Search Results (86)

Clomazone is a widely used herbicide in rice cultivation, known for its high toxicity to aquatic organisms and its potential to contaminate water bodies. This study investigates the medium-term effects (after four and five years) of rice management practices on the environmental fate of Clomazone under semi-arid Mediterranean conditions. The practices investigated are tillage systems, irrigation methods, and compost application. A field experiment was conducted to compare the following treatments: sprinkler irrigation combined with no tillage (S-NT), sprinkler irrigation combined with conventional tillage (S-T), flooding irrigation with conventional tillage (F-T), and each of the above with a single compost amendment (S-NTC, S-TC, and F-TC, respectively). Compost application consistently enhanced the soil’s capacity to adsorb Clomazone, regardless of the irrigation or tillage regime. However, the use of sprinkler irrigation was shown to increase Clomazone persistence, regardless of the tillage method (S-NT and S-T), which may in turn elevate the risk of groundwater contamination. Compost addition significantly reduced Clomazone leaching losses, particularly under sprinkler systems; leaching decreased from 47% to 27% in S-NT and from 48% to 36% in S-T after five years. These findings highlight that the application of compost, particularly when combined with sprinkler irrigation, could be a sustainable agricultural approach to significantly reducing the environmental risks associated with Clomazone in rice cultivation, at least in the medium term. Full article

Triazole fungicides are used to protect tomato yield from fungal infection. However, information regarding triazole residues and dissipation profiles is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the behavior, residue dissipation, and potential risks of penconazole (PCZ, 10% EC, 25 cm³/100 L water) and difenoconazole (DFZ, 25% EC, 50 cm³/100 L water) applied during the fruiting stage of tomatoes over 15 days in Mit Al-Qurashi village, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt. The study also examined the residue levels of PCZ and DFZ in tomatoes following household preparation methods, as well as the health risks and residue intake associated with these pesticides. Additionally, the impact of PCZ and DFZ residues on macro- and micro-nutrient levels, as well as quality parameters in tomato fruits, was investigated. Our data showed that PCZ and DFZ exhibited dissipation rates recorded at 70.88% and 73.33% after 6 days of application, then increased to 99.74% and 98.25% after 15 days of application, respectively, corresponding to half-lives of 2.08 and 2.78 days. The pre-harvest intervals (PHIs) were determined to be 9 days for DFZ and 12 days for PCZ. Based on risk assessment and Health Risk Index (HRI) calculations, the withholding periods for using treated tomato fruits for human consumption were extended to 15 days for DFZ treatment and reduced to 9 days for PCZ. Notably, tomato fruits treated with PCZ or DFZ could be safely consumed one day after application if processed into paste. However, other forms of processing, including washing with water, acetic acid (5%), and sodium carbonate (5%) for 5 min, significantly reduced the residue levels of the tested fungicides. Moreover, the tested fungicides not only significantly reduced the levels of macro- and micronutrients in tomato fruits but also altered the quality parameters of the tomatoes. These findings could guide the safe and responsible use of PCZ and DFZ in tomatoes, helping to prevent potential health risks to consumers. Full article

This study evaluated the dissipation kinetics and dietary risk of etofenprox in kale (Brassica oleracea) and red mustard greens (Brassica juncea), leafy vegetables frequently reported to exceed residue limits in Korea. Field trials were conducted at three sites, and residues were analyzed using QuEChERS extraction followed by LC–MS/MS in accordance with MFDS and SANTE guidelines. The method validation parameters—specificity, linearity, limit of quantitation, accuracy, and precision—were within the acceptable criteria specified by the guidelines. The half-lives of etofenprox under greenhouse conditions were 2.2 days in kale and 3.1 days in red mustard greens, with dissipation rate constants of 0.3118 and 0.2232, respectively. Dietary risk assessment based on residue levels and consumption data confirmed that the %ADI values at the pre-harvest interval (PHI, 7 days) for were <1% the average consumer group and <4% for the high-intake group. Accordingly, the residue levels were considered safe, indicating that compliance with recommended application practices poses negligible health risk to consumers. Full article

Wet stirred media milling (WSMM) is a popular grinding method used to produce important ultrafine-particle materials, such as pigments, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides. Therefore, it is crucial to improve the process capability and quality of WSMM by setting optimal parameters. This study proposes a multi-objective optimization methodology based on an intelligent algorithm to optimize the ultra-fine grinding parameters; this can mitigate the issue whereby grinding parameters are difficult to determine during wet grinding industrial production. A mechanistic model is proposed based on the analysis of energy dissipation mechanisms. The specific energy in the WSMM process is quantified using a stressing model. A shuffled frog leaping algorithm (SFLA)-based stressing model is proposed to maximize the specific stress intensity and specific stress number of the entire system under the constraint of the product particle size and grinding time, which provides the optimal process parameters. The performance of the proposed strategy is validated using two case studies in different industrial optimization scenarios. The result of the first case study illustrates that, in comparison to a quadratic programming-based response surface methodology, the proposed SFLA-based stressing model greatly enhances the wet grinding efficiency (decreasing P₈₀ from 3.28 μm to 2.88 μm). In the second case study, the parameter optimization under different feed particle sizes and different productivities was discussed. The results confirmed that the optimized parameters can achieve the minimum particle size (P₅₀ = 1.78 μm) and maximum solid concentration (C_v = 120 g/L) within the minimum grinding time (t_g = 5 min). The contribution of our work lies in the fact that the proposed SFLA-based stressing model can direct multiple-objective decision-making in a more efficient way without requiring costly experimental procedures to acquire the optimized parameters in WSMM. The proposed approach is systematic and robust and can be integrated into WSMM architectures for parameter optimization in other complex wet grinding systems. Full article

This study investigated the occurrence, dissipation, and dietary risks of four pesticides (difenoconazole (DIF), prochloraz (PRO), spinosad (SPI), dinotefuran (DIN)) and their metabolites in pomegranates through nationwide field trials across six Chinese production regions. Results indicated that SPI and DIN dissipated within 7–14 days, while DIF and PRO had longer half-lives (4.91–12.90 days). All pesticide residues remained confined to peels without penetrating arils. Terminal residues were below China’s MRLs. While deterministic and probabilistic risk assessments confirmed acceptable acute and chronic risks from pomegranate consumption alone (%ARfD: 0.09–17.66%; %ADI: 0.21–17.65%), comprehensive multi-crop dietary assessment revealed unacceptable chronic exposure risks for children aged under 11 years (%ADI: 56.1–155%). The non-carcinogenic risk (%HQ) for PRO from pomegranate consumption was 2.1–21.0%, indicating acceptable safety. The study provides data for safe pesticide use while highlighting the urgent need to protect vulnerable pediatric populations from cumulative pesticide exposure across multiple food sources. Full article

Biopurification systems are designed for the treatment of pesticide-containing agricultural wastewater; their biologically active matrix, the biomixture, can be modified to enhance the pesticide removal capacity. Two approaches, fungal bioaugmentation with Trametes versicolor and amendment with biochar, were applied for the potential improvement of biomixtures’ capacity to remediate myclobutanil-contaminated wastewater. The conventional biomixture (B) and its modifications, either bioaugmented with Trametes versicolor (biomixture BT) or supplemented with pineapple biochar (5% v/v) (biomixture BB), were spiked with myclobutanil at a very high concentration (10,000 mg/kg) to simulate extreme on-farm events such as the disposal or leakage of commercial formulations. The dissipation followed a bi-phasic behavior in every case. Both modifications of the conventional biomixture increased the dissipation rates, resulting in estimated DT₅₀ values of 61.9 (BB) and >90 days (BT) compared to biomixture B (DT₅₀ = 474 days). The assessment of biomixtures’ detoxification was carried out with two different bioindicators: a seed germination test in Lactuca sativa and an algal growth inhibition test. Some degree of detoxification was achieved for all biomixtures in both indicators, with the exception of the biochar-containing biomixture, which, despite showing the fastest myclobutanil dissipation, was unable to maintain a steady detoxification trend towards the algae over the course of the treatment, probably due to biochar adverse effects. This approach seems promising for removing persistent myclobutanil from agricultural wastewater and demonstrates the dissipation capacity of biomixtures at extremely high pesticide concentrations likely to take place at an on-farm level. Full article

Reducing pesticide residues in crops is essential to ensure food safety, protect human health, and promote environmental sustainability. In this study, activated carbon (AC) was applied as a soil amendment to investigate its effect on reducing residues of the pesticides cyantraniliprole and fluopyram in greenhouse-grown lettuce. The effectiveness of AC in reducing pesticide residues varies significantly based on pesticides and crops. Pesticide dissipation patterns in the soil and a set of pesticide residues of lettuce leaf and root tissues, as well as the soil surrounding the roots for each of the tested pesticides, were analyzed using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) during the test periods. The results showed different pesticide dissipation patterns for cyantraniliprole, fitting the first-order kinetics, and fluopyram. Nevertheless, both AC treatments exhibited a similar decreasing tendency in which cyantraniliprole residues ranged from 0.050 to 0.064 mg/kg in leaf and 0.019 to 0.034 mg/kg in root samples, while fluopyram residues ranged from 0.168 to 0.509 mg/kg in leaf and 0.315 to 0.787 mg/kg in root samples. The highest percentage reductions were 71.3% and 77.3% for cyantraniliprole in leaf and root samples, respectively, and 79.7% and 87.5% for fluopyram in leaf and root samples. In addition, the soil samples showed a more dynamic pattern of pesticide residues compared to those of the lettuce samples. The overall findings suggest that applying AC as a soil amendment in pesticide-treated soils has a positive effect on reducing residues of cyantraniliprole and fluopyram in lettuce. Therefore, this AC-treated soil amendment could be considered a safer agricultural practice with great potential for producing safer food resources from pesticide-contaminated soils. Thus, it is expected that proper utilization of AC plays an important role in the production of safe agri-food products to manage and generate a sustainable agricultural environment. Full article

This study addresses the absence of maximum residue limits (MRLs) for tebuconazole and trifloxystrobin in edible rose petals in China by systematically evaluating the residue behavior and dietary exposure risks of these fungicides. An analytical method based on QuEChERS sample preparation coupled with UPLC–MS/MS was developed for the simultaneous determination of tebuconazole, trifloxystrobin, and its metabolite CGA321113 in fresh and dried rose petals. Field trials under the highest application conditions (184 g a.i./hm², applied twice) were conducted to investigate residue dissipation dynamics, storage stability, processing concentration effects, and transfer behavior during brewing. Results indicated that the target compounds remained stable in rose petals for 12 months at –20 °C ± 2 °C. The drying process significantly concentrated residues due to the hydrophobic nature of the compounds, with enrichment factors ranging from 3.0 to 3.9. Brewing tests further confirmed low transfer rates of tebuconazole, trifloxystrobin, and CGA321113 into the infusion, consistent with their low water solubility and high log K_ow values. Residue dissipation followed first-order kinetics, with half-lives of 1.9–2.9 days for tebuconazole and 1.2–2.7 days for trifloxystrobin. Dietary risk assessment showed an acceptable risk for trifloxystrobin (RQ = 22.7%) but a high risk for tebuconazole (RQ = 175.1%). It is recommended to set the MRL for both tebuconazole and trifloxystrobin in edible roses at 15.0 mg/kg. This standard ensures consumer safety while accommodating agricultural needs and aligns with international regulations. For the high-risk pesticide tebuconazole, measures such as optimizing application strategies and promoting integrated management should be implemented to mitigate residue risks. Full article

The fate and risk identification of cyantraniliprole (CYA) and lufenuron (LUF) in pak choi were systematically analyzed through an investigation comprising field trials, dissipation kinetics, and dietary risk assessment. Initially, field experiments across ten Chinese provinces revealed half-lives of 3.04–5.41 d for CYA and 2.02–5.13 d for LUF, with dissipation following single first-order (SFO) kinetics or double first-order in parallel (DFOP) kinetics. Terminal residues (<limit of quantification (LOQ) to 0.29 mg/kg) were below maximum residue limits. Dissipation rates were significantly influenced by temperature, climate, and crop growth stage. Additionally, the multidimensional dietary assessment using deterministic and probabilistic models revealed acceptable long-term risk levels for CYA and LUF among consumer groups (risk quotients < 28.4%). Overall, this first comprehensive study from cultivation to consumption provides crucial insights for rational pesticide use in pak choi. Full article

Triazole compounds are members of the demethylation inhibitor class of systemic agents used to combat the most widespread apple diseases worldwide, namely apple scab and powdery mildew. The dissipation kinetics of difenoconazole, mefentrifluconazole, myclobutanil, penconazole, tebuconazole and tetraconazole from commercial products in two apple cultivars (Rosana and Selena) were studied over four years. Pesticide residues in the apples were determined using the QuEChERS extraction procedure, followed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis. Triazoles applied 84–100 days before harvest dissipated faster than those applied 44–55 days before harvest, with half-lives of 4.0–22.3 days and 7.1–43.9 days, respectively. Except for tebuconazole, all triazoles were found to be well below 30% of the maximum residue levels at the end of the pre-harvest interval, which is mandatory for products in use. The dissipation of five triazoles was evaluated during cold storage over two subsequent years. Residues of difenoconazole, myclobutanil and tebuconazole were detected at levels above 0.01 mg/kg after more than five months. The calculated risk intake values were lower than the established acceptable daily intake and acute reference dose values, indicating that the acute and chronic risks of pesticide exposure from consuming apples are not expected. Full article

Field residue trials were conducted in greenhouse-grown cabbage at both recommended and double dosages to evaluate the degradation dynamics and dietary risks of three pesticides (azoxystrobin, thiamethoxam, and carbendazim). In this study, a quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method combined with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was developed to measure the residues of three pesticides in cabbage. The mean recoveries of three pesticides in cabbage were 82.5–104.2%, with relative standard deviations of 2.1–5.2%, meeting the requirements of residual analysis. Based on first-order kinetics, the half-lives of the three pesticides in cabbage were 11.55–33.00 d under field conditions. The health risks associated with three pesticides in cabbage were evaluated using the risk quotient (RQ) method and the EFSA PRIMo 3.1 model. In the final residue experiment, the dietary exposure risks of azoxystrobin and thiamethoxam were all acceptable for children and adults regardless of the dosage or pre-harvest intervals, with the risk quotient (RQ) ranging from 0.040 to 0.363 and 0.022 to 0.417, respectively. However, carbendazim intake posed unacceptable health risks for consumers, with RQ significantly exceeding 1. The EFSA PRIMo 3.1 model also indicated high %ADI values for carbendazim, consistent with the RQ results. Given the significant residual risk associated with carbendazim in cabbage, limiting its use on this crop is recommended. Full article

Pesticide residues pose risks to the environment and human health. Little is known about how tillage and straw management affect herbicide behavior in soil. This study investigated the effects of different tillage practices under varying straw incorporation scenarios on the degradation of five commonly used herbicides in a long-term experimental field located in the maize belt of Siping, Jilin Province. Post-harvest soil samples were analyzed for residual herbicide concentrations and basic soil physicochemical properties. A human health risk assessment was conducted, and a controlled incubation experiment was carried out to evaluate herbicide degradation dynamics under three management systems: straw incorporation with traditional rotary tillage (ST), straw incorporation with strip tillage (SS), and no-till without straw (CK). Residual concentrations of atrazine ranged from not detected (ND) to 21.10 μg/kg (mean: 5.28 μg/kg), while acetochlor showed the highest variability (2.29–120.61 μg/kg, mean: 25.26 μg/kg). Alachlor levels were much lower (ND–5.71 μg/kg, mean: 0.34 μg/kg), and neither nicosulfuron nor mesotrione was detected. Soil organic matter (17.6–20.89 g/kg) positively correlated with available potassium and acetochlor residues. Health risk assessments indicated negligible non-cancer risks for both adults and children via ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation. The results demonstrate that tillage methods significantly influence herbicide degradation kinetics, thereby affecting environmental persistence and ecological risks. Integrating straw with ST or SS enhanced the dissipation of atrazine and mesotrione, suggesting their potential as effective residue mitigation strategies. This study highlights the importance of tailoring tillage and straw management practices to pesticide type for optimizing herbicide fate and promoting sustainable agroecosystem management. Full article

The excessive use of synthetic pesticides has not only resulted in increased resistance among weeds and pests, leading to significant economic loss, but has also raised serious health and environmental concerns. Chalcones and their derivatives, known for their herbicidal, fungicidal, bactericidal, and antiviral properties, are emerging as promising bio-based candidates. These naturally occurring compounds have long been recognized for their beneficial health effects and wide-range applications. However, their limited concentration in plants, along with poor solubility and bioavailability, brings challenges for their development. The aim of this study was to examine the properties of a synthetic substance, pinocembrin dihydrochalcone (3-phenyl-1-(2,4,6-trihydroxyphenyl)-1-propanone), including its soil dissipation and adsorption. Additionally, we evaluated its antioxidant activity through the DPPH assay and FRAP experiments. This analysis aims to provide insights into its potential classification as a low risk pesticide. Full article

High levels of pesticide use are associated with intensive crop production. Pesticides are increasingly prevalent in surface and groundwater, which is a major environmental concern. Various methods have been proposed to improve the retention and/or degradation of pesticides in soils. These methods are mainly based on soil adaptation with organic wastes to mitigate soil and water pollution. In addition, there has recently been increased interest in assessing the influence of organic waste additions on pesticide movement in soils with low contents of organic matter. Agriculture and related industries generate large amounts of waste each year. Because of their components, they have the great ability to produce high-value products for environmental restoration. This study reports on the influence of four different agro-industrial wastes (orange peel, beer bagasse, grape pomace, and gazpacho waste) used as organic amendments on the leaching of metobromuron and chlorbromuron (phenylurea herbicides) on a silty clay loam soil (gypsic–calcaric regosol) with low organic matter contents from a semiarid area (southeastern Spain). The adsorption, leaching, and dissipation processes of these herbicides were evaluated on a laboratory scale in amended and unamended soils. In addition, the main leaching indices (GUS, LIX, LEACH, M LEACH, LIN, GLI, HI, and ELI) commonly used to assess groundwater protection against pesticide pollution were evaluated. The sorption coefficients (K_OC) increased in the amended soils. Metobromuron was found in leachates in all cases, although a marked reduction was observed in amended soils, while chlorbromuron was mainly retained in soils, especially in the top layer. The disappearance time (DT₅₀) for metobromuron and chlorbromuron in soil ranged from 11 to 56 d and 18 to 95 d, respectively. All indices except GLI categorize metobromuron as mobile or very mobile in unamended soil. For chlorbromuron, GUS, LIX, LEACH, MLEACH, and Hornsby classify this compound as a medium-to-high leache, while GLI and ELI classify it as having low mobility. In amended soils, most indices classify metobromuron as transitioning to mobile, while most indices catalog chlorbromuron as immobile/transition. Full article

The intensive use of pesticides has raised environmental concerns due to their persistence and slow degradation, posing ecotoxicological risks. Despite regulatory measures, pesticide application remains high, leading to soil and water contamination. To effectively monitor and mitigate these impacts, selecting an appropriate and efficient extraction method for detecting pesticides in soil is critical. This study evaluated the effectiveness of two extraction methods in soil—QuEChERS and QuEChERSER—and assessed the persistence of three commonly used pesticides. A test was conducted using 13 pesticide standards, representing a wide variety of functional groups, to compare the two extraction methods. For the persistence study, a microcosm experiment was performed with three selected pesticides: pendimethalin, oxyfluorfen, and trifloxystrobin. These were chosen due to their agricultural relevance, potential human toxicity, and persistence in various environmental compartments. The impact of two organic amendments on their dissipation was also evaluated. The microcosms were incubated in dark chambers at room temperature for 21 days, and pesticide concentrations were analyzed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Both methods were effective, though performance varied depending on the compound. QuEChERSER proved to be more efficient, requiring less time and fewer resources than the traditional QuEChERS method. Among the three pesticides tested, the herbicide oxyfluorfen was the most persistent, while the fungicide trifloxystrobin showed the least persistence. The application of organic amendments enhanced the dissipation of all three pesticides. These findings highlight the importance of selecting appropriate extraction techniques and adopting sustainable agricultural practices to mitigate pesticide residues in the environment. Full article