Carbendazim toxicity in different cell lines and mammalian tissues

Label-free, liquid crystal-based aptasensor for detecting carbendazim at picomolar levels

We describe a simple and sensitive liquid-crystal (LC)-based method for quantifying carbendazim (CBZ) by exploiting aptamer-specific recognition at the aqueous-LC interface. The method relies on the interfacial interaction between an aptamer and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB); this interaction varies depending on the amount of CBZ. In the absence of CBZ, the aptamer disrupts the CTAB monolayer through electrostatic attraction, leading to a transition from homeotropic to tilted ordering of the LCs. As CBZ concentrations rise, the formation of aptamer-CBZ complexes increases, preserving the vertical alignment of the LCs by reducing collapse of the CTAB layer caused by electrostatic interactions. Using these methods, we achieved a CBZ detection limit of 3.12 pM (0.000597 μg/L) over a linear range of 0.05-5 nM. Moreover, we quantified CBZ levels in peach, soil, and tap water samples. Our LC-based detection method has significant research potential, offering sensitive, and straightforward detection of CBZ.

Pesticide residues in traditional and industrial honey marketed in Morocco and potential health risk

This study evaluated the presence of the three pesticides methomyl (MET), carbendazim (CBZ) and chlorpyrifos-ethyl (CPE), as well as the degradation product of CPE (3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol; TCP), in 44 honey samples from all 12 regions of Morocco. With a validated HPLC-UV method occurrence frequencies of 63.6% for MET, 54.5% for CBZ, 95.1% for CPE and 34.1% for TCP were obtained, even at concentrations higher than the maximum residue limits for MET, CPE and TCP. Based on the predominant pesticide, principal component analysis separated sampling regions into three groups. Risk assessment indicated that ingestion of these pesticides, alone or in combination, in honey did not pose a risk to consumers (HQ and HI < 1).

Synergistic activation of lamellar bismuth selenide anchored functionalized carbon nanofiber for detecting hazardous carbendazim in environmental water samples

Pesticides pollute natural water reservoirs through persistent accumulation. Therefore, their toxicity and degradability are serious issues. Carbendazim (CBZ) is a pesticide used against fungal infections in agricultural crops, and its overexploitation detrimentally affects aquatic ecosystems and organisms. It is necessary to design a logical, efficient, and field-deployable method for monitoring the amount of CBZ in environmental samples. Herein, a nano-engineered bismuth selenide (Bi2Se3)/functionalized carbon nanofiber (f-CNF) nanocomposite was utilized as an electrocatalyst to fabricate an electrochemical sensing platform for CBZ. Bi2Se3/f-CNF exhibited a substantial electroactive surface area, high electrocatalytic activity, and high conductivity owing to the synergistic interaction of Bi2Se3 with f-CNF. The structural chemical compositions and morphology of the Bi2Se3/f-CNF nanocomposite were confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Electrochemical analysis was carried out using cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The voltammetry and impedance experiments exposed that the Bi2Se3/f-CNF-modified GCE has attained adequate electrocatalytic function with amended features of electron transportation (Rct = 35.93 Ω) and improved reaction sites (0.082 cm2) accessible by CBZ moiety along with exemplary electrochemical stability (98.92%). The Bi2Se3/f-CNF nanocomposite exhibited higher sensitivity of 0.2974 μA μM-1cm-2 and a remarkably low limit of detection (LOD) of 1.04 nM at a broad linera range 0.001-100 μM. The practicability of the nanocomposite was tested in environmental (tap and pond water) samples, which supports excellent signal amplification with satisfactory recoveries. Hence, the Bi2Se3/f-CNF nanocomposite is a promising electrode modifier for detecting CBZ.

Pesticide screening of surface water and soil along the Mekong River in Cambodia

Widespread use of pesticides globally has led to serious concerns about environmental contamination, particularly with regard to aquatic and soil ecosystems. This work involved investigating concentrations of 64 pesticides in surface-water and soil samples collected in four provinces along the Mekong River in Cambodia during the dry and rainy seasons (276 samples in total), and conducting semi-structured interviews with local farmers about pesticide use. Furthermore, an ecological risk assessment of the detected pesticides was performed. In total, 56 pesticides were detected in surface water and 43 in soil, with individual pesticides reaching maximum concentrations of 1300 ng/L in the surface-water samples (tebufenozide) and 1100 ng/g dry weight in the soil samples (bromophos-ethyl). The semi-structured interviews made it quite evident that the instructions that farmers are provided regarding the use of pesticides are rudimentary, and that overuse is common. The perceived effect of pesticides was seen as an end-point, and there was a limited process of optimally matching pesticides to pests and crops. Several pesticides were used regularly on the same crop, and the period between application and harvest varied. Risk analysis showed that bromophos-ethyl, dichlorvos, and iprobenfos presented a very high risk to aquatic organisms in both the dry and rainy seasons, with risk quotient values of 850 for both seasons, and of 67 in the dry season and 78 in the rainy season for bromophos-ethyl, and 49 in the dry season and 16 in the rainy season for dichlorvos. Overall, this work highlights the occurrence of pesticide residues in surface water and soil along the Mekong River in Cambodia, and emphasizes the urgent need for monitoring and improving pesticide practices and regulations in the region.

An updated status of currently used pesticides in India: Human dietary exposure from an Indian food basket

Currently used pesticides (CUPs) were introduced to have lower persistence and bioaccumulation, and lesser bioavailability towards non-target species. Nevertheless, CUPs still represent a concern for both human health and the environment. India is an important agricultural country experiencing a conversion from the use of obsolete organochlorine pesticides to a newer generation of phytosanitary products. As for other developing countries, very little is known about the transfer of CUPs to the human diet in India, where systematic monitoring is not in place. In this study, we analyzed ninety four CUPs and detected thirty CUPs in several food products belonging to five types: cereals and pulses, vegetables, fruits, animal-based foods, and water. Samples were taken from markets in Delhi (aggregating food produced all over India) and in the periurban area of Dehradun (northern India) (representing food produced locally and through more traditional practices). Overall, chlorpyrifos and chlorpropham were the most detected CUPs with a detection frequency of 33% and 25%, respectively. Except for vegetables and fruits, the levels of CUPs in all other food types were significantly higher in samples from Delhi (p < 0.05). Exposure dosage of CUPs through different food matrices was calculated, and chlorpropham detected in potatoes had the maximum exposure dosage to humans (2.46 × 10-6 mg/kg/day). Risk analysis based on the hazard quotient technique indicated that chlorpyrifos in rice (2.76 × 10-2) can be a concern.

Alleviation of carbendazim toxicity effect by Moringa oleifera oil and Linum usitatissimum L. oil on testes of male rats: Physiological, histological and in silico study

Carbendazim (CBZ) is a widely used fungicide that is used to control the unwanted growth of fungi on fruits and vegetables. Sixty male rats were divided into six groups, each having ten. Group one served as control, animals belonging to group two were exposed to CBZ in the measure of 200 mg/kg body weight (BW). In the third and fourth groups, rats were administered 800 mg/kg BW of Moringa oleifera (moringa oil) and Linum usitatissimum L. (flaxseed oil), plus CBZ with the same dose given to group two. Groups five and six were administered with moringa and flaxseed oils respectively for six weeks. A marked decline was seen in oxidative stress markers, reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and a rise in malondialdehyde (MDA) level in group two with severe histological disruptions. Moringa oil and flaxseed oil were used to alleviate these changes. In addition, a biocomputational molecular docking analysis of three proteins found in male rats was performed. In relation to CBZ (CID:10584007) the screened proteins namely testis-expressed protein (TX101_RAT), EPPI_RAT, and glutathione peroxidase 5 (GPX5_RAT) were docked, and their docking score were obtained (-5.9 kcal/mol), (-5.8 kcal/mol) and (-5.6 kcal/mol) respectively. By examining these interactions in 2D and 3D structures, a detailed understanding of the unique and specific binding affinity, hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic interactions, ionic bonds, and water bonds were obtained. Structure-based virtual screening (SBVS) molecular docking analysis showed that protein interaction with CBZ causes reproductive complications in protein expression and functions by hampering their normal function and blocking active sites.

Occurrence and Characterization of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Causing Fruit Rot on Sweet Cherry in Southern China

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) is widely planted in northern China due to its high economic value, and its cultivation has gradually spread south to warm regions. However, fruit rot, observed on the young fruits, poses a considerable threat to the development of sweet cherry. To determine the causal agent, morphological observation, molecular identification, and pathogenicity tests were performed on isolates obtained from diseased fruits. As a result, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum was identified as the pathogen. Pathogenicity tests on different sweet cherry cultivars indicated that 'Summit' was highly sensitive to S. sclerotiorum, whereas 'Hongmi' showed significant resistance. Besides sweet cherry, S. sclerotiorum could also infect other vegetable crops we tested, such as cowpea, soybean, tomato, and chili. Fungicide sensitivity and efficacy assays showed that both fludioxonil and pyraclostrobin can effectively inhibit the mycelial growth of S. sclerotiorum and decrease disease incidences on the young fruits of sweet cherry. Furthermore, genome sequencing resulted in a 37.8 Mb assembly of S. sclerotiorum strain ScSs1, showing abundant SNPs, InDels, and SVs with the genome of S. sclerotiorum reference strain 1980 UF-70. The above results provide an important basis for controlling the fruit rot of sweet cherry caused by S. sclerotiorum in China.

Daphnia magna Multigeneration Exposure to Carbendazim: Gene Transcription Responses

The world population is experiencing colossal growth and thus demand for food, leading to an increase in the use of pesticides. Persistent pesticide contamination, such as carbendazim, remains a pressing environmental concern, with potentially long-term impacts on aquatic ecosystems. In the present study, Daphnia magna was exposed to carbendazim (5 µg L-1) for 12 generations, with the aim of assessing gene transcription alterations induced by carbendazim (using a D. magna custom microarray). The results showed that carbendazim caused changes in genes involved in the response to stress, DNA replication/repair, neurotransmission, ATP production, and lipid and carbohydrate metabolism at concentrations already found in the environment. These outcomes support the results of previous studies, in which carbendazim induced genotoxic effects and reproduction impairment (increasing the number of aborted eggs with the decreasing number of neonates produced). The exposure of daphnids to carbendazim did not cause a stable change in gene transcription between generations, with more genes being differentially expressed in the F0 generation than in the F12 generation. This could show some possible daphnid acclimation after 12 generations and is aligned with previous multigenerational studies where few ecotoxicological effects at the individual and populational levels and other subcellular level effects (e.g., biochemical biomarkers) were found.

Dual-template imprinted polymer electrochemical sensor for simultaneous determination of malathion and carbendazim using graphene quantum dots

Malathion (MAL) and carbendazim (CBZ) are organophosphate pesticides and fungicides, respectively. They are often used simultaneously in agriculture, and both have been shown to have harmful effects on humans and animals. Therefore, it is important to be able to measure both of these toxins simultaneously in order to assess their potential risks. This study aims to design a dual template electrochemical sensor using a cost-effective graphite-epoxy composite electrode (GECE) modified with molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) coated on graphene quantum dots (GQDs) for simultaneous detection of MAL and CBZ in real samples. GQDs were synthesized initially, and their surface was coated with MIPs that were formed using MAL and CBZ as the template molecules, ethylene glycol dimethyl acrylate as the cross-linker, and methacrylic acid as the functional monomer. The GQDs@MIP were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray scattering spectroscopy. Parameters affecting the sensor response, such as the percentage of GQDs@MIP in the fabricated electrode, the pH of the rebinding solution and analysis solution, and the incubation time, were optimized. The optimum pH values of the rebinding solution were verified using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Under the optimized conditions, differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) response calibration curves of MAL and CBZ were generated, and the results showed that the sensor had a linear response to MAL in the range of 0.02-55.00 μM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 2 nM (S/N = 3) and to CBZ in the range of 0.02-45.00 μM with a low LOD of 1 nM (S/N = 3). The results also demonstrated the proposed sensor's long-term stability and anti-interference capability. The practical applicability of the fabricated electrode was evaluated for real sample analysis, and good recovery values were obtained.

The bitter side of teas: Pesticide residues and their impact on human health

Tea (Camellia sinensis) is one of the most widely consumed non-alcoholic beverages globally, known for its rich composition of bioactive compounds that offer various health benefits to humans. However, the cultivation of tea plants often faces challenges due to their high vulnerability to pests and diseases, resulting in the heavy use of pesticides. Consequently, pesticide residues can be transferred to tea leaves, compromising their quality and safety and potentially posing risks to human health, including hormonal and reproductive disorders and cancer development. In light of these concerns, this review aims to: (I) present the maximum limits of pesticide residues established by different international regulatory agencies; (II) explore the characteristics of pesticides commonly employed in tea cultivation, encompassing aspects such as digestion, bioaccessibility, and the behavior of pesticide transfer; and (III) discuss the effectiveness of detection and removal methods for pesticides, the impacts of pesticides on both tea plants and human health and investigate emerging alternatives to replace these substances. By addressing these critical aspects, this review provides valuable insights into the management of pesticide residues in tea production, with the goal of ensuring the production of safe, high-quality tea while minimizing adverse effects on human health.

Carbendazim exposure inhibits mouse oocytes meiotic maturation in vitro by destroying spindle assembly

Successful fertilization and early embryonic development heavily depend on the quality of the oocytes. Carbendazim (CBZ), a broad-spectrum fungicide, is widely available in the environment and has adverse effects on organisms. The present study focused on exploring the potential reproductive toxicity of CBZ exposure by investigating its effects on the maturation of mouse oocytes. The results demonstrated that although no disruptions were observed in the G2/M stage transition for meiosis resumption, CBZ did hinder the polar body extrusion (PBE) occurring during oocyte maturation. Cell cycle distribution analysis revealed that CBZ exposure interfered with the meiotic process, causing oocytes to be arrested at the metaphase I (MI) stage. The subsequent investigation highlighted that CBZ exposure impeded the spindle assembly and chromosomal alignment, which was linked to a decline in the level of p-MAPK. Additionally, CBZ exposure adversely affected the kinetochore-microtubule (K-MT) attachment, leading to the persistent activation of the spindle-assembly checkpoint (SAC). The study further noticed a substantial rise in the acetylation of α-tubulin and a reduction in spindle microtubule stability in CBZ-treated oocytes. In addition, the distribution pattern of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) was altered in oocytes treated with CBZ, with abnormal aggregation on the spindles. CBZ exposure also resulted in altered histone modifications. A notable finding from this research was that the meiotic maturation of some oocytes remained unaffected even after CBZ treatment. However, during the ensuing metaphase II (MII) stage, these oocytes displayed anomalies in their spindle morphology and chromosome arrangement and diminished ability to bind to the sperm. The observations made in this study underscore the potential for CBZ to disrupt the meiotic maturation of oocytes, leading to a decline in the overall quality of oocytes.

Mitigation of Hepatotoxicity via Boosting Antioxidants and Reducing Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Carbendazim-Treated Rats Using Adiantum Capillus-Veneris L. Extract

Exposure to food contaminants continues to be a substantial source of human health risks all over the world, particularly in developing countries. Carbendazim (CBZ) is a chemical fungicide used to control the spread of various fungi and other pathogens in the agriculture and veterinary sectors. The hazardous effects of CBZ on human health occur due to the accumulation of its residues in agricultural food products. In this study, the possible hepatoprotective effects of Adiantum capillus-veneris L. (ACVL) extract were evaluated in CBZ-treated rats. A GC-MS analysis revealed that ACVL extract contained several bioactive hydrocarbon components and fatty acids, and that the components exerted hepatic protection by mitigating oxidative stress via upregulating antioxidant agents and neutralizing nitrogen and oxygen free radicals. Moreover, ACVL extracts relieved hepatic inflammation via decreasing NO, NF-κB, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-a, IL-6) in the liver of CBZ-treated rats, both at protein and mRNA levels. In addition, the protective effect of ACVL has appeared in the histopathological figures and function markers in the livers of CBZ-treated rats. According to the present results, ACVL extract can protect the hepatic tissue and restore its functions to a control level in CBZ-treated rats; this effect may be attributed to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.

Chromatographic Method for Monitoring of Pesticide Residues and Risk Assessment for Herbal Decoctions Used in Traditional Korean Medicine Clinics

The presence of pesticide residues in herbs and the herbal products derived from them raises serious health concerns. This study was conducted to investigate the residual pesticide concentrations and assess potential human health risks from herbal medicines used in traditional Korean medicine clinics. A total of 40 samples of herbal decoctions were collected from 10 external herbal dispensaries. The pesticide residues were analyzed by the multiresidue method for 320 different pesticides using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). As a result of the monitoring, carbendazim was detected at 0.01 and 0.03 μg/g in eight samples and no pesticide was detected in the other herbal decoctions. Carbendazim was set for each individual item as less than 0.05 μg/g in Paeoniae radix, less than 0.05 μg/g in Cassiae semen, less than 2.0 μg/g in Lycii fructus, and less than 10 μg/g in Schisandrae fructus (dried). Therefore, the results of this study suggested that the detected pesticide residues in herbal decoctions could not be considered as posing a serious health risk.