-ethyl when final volume of extract was made to 5 mL (spike levels of 0.1 to 1.0 mg/kg). Recoveries from 20 types of fruits and vegetables (20 g sample spiked at 1 mg/kg for both azinphos-methyl and azinphos-ethyl) were consistently greater than 70%, except for strawberries (61-67%) and avocado (28-34%). The high lipid content of avocado may impede diffusion of azinphos-methyl and azinphos-ethyl through the polymeric membrane. A field evaluation of the procedure showed a strong correlation (r = 0.957) between azinphos-methyl residues on grapes and treatments with 2 spray formulations. The membrane cleanup procedure is a simple and cost-effective alternative to other column or liquid-liquid partitioning procedures for azinphos-methyl and azinphos-ethyl residue analysis.

Characterization of P-S bond hydrolysis in organophosphorothioate pesticides by organophosphorus hydrolase.

The extensive use of organophosphorothioate insecticides in agriculture has resulted in the risk of environmental contamination with a variety of broadly based neurotoxins that inhibit the acetylcholinesterases of many different animal species. Organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH, EC 3.1.8.1) is a broad-spectrum phosphotriesterase that is capable of detoxifying a variety of organophosphorus neurotoxins by hydrolyzing various phosphorus-ester bonds (P-O, P-F, P-CN, and P-S) between the phosphorus center and an electrophilic leaving group. OPH is capable of hydrolyzing the P-X bond of various organophosphorus compounds at quite different catalytic rates: P-O bonds (kcat = 67-5000 s-1), P-F bonds (kcat = 0.01-500 s-1), and P-S bonds (kcat = 0.0067 to 167 s-1). P-S bond cleavage was readily demonstrated and characterized in these studies by quantifying the released free thiol groups using 5,5'-dithio-bis-2-nitrobenzoic acid or by monitoring an upfield shift of approximately 31 ppm by 31P NMR. A decrease in the toxicity of hydrolyzed products was demonstrated by directly quantifying the loss of inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity. Phosphorothiolate esters, such as demeton-S, provided noncompetitive inhibition for paraoxon (a P-O triester) hydrolysis, suggesting that the binding of these two different classes of substrates was not identical.

Acute intoxication by azinphos-ethyl.

Azinphos-ethyl concentrations in the blood, urine, and gastric lavage liquid from medical examiner cases are reported. In all cases, there was ingestion of the organophosphate pesticide. They are presented under three categories of intoxication: less serious, more serious, and fatal intoxications. The results of this study indicate that it was not possible to determine the blood levels that show the correct degree of intoxication and of lethal dose. Fast methods are given for identification and quantification of azinphos-ethyl in human biological fluids.

Gas-liquid chromatographic determination of azinphos ethyl in human plasma and in mouse plasma, tissue, and fat.

A new method for the determination of azinphos ethyl (O,O-diethyl-S-(4-oxo-1,2,3-benzotriazin-3(4H)-ylmethyl) phosphorodithioate) in human plasma and in mouse plasma, tissue, and fat has been developed. The method is based on extraction with benzene or hexane and cleanup of fat and tissue samples by a minicolumn containing Florisil and sodium sulfate. Azinphos ethyl is eluted from the column with 10% acetonitrile in benzene and is concentrated to an appropriate volume for gas-liquid chromatographic analysis, using a 63Ni electron capture detector and a glass column containing 3% OV-1 on Gas-Chrom Q. The method is sensitive to 0.005 ppm in human plasma, 0.01 ppm in mouse plasma, 0.08 ppm in mouse liver, 0.05 ppm in mouse brain, and 0.10 ppm in mouse fat. The limit of detection is 2 pg; mean recoveries ranged from 96 to 98%.