Leaching and degradation of ethametsulfuron-methyl in soil

Characterization of a new chlorimuron-ethyl-degrading strain Cedecea sp. LAM2020 and biodegradation pathway revealed by multiomics analysis

The widespread use of the herbicide chlorimuron-methyl is hazard to rotational crops and causes soil degradation problems. Biodegradation is considered a promising way for removing herbicide residues from the environment. Here, a new isolated strain, Cedecea sp. LAM2020, enabled complete degradation of 100 mg/L chlorimuron-methyl within five days. Transcriptome analysis revealed that ABC transporters, atrazine degradation and purine metabolism were enriched in the KEGG pathway. Integrating GO and KEGG classification with related reports, we predict that carboxylesterases are involved in the biodegradation of chlorimuron-methyl by LAM2020. Heterologous expression of the carboxylesterase gene carH showed 26.67% degradation of 50 mg/L chlorimuron-methyl within 6 h. The intracellular potential biological response and extracellular degradation process of chlorimuron-ethyl were analyzed by the nontarget metabolomic and mass spectrometry respectively, and the biodegradation characteristics and complete mineralization pathway was revealed. The cleavage of the sulfonylurea bridge and the ester bond achieved the first step in the degradation of chlorimuron-methyl. Together, these results reveal the presence of acidolysis and enzymatic degradation of chlorimuron-methyl by strain LAM2020. Hydroponic corn experiment showed that the addition of strain LAM2020 alleviated the toxic effects of chlorimuron-ethyl on the plants. Collectively, strain LAM2020 may be a promising microbial agent for plants chlorimuron-ethyl detoxification and soil biofertilizer.

Toxicity of the herbicides used on herbicide-tolerant crops, and societal consequences of their use in France

In France, the implementation of mutant herbicide-tolerant crops and the use of the related herbicides - sulfonylureas and imidazolinones - have triggered a strong societal reaction illustrated by the intervening actions of environmentalist groups illegally mowing such crops. Trials are in progress, and therefore should be addressed the questions of the environmental risks and the toxicity of these herbicides for the animals and humans consuming the products derived from these plants. Regulatory authorities have allowed these mutant and herbicide-tolerant plants arguing that the herbicides against which they resist only target an enzyme found in 'weeds' (the acetolactate synthase, ALS), and that therefore all organisms lacking this enzyme would be endowed with immunity to these herbicides. The toxicological literature does not match with this argument: 1) Even in organisms displaying the enzyme ALS, these herbicides impact other molecular targets than ALS; 2) These herbicides are toxic for animals, organisms that do not possess the enzyme ALS, and especially invertebrates, amphibians and fish. In humans, epidemiological studies have shown that the use and handling of these toxins are associated with a significantly increased risk of colon and bladder cancers, and miscarriages. In agricultural soils, these herbicides have a persistence of up to several months, and water samples have concentrations of some of these herbicides above the limit value in drinking water.

Environmental fate of bensulfuron-methyl and MCPA in aerobic and anaerobic rice-cropping systems

Bensulfuron-methyl (BM) and 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) are herbicides widely used in rice agroecosystems, and are commonly found in their environments, especially in water resources. The objective of this study was to evaluate the sorption-desorption, leaching, and dissipation of BM and MCPA under aerobic and anaerobic rice cropping conditions. For this purpose, a three-year field experiment was conducted in SW Spain using four management systems: aerobic with sprinkler irrigation and tillage (ST), sprinkler irrigation and no-tillage (SNT), long-term sprinkler irrigation and no-tillage (SNT^LT), and anaerobic with flooding and tillage (FT). At the end of the experiment, the partition coefficients (K_d-values) in ST were (2.7, 3.1, and 3.9) and (1.2, 1.5, and 1.9) times significantly lower than the values in {SNT, SNT^LT, and FT} for BM and MCPA, respectively. Greater sorption was related to lower values of soil pH for both herbicides and to higher contents in humic acids for BM and fulvic acids for MCPA. The persistence was much longer for BM (t_1/2 = 26.9-52.1 days) than for MCPA (t_1/2 = 1.54-21.1 days) in all management systems, and both herbicides' dissipation rates were generally greater under aerobic than under anaerobic conditions. The mobility of MCPA was much greater than that of BM. Compared with SNT and SNT^LT, leaching losses of the applied BM were greater by 51% for ST, and of the applied MCPA by 55% and 99% for ST and FT, respectively. Therefore, only aerobic rice production with no-tillage in the short- or long-terms could be considered as alternative management strategies with which to reduce water contamination by BM and MCPA in rice-growing environments.

Evaluation of HYDRUS-1D and modified PRZM-3 models for tribenuron methyl herbicide transport in soil profile under vetiver cultivation

Tribenuron methyl (TBM) is widely used in weed control. Due to its phytotoxicity, concerns on TBM pollution to soil have been raised. In this research, TBM concentration in the soil profile and vetiver grass were measured and simulated using HYDRUS-1D and modified PRZM-3 models. The treatments were two herbicide concentrations to soil with vetiver (C₁V and C₂V) and without vetiver (C₁S and C₂S). In control treatment (C_o) no herbicide was applied to the soil. In general, according to the measured data, TBM soil residues in C₁V and C₂V treatments were 39.8% and 30.1% lower than that obtained in C₁S and C₂S treatments, respectively. The TBM was leached to 90 cm soil depth and it was limited to about 50 cm in the treatments with vetiver grass. The simulated herbicide residue in the soil profile in modified PRZM-3 model was more accurate than the HYDRUS-1D model. The dissipation processes of herbicides in soil and solving method of water movement in soil, considered in the modified PRZM-3 model, are more precise than that obtained in the HYDRUS-1D model. However, the prediction of TBM uptake by vetiver in the HYDRUS-1D model was closer to the measured values than that obtained in the modified PRZM-3 model.

Biodegradation of chlorimuron-ethyl and the associated degradation pathway by Rhodococcus sp. D310-1

Chlorimuron-ethyl is a typical long-term residual sulfonylurea herbicide, and strategies for its removal have attracted increasing attention. Microbial degradation is considered the most acceptable dissipation method. In this study, we optimized the cultivation conditions (substrate concentration, pH, inoculum concentration, and temperature) of the chlorimuron-ethyl-degrading bacterium Rhodococcus sp. D310-1 using response surface methodology (RSM) to improve the biodegradation efficiency. A maximum biodegradation rate of 88.95 % was obtained. The Andrews model was used to describe the changes in the specific degradation rate as the substrate concentration increased. Chlorimuron-ethyl could be transformed with a maximum specific degradation rate (q max), half-saturation constant (K S), and inhibition constant (K i) of 0.4327 day(-1), 63.50045 mg L(-1), and 156.76666 mg L(-1), respectively. Eight biodegradation products (2-amino-4-chloro-6-methoxypyrimidine, ethyl 2-sulfamoyl benzoate, 2-sulfamoyl benzoic acid, o-benzoic sulfimide, 2-[[(4-chloro-6-methoxy-2-pyrimidinyl) carbamoyl] sulfamoyl] benzoic acid, ethyl 2-carbonyl sulfamoyl benzoate, ethyl 2-benzenesulfonyl isocyanate benzoate, and N,N-2(ethyl formate)benzene sulfonylurea) were identified, and three possible degradation pathways were proposed based on the results of high performance liquid chromatography HPLC, liquid chromatography tandem mass spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses and the relevant literature. This systematic study is the first to examine the chlorimuron-ethyl degradation pathways of the genus Rhodococcus.

Insights into the degradation of chlorimuron-ethyl by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia D310-3

In this study, the effects of cultivation conditions on the degradation of chlorimuron-ethyl by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia D310-3, which exhibits a high chlorimuron-ethyl-degrading capability, were investigated. To improve the biodegradation efficiency, the cultivation conditions were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) based on Box-Behnken design (BBD). The maximum biodegradation rate (89.9%) was obtained at the optimal conditions (culture time, 6 d; substrate concentration, 50.21 mg L(-1); pH, 5.95; temperature, 30.15 °C). The Andrews model was used to describe the dynamic change regularity of the specific degradation rate as the substrate concentration increased, and the values of the maximum specific degradation rate (q(max)), half-saturation constant (K(S)) and inhibition constant (K(i)) were 78.87 d(-1), 9180.97 mg L(-1) and 0.28 mg L(-1), respectively. Eight degradation products were captured and identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry, and three possible degradation pathways are proposed based on the results of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), LC-MS and FTIR analyses as well as results reported in relevant literature. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic study of the degradation pathway of chlorimuron-ethyl by S. maltophilia D310-3. This study provides valuable information for further exploration of the microbial degradation of other sulfonylurea herbicides.

Soil column leaching of pesticides

In this review, I address the practical and theoretical aspects of pesticide soil mobility.I also address the methods used to measure mobility, and the factors that influence it, and I summarize the data that have been published on the column leaching of pesticides.Pesticides that enter the unsaturated soil profile are transported downwards by the water flux, and are adsorbed, desorbed, and/or degraded as they pass through the soil. The rate of passage of a pesticide through the soil depends on the properties of the pesticide, the properties of the soil and the prevailing environmental conditions.Because large amounts of many different pesticides are used around the world, they and their degradates may sometimes contaminate groundwater at unacceptable levels.It is for this reason that assessing the transport behavior and soil mobility of pesticides before they are sold into commerce is important and is one indispensable element that regulators use to assess probable pesticide safety. Both elementary soil column leaching and sophisticated outdoor lysimeter studies are performed to measure the leaching potential for pesticides; the latter approach more reliably reflects probable field behavior, but the former is useful to initially profile a pesticide for soil mobility potential.Soil is physically heterogeneous. The structure of soil varies both vertically and laterally, and this variability affects the complex flow of water through the soil profile, making it difficult to predict with accuracy. In addition, macropores exist in soils and further add to the complexity of how water flow occurs. The degree to which soil is tilled, the density of vegetation on the surface, and the type and amounts of organic soil amendments that are added to soil further affect the movement rate of water through soil, the character of soil adsorption sites and the microbial populations that exist in the soil. Parameters that most influence the rate of pesticide mobility in soil are persistence (DT50) of the pesticide, and its sorption/desorption(Koc) characteristics. These parameters may vary for the same pesticide from geographic site-to-site and with soil depth. The interactions that normally occur between pesticides and dissolved organic matter (DOM) or WDC are yet other factors that may complicate pesticide leaching behavior.The soil mobility of pesticides is normally tested both in the laboratory and in the field. Lab studies are initially performed to give researchers a preliminary appraisal of the relative mobility of a pesticide. Later, field lysimeter studies can be performed to provide more natural leaching conditions that emulate the actual field use pattern. Lysimeter studies give the most reliable information on the leaching behavior of a pesticide under field conditions, but these studies are time-consuming and expensive and cannot be performed everywhere. It is for this reason that the laboratory soil column leaching approach is commonly utilized to profile the mobility of a pesticide,and appraise how it behaves in different soils, and relative to other pesticides.Because the soil structure is chemically and physically heterogenous, different pesticide tests may produce variable DT50 and Koc values; therefore, initial pesticide mobility testing is undertaken in homogeneously packed columns that contain two or more soils and are eluted at constant flow rates. Such studies are done in duplicate and utilize a conservative tracer element. By fitting an appropriate mathematical model to the breakthrough curve of the conservative tracer selected,researchers determine key mobility parameters, such as pore water velocity, the column-specific dispersion coefficient, and the contribution of non equilibrium transport processes. Such parameters form the basis for estimating the probable transport and degradation rates that will be characteristic of the tested pesticide. Researchers also examine how a pesticide interacts with soil DOM and WDC, and what contribution from facilitated transport to mobility is made as a result of the effects of pH and ionic strength. Other methods are used to test how pesticides may interact with soil components to change mobility. Spectroscopic approaches are used to analyze the nature of soil pesticide complexes. These may provide insight into the mechanism by which interactions occur. Other studies may be performed to determine the effect of agricultural practices (e.g., tillage) on pesticide leaching under controlled conditions using intact soil cores from the field. When preferential flow is suspected to occur, dye staining is used to examine the contribution of macropores to pesticide transport. These methods and others are addressed in the text of this review.

Biodegradation of tribenuron methyl that is mediated by microbial acidohydrolysis at cell-soil interface

Tribenuron methyl (TBM) is a member of the sulfonylurea herbicide family and is widely used in weed control. Due to its phytotoxicity to rotating-crops, concerns on TBM-pollution to soil have been raised. In this study, experimental results indicated that microbial activity played a key role in TBM removal from polluted soil. Twenty-six bacterial strains were isolated and their degradation of TBM was evaluated. Serratia sp. strain BW30 was selected and subjected to further investigation on its degradative mechanism. TBM degradation by strain BW30 was dependent on glucose that was converted into lactic or oxalic acids. HPLC-MS analysis revealed two end-products from TBM degradation, and they were identical to the products from TBM acidohydrolysis. Based on this observation, it is proposed that microbe-mediated acidohydrolysis of TBM was involved in TBM degradation in soil, and possible application of this observation in bioremediation of TBM-polluted soil is discussed.

Augmentation of tribenuron methyl removal from polluted soil with Bacillus sp. strain BS2 and indigenous earthworms

Tribenuron methyl (TBM) is a member of the sulfonylurea herbicide family and is widely used worldwide. In this study, TBM-degrading bacteria were enriched with TBM as potential carbon, nitrogen or sulfur source, and 44 bacterial isolates were obtained. These isolates were phylogenetically diverse, and were grouped into 25 operational taxonomic units and 14 currently known genera. Three representatives, Bacillus sp. strain BS2, Microbacterium sp. strain BS3, and Cellulosimicrobium sp. strain BS11, were selected, and their growth and TBM removal from culture broth were investigated. In addition, indigenous earthworms were collected and applied to augment TBM degradation in lab-scale soil column experiments. Results demonstrated that Bacillus sp. strain BS2 and earthworms significantly increased TBM removal during soil column experiments.

Effect of charcoal amendment on adsorption, leaching and degradation of isoproturon in soils

The effects of charcoal amendment on adsorption, leaching and degradation of the herbicide isoproturon in soils were studied under laboratory conditions. The adsorption data all fitted well with the Freundlich empirical equation. It was found that the adsorption of isoproturon in soils increased with the rate of charcoal amended (correlation coefficient r=0.957**, P<0.01). The amount of isoproturon in leachate decreased with the increase of the amount of charcoal addition to soil column, while the retention of isoproturon in soils increased with an increase in the charcoal content of soil samples. Biodegradation was still the most significant mechanism for isoproturon dissipation from soil. Charcoal amendment greatly reduced the biodegradation of isoproturon in soils. The half-lives of isoproturon degradation (DT(50)) in soils greatly extended when the rate of added charcoal increased from 0 to 50 g kg(-1) (for Paddy soil, DT(50) values increased from 54.6 to 71.4 days; for Alfisol, DT(50) from 16.0 to 136 days; and for Vertisol, DT(50) from 15.2 to 107 days). The degradation rate of isoproturon in soils was significantly negatively correlated with the amount of added charcoal. This research suggests that charcoal amendment may be an effective management practice for reducing pesticide leaching and enhancing its persistence in soils.

Biodegradation of ethametsulfuron-methyl by Pseudomonas sp. SW4 isolated from contaminated soil

A soil bacterium SW4, capable of degrading the sulfonylurea herbicide ethametsulfuron-methyl (ESM), was isolated from the bottom soil of a herbicide factory. Based on physiological characteristics, biochemical tests and phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence, the strain was identified as a Pseudomonas sp. The total degradation of ESM in the medium containing glucose was up to 84.6% after 6 days of inoculation with SW4 strain. The inoculation of strain SW4 to soil treated with ESM resulted in a higher degradation rate than in noninoculated soil regardless of the soil sterilized or nonsterilized. Five metabolites of ESM degradation were analyzed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Based on the identified products, strain SW4 seemed to degrade ESM after two separate and different pathways: one leads to the cleavage of the sulfonylurea bridge, whereas the other to the dealkylation and opening of the triazine ring of ESM.