Medium to highly polar pesticides in seawater: Analysis and fate in coastal areas of Catalonia (NE Spain)

Target and suspect screening approaches for the identification of emerging and other contaminants in fish feeds using high resolution mass spectrometry

Fish feed is essential in aquaculture fish production because, along with beneficial nutrients and components, many suspected compounds can be transferred to fish and ultimately to humans. In this context, a comprehensive analysis was conducted to monitor various pesticides and pharmaceutical compounds in aquaculture fish feed through target analysis and many other groups of chemicals via suspect screening approaches. In this study, the QuEChERS extraction method was optimized, validated, and applied to fifty-four fish feed samples collected from different production batches. This was followed by liquid chromatography-high-resolution linear ion trap/Orbitrap mass spectrometry (LC-HR-IT/Orbitrap-MS) for targeted and suspect screening purposes. In general, pesticides provided satisfactory recoveries (70-105.5 %), with quantification limits lower than 5 ng g-1, whereas pharmaceuticals displayed recoveries ranging from 70.5 to 120.2 %, with quantification limits below 25 ng g-1. In addition, the matrix effects and measurement uncertainty were assessed to provide more accurate and high-confidence results. Pirimiphos-methyl was detected and quantified in 20 of 54 fish feed samples (37 %) at concentrations <77 ng g-1. Finally, suspect screening revealed the occurrence of 10 mycotoxins (e.g., citrinin, aflatoxin G2, zearalenone, and alternariol), two pesticides excluding the target pesticides (tebuconazole and fenazaquin), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in almost 2 % of the samples, and ethoxyquin (antioxidant), with 12 of its Transformation Products (TPs). Finally, suspect analysis incorporated in routine analyses have proven to have great potential for complete monitoring.

A review on the management of rinse wastewater in the agricultural sector

Pesticides have become indispensable compounds to sustain global food production. However, a series of sustainable agricultural practices must be ensured to minimize health and environmental risks, such as eco-friendly cultivation techniques, the transition to biopesticides, appropriate hygiene measures, etc. Hygiene measures should include the management of rinse wastewater (RWW) produced when cleaning agricultural equipment and machinery contaminated with pesticides (among other pollutants), such as sprayers or containers. Although some technical guidelines encourage the reuse of RWW in agricultural fields, in many cases the application of specialized treatments is a more environmentally friendly option. Solar photocatalysis was found to be the most widely studied physical-chemical method, especially in regions with intense solar radiation, generally using catalysts such as TiO2, Na2S2O8, and H2O2, operating for relatively short treatment periods (usually from 10 min to 9 h) and requiring accumulated radiation levels typically ranging from 3000 to 10000 kJ m-2. Biological treatments seem to be particularly suitable for this application. Among them, biobed is a well-established and robust technology for the treatment of pesticide-concentrated water in some countries, with operating periods that typically range from 1 to 24 months, and with temperatures preferably close to 20 °C; but further research is required for its implementation in other regions and/or conditions. Solar photocatalysis and biobeds are the only two systems that have been tested in full-scale treatments. Alternatively, fungal bioremediation using white rot fungi has shown excellent efficiencies in the degradation of pesticides from agricultural wastewater. However, greater efforts should be invested in gathering more information to consolidate these technologies and expand their use in the agricultural sector.

Herbicide leakage into seawater impacts primary productivity and zooplankton globally

Predicting the magnitude of herbicide impacts on marine primary productivity remains challenging because the extent of worldwide herbicide pollution in coastal waters and the concentration-response relationships of phytoplankton communities to multiple herbicides are unclear. By analyzing the spatiotemporal distribution of herbicides at 661 bay and gulf stations worldwide from 1990 to 2022, we determined median, third quartile and maximum concentrations of 12 triazine herbicides of 0.18 nmol L-1, 1.27 nmol L-1 and 29.50 nmol L-1 (95%Confidence Interval: CI 1.06, 1.47), respectively. Under current herbicide stress, phytoplankton primary productivity was inhibited by more than 5% at 25% of the sites and by more than 10% at 10% of the sites (95%CI 3.67, 4.34), due to the inhibition of highly abundant sensitive species, community structure/particle size succession (from Bacillariophyta to Dinophyceae and from nano-phytoplankton to micro-phytoplankton), and resulting growth rate reduction. Concurrently, due to food chain cascade effects, the dominant micro-zooplankton population shifted from larger copepod larvae to smaller unicellular ciliates, which might prolong the transmission process in marine food chain and reduce the primary productivity transmission efficiency. As herbicide application rates on farmlands worldwide are correlated with residues in their adjacent seas, a continued future increase in herbicide input may seriously affect the stability of coastal waters.

Assessing the spatiotemporal occurrence and ecological risk of antifouling biocides in a Brazilian estuary

Diuron and Irgarol are common antifouling biocides used in paints to prevent the attachment and growth of fouling organisms on ship hulls and other submerged structures. Concerns about their toxicity to non-target aquatic organisms have led to various restrictions on their use in antifouling paints worldwide. Previous studies have shown the widespread presence of these substances in port areas along the Brazilian coast, with a concentration primarily in the southern part of the country. In this study, we conducted six sampling campaigns over the course of 1 year to assess the presence and associated risks of Diuron and Irgarol in water collected from areas under the influence of the Maranhão Port Complex in the Brazilian Northeast. Our results revealed the absence of Irgarol in the study area, irrespective of the sampling season and site. In contrast, the mean concentrations of Diuron varied between 2.0 ng L-1 and 34.1 ng L-1 and were detected at least once at each sampling site. We conducted a risk assessment of Diuron levels in this area using the risk quotient (RQ) method. Our findings indicated that Diuron levels at all sampling sites during at least one campaign yielded an RQ greater than 1, with a maximum of 22.7, classifying the risk as "high" based on the proposed risk classification. This study underscores the continued concern regarding the presence of antifouling biocides in significant ports and marinas in Brazilian ports, despite international bans.

Assessing the risk of booster biocides for the marine environment: A case study at the Belgian part of the North Sea

The biofouling of submerged surfaces such as ship hulls is often prevented by using anti-fouling components in combination with booster biocides. These booster biocides enter the water column and may affect non-target organisms. Although different negative effects have been associated with the use of booster biocides, their effects on non-target organisms are often unknown. So far, the environmental risks for booster biocides have barely been quantified in the North Sea. In this work, the concentration of five commonly used booster biocides as well as tributyltin has been monitored at five dredged spoil disposal sites in the Belgian part of the North Sea and the harbour and ports of Nieuwpoort, Oostende, and Zeebrugge. Hotspots were discovered where the concentration of one or more booster biocides exceeded the predicted no-effect concentration. Tributyltin has been banned since 2008, but concentrations of 237- to 546-fold of the predicted no-effect concentration were detected in the harbours and ports. Moreover, TBT has been detected in the same order of magnitude in other sea basins, emphasizing the need to monitor the trends and impact of booster biocides and TBT in environmental monitoring programs.

Direct Spectrofluorimetric Method for the Analysis of Carbofuran and Fluometuron in Senegalese Natural Waters

In this work, analytical study of carbofuran (CAF) and fluometuron (FLM) pesticides was carried out using direct spectrofluorimetric method in various solvents. Results showed that CAF and FLM are naturally fluorescent in all solvents under study including organic (MeOH, MeCN, DMF) and aqueous micellar one (CTAC, SDS, Brij-700). For the analysis of FLM, CTAC give the best fluorescence signal enhancement. Analytical performances, such as limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) was evaluated after solvent optimization and were found to vary, respectively, between 0.1 and 11 ng mL- 1 and between 0.3 and 36.6 ng mL- 1. Analytical application in various environmental aqueous samples matrices (sea, tap, runoff and well waters) give satisfactory recovery rates in the limits of 73.7-113.7% for both pesticides. This method is described for its simplicity for routine analysis.

Occurrence and distribution of contaminants of legacy and emerging concern in surface waters of two Western Mediterranean coastal areas: Mar Menor Lagoon and Ebro Delta

The occurrence and distribution of UV filters, plastic additives, synthetic musks, other personal care products (Other PCPs), triazines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other current-use pesticides (Other CUPs) were characterised during summer 2018 and winter 2019 in surface waters of two sensitive areas of the Spanish coast located on the Mediterranean Sea (Mar Menor lagoon and Ebro Delta). Sixty-three organic contaminants out of a total of 100 compounds were detected, thus confirming the presence of all groups of pollutants studied in surface water at concentrations of ng/L. Both areas are affected by agricultural, urban and recreational activities, PCPs (mainly UV filters) being the predominant compounds found in both seasons which showed significant increases in concentrations in summer. The contaminants found at the highest concentrations were octocrylene, homosalate and ethylhexyl salicylate, which showed risk quotients higher than 1, indicating a potential risk to aquatic organisms, particularly in summer.

Organophosphorus pesticides in southeastern China marginal seas: Land-based export and ocean currents redistribution

Organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) have raised an increasing public concern due to their harmful impacts. To explore the occurrence and distribution of OPPs in southeastern China marginal seas (SCMS), a sampling campaign was carried out from East China Sea (ECS) to South China Sea (SCS). A total of 33 OPPs are quantified with the ΣOPPs concentrations ranging from 4.73 to 14.15 ng/L. Higher ΣOPPs concentrations in the surface seawater from the estuaries of Yangtze River, Minjiang River, and Pearl River than those at other sampling sites indicates that riverine emissions are the principal sources of OPPs in SCMS. Different compositions of OPPs in ECS and SCS highlight the different priority of use categories for OPPs in China coastal region. In addition, the vertical diffusion and upwelling ocean currents play critical roles in the redistribution of OPPs in SCMS. For the first time, the ΣOPPs mass inventories in surface seawater of ECS and SCS are estimated at 8.51 and 11.26 t, respectively. Although the current ecological risk of OPPs is at low level in surface seawater of SCMS, the long-term use and bio-accumulative potential point to the necessity for the normalized monitoring of OPPs in China.

Ionic Liquid-Dispersive Micro-Extraction and Detection by High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry for Antifouling Biocides in Water

A simple analytical method was developed and evaluated for the determination of two antifouling biocides using an ionic liquid-dispersive liquid-liquid micro-extraction (IL-DLLME) and a high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) analysis. Irgarol 1051 and Sea-Nine 211 were extracted from deionized water, lake water, and seawater using IL 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([HMIm][PF6]) and ethyl acetate as the extraction solvent and the dispersion solvent. Several factors were considered, including the type and volume of extraction and dispersive solvent, IL amount, sample pH, salt effect, and cooling temperature. The developed method resulted in a recovery range of 78.7-90.3%, with a relative standard deviation (RSD, n = 3) less than 7.5%. The analytes were enriched greater than 40-fold, and the limits of detection (LOD) for two antifouling biocides were 0.01-0.1 μg L^-1. The method was effectively applied for the analysis of real samples of freshwater as well as samples of seawater.

Fungal treatment of agricultural washing wastewater: Comparison between two operational strategies

Agricultural washing wastewater (AWW) is an important source of pesticides that, given its intrinsic characteristics, has a high potential to be treated by fungal bioremediation using white rot fungi. In the present study, two AWW treatment strategies were compared: a fluidized-bed reactor (FBR) with T. versicolor pellets and a rotating drum bioreactor (RDB) with T. versicolor immobilized on wood. The RDB effluent showed better results in all studied parameters compared to those of the FBR, including pesticide removal (87%), toxicity, laccase activity, COD, absorbance and microbial communities. Additionally, the fungal assemblage showed that T. versicolor was successfully immobilized in the RDB, which triggered a major shift in the initial community. Afterwards, solid by-products were treated in a fungal biopile-like system reaching high biodegradation rates. Therefore, this study validates the fungal RDB as a viable alternative for AWW treatment, opening up the possibility of a further in-situ and full-scale application.

Review: Presence, distribution and current pesticides used in Spanish agricultural practices

To guarantee an adequate food supply for the world's growing population, intensive agriculture is necessary to ensure efficient food production. The use of pesticides helps maintain maximum productivity in intensive agriculture by minimizing crop losses due to pests. However, pesticide contamination of surface waters constitutes a major problem as they are resistant to degradation and soluble enough to be transported in water. In recent years, all groups of pesticides defined by the World Health Organization have increased their use and, therefore, their prevalence in the different environmental compartments that can have harmful effects. Despite this effort, there is no rigorous monitoring program that quantifies and controls the toxic effects of each pesticide. However, multiple scientific studies have been published by specialized research groups in which this information is disseminated. Therefore, any attempt to systematize this information is relevant. This review offers a current overview of the presence and distribution of the most widely-used pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides) by crop type and an evaluation of the relationships between their uses and environmental implications in Spain. The data demonstrated that there are correlations between the presence of specific pesticides used in the main crops and their presence in the environmental compartments. We have found preliminary data pointing to existing associations between specific pesticides used in the main crops and their presence in environmental compartments within different geographical areas of Spain; this should be the subject of further investigation.

Natural Plant Extracts: An Update about Novel Spraying as an Alternative of Chemical Pesticides to Extend the Postharvest Shelf Life of Fruits and Vegetables

Fresh fruits and vegetables, being the source of important vitamins, minerals, and other plant chemicals, are of boundless importance these days. Although in agriculture, the green revolution was a milestone, it was accompanied by the intensive utilization of chemical pesticides. However, chemical pesticides have hazardous effects on human health and the environment. Therefore, increasingly stimulating toward more eco-friendly and safer alternatives to prevent postharvest losses and lead to improving the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables. Proposed alternatives, natural plant extracts, are very promising due to their high efficacy. The plant-based extract is from a natural source and has no or few health concerns. Many researchers have elaborated on the harmful effects of synthetic chemicals on human life. People are now much more aware of safety and health concerns than ever before. In the present review, we discussed the latest research on natural alternatives for chemical synthetic pesticides. Considering that the use of plant-based extracts from aloe vera, lemongrass, or neem is non-chemical by-products of the fruits and vegetable industry, they are proved safe for human health and may be integrated with economic strategies. Such natural plant extracts can be a good alternative to chemical pesticides and preservatives.

Quality Control of Emerging Contaminants in Marine Aquaculture Systems by Spot Sampling-Optimized Solid Phase Extraction and Passive Sampling

The presence of organic pollutants such as pesticides and pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment, and especially in regions where fish farms are installed, is a matter of major importance due to their possible risks to ecosystems and public health. The necessity of their detection leads to the development of sensitive, reliable, economical and environmentally friendly analytical methods for controlling their residue in various environmental substrates. In the present work, a solid-phase extraction method was developed, optimized and validated for the analysis of 7 pesticides and 25 pharmaceuticals in seawater using LC-HR-LTQ/Orbitrap-MS. The method was then applied in seawater samples collected from an aquaculture farm located in the Ionian Sea, Greece, in order to evaluate environmental pollution levels. None of the pesticides were detected, while paracetamol was the only pharmaceutical compound that was found (at trace levels). At the same time, passive sampling was conducted as an alternative screening technique, showing the presence of contaminants that were not detected with spot sampling. Among them, irgarol was detected and as far as pharmaceuticals is concerned, trimethoprim and sulfadiazine were found; however, all positive findings were at the very low ppt levels posing no threat to the aquatic environment.

Portable stirring device for the on-site extraction of environmental waters using magnetic hydrophilic-lipophilic balance tape

The spatial heterogeneity of environmental systems makes sampling at multiple locations crucial to provide complete and representative information. The on-site application of an extraction technique simplifies the sampling logistics, increasing sample integrity during transportation and storage. This article presents a portable, simple, and low-cost device capable of performing the simultaneous on-site extraction of several environmental water samples. The device consists of a small electric motor integrated into the plastic cap of a conventional glass bottle and operated with a portable battery. The electric motor provides stirring to a novel magnetic sorptive phase based on the deposition of hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) particles over a magnetic tape. The use of open technology makes the device globally affordable. In this first approach, the isolation and preconcentration of atrazine and simazine have been selected as proof of concept. Using an internal standard made unnecessary the adjustment of the ionic strength before the extraction, thus simplifying the analytical procedure. Under the optimum conditions and using direct infusion mass spectrometry as the instrumental technique, detection limits as low as 15 ng/L were obtained. The precision calculated at three different levels was better than 8.3%. The accuracy, calculated with spiked samples, indicates the applicability of the approach for environmental water analysis.

Bentazone in water and human urine in Wuhan, central China: exposure assessment

Bentazone is a widely used post-emergence herbicide, while no data was available on its concentrations in tap water from China and in urine among the general population. It was determined in the source (Wuhan section of the Yangtze River watershed), treated, and tap water (n = 20, 20, and 170, respectively) in different seasons (2019) in Wuhan, central China. Also, urine samples (n = 38) collected from healthy adults in Wuhan (September 2020) were analyzed to characterize its urinary concentration. Bentazone was detected in all the source and treated water samples. Its concentrations in the source water in July were higher than those in February (median: 17.9 ng/L vs. 2.86 ng/L) (p < 0.05). It cannot be removed efficiently (27.8-27.9%) by conventional drinking water treatment using NaClO, but it can be efficiently removed by using chlorine dioxide or ozone combined with activated carbon. Bentazone was frequently detected (detection frequency: 96.3%) in 160 tap water samples (underwent conventional treatment) (median: 1.95 ng/L, range: <0.02-47.0 ng/L), while it was not detectable in tap water samples that underwent ozone combined with activated carbon. Seasonal variations were found, with the lowest median concentration (ng/L) in April (0.46) and the highest in July (17.6). In addition, bentazone was frequently (92.1%) detected in human urine samples (median: 0.02 ng/mL; range: < 0.01-0.11 ng/mL). The estimated daily intake of bentazone based on its median concentration in tap water (0.04 ng/kg-body weight [bw]/day) accounted for approximately 8% of that based on the median urinary concentration (0.48 ng/kg-bw/day). This is the first time to characterize its occurrence in drinking water from China and its occurrence in the urine of the general population.

Pesticide bioremediation by Trametes versicolor: Application in a fixed-bed reactor, sorption contribution and bioregeneration

Although immobilization on lignocellulosic materials has recently become a promising strategy in the fungal-based technology for micropollutant bioremediation, research evidence in this area is still scarce and significant knowledge gaps need to be addressed. In this study, Trametes versicolor immobilized on Quercus ilex wood chips was initially proposed to remove two pesticides, diuron and bentazon, from real agricultural wastewater. Thus, a bioremediation treatment was performed in a fixed-bed bioreactor at two empty bed contact times (EBCT) of 1 and 3 days. Bentazon saturation was achieved after 5 EBCTs, while diuron sorption remained below 50% even after 40 days of treatment. The differences in diuron and bentazon removals were linked to their different hydrophobicity and thus, affinity for wood. However, in any case, the sorption contribution of wood was found to be predominant compared to fungal biodegradation. These results motivated a comprehensive study to evaluate the pollutant sorption capacity of wood. Afterwards, pesticide-contaminated wood was successfully bioregenerated by T. versicolor in a biopile-like system, reaching high fungal colonization (up to 0.2451 mg ergosterol·g^-1 dry weight), degradation rate (up to 2.55 mg·g^-1·d^-1) and degradation yields (up to 92.50%). The combined treatment consisting of the fixed-bed bioreactor followed by the re-inoculated biopile showed the best performance in terms of fungal content and pesticide degradation. This is an important step toward the implementation of fungal-based technology for the removal of pesticides from agricultural water.

Ulva lactuca: A bioindicator for anthropogenic contamination and its environmental remediation capacity

Coastal regions are subjected to degradation due to anthropogenic pollution. Effluents loaded with variable concentrations of heavy metal, persistent organic pollutant, as well as nutrients are discharged in coastal areas leading to environmental degradation. In the past years, many scientists have studied, not only the effect of different contaminants on coastal ecosystems but also, they have searched for organisms tolerant to pollutants that can be used as bioindicators or for biomonitoring purposes. Furthermore, many researchers have demonstrated the capacity of different marine organisms to remove heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants, as well as to reduce nutrient concentration, which may lead to eutrophication. In this sense, Ulva lactuca, a green macroalgae commonly found in coastal areas, has been extensively studied for its capacity to accumulate pollutants; as a bioindicator; as well as for its remediation capacity. This paper aims to review the information published regarding the use of Ulva lactuca in environmental applications. The review was focused on those studies that analyse the role of this macroalga as a biomonitor or in bioremediation experiments.

Assessment of pesticide residues in waters and soils of a vineyard region and its temporal evolution

Sustainable agriculture practices and integrated pest management for avoiding environmental pollution are necessary to maintain a high yield in vineyard areas. Pesticide residues in groundwater in a vineyard area of La Rioja (Spain) have been evaluated in previous years, and they could now have varied after farmers have adopted the different measures recommended. Accordingly, this research's objectives were (i) to evaluate the occurrence and seasonal distribution (spring, summer, and autumn samplings) of pesticides (36) plus their degradation products (DP) (11) in water and soil samples (23 + 15) in La Rioja (Northern Spain), and (ii) to compare the current water quality (2019) with that determined previously (2011). A multi-residue method based on solid phase extraction (for water samples) or solid liquid extraction (for soil samples) and high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) was used to determine and quantify pesticides. The results reveal the presence in waters of 30 compounds from those selected (15 fungicides + 2 DP, 7 insecticides + 1 DP, and 3 herbicides +2 DP), with 14 of them at concentrations > 0.1 μg L^-1 (water quality threshold for human consumption). The highest number of compounds was detected in summer (waters) and spring (soils). The pesticides most frequently detected in water samples were the fungicides metalaxyl, tebuconazole, and boscalid, with the last one being the compound found in the highest number of soil samples. The comparison of water pollution in 2011 and 2019 indicates a significant decrease in the total concentration of herbicides, fungicides and insecticides in 95-100%, 76-90%, and 42-85% of samples in the three campaigns, respectively. The results indicate that an optimized and sustainable use of pesticides in intensive and high-yield agricultural areas could reduce environmental pollution.

Distribution of eight organophosphorus pesticides and their oxides in surface water of the East China Sea based on high volume solid phase extraction method

In this study, we reported the occurrence of eight organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) in the East China Sea. Forty samples were collected and analysed with a high volume solid phase extraction method (Hi-throat/Hi-volume SPE) in the early summer of 2020. All the target OPPs were detected in the surface water at one or more stations in the East China Sea, and the concentrations of ΣOPPs were in the range 0.0775-3.09 ng/L (mean: 0.862 ± 0.624 ng/L). Terbufos sulfone and fenthion were the main pollutants in this area, probably resulting from pesticide use in China and other countries. The off-shore input from coastal regions was suggested to be a major source of OPP pollution in the East China Sea, and the movement of ocean currents played an important role in their transportation because around 0.86 t OPPs passed through the Tsushima Strait from the East China Sea each month. An ecological risk assessment showed that these OPPs presented a high risk to species in the East China Sea, whereas they posed no health risk to humans under both the median and high exposure scenario.

Use of nontarget organism Chironomus sancticaroli to study the toxic effects of nanoatrazine

Atrazine was banned by the European Union in 2004, but is still used in many countries. Agricultural research employing nanotechnology has been developed in order to reduce the impacts to the environment and nontarget organisms. Nanoatrazine was developed as a carrier system and have been considered efficient in weed control. However, its toxicity must be verified with nontarget organisms. In this context, the aim of the present study was to investigate ecotoxicological effects of solid lipid nanoparticles (empty and loaded with atrazine) and atrazine on Chironomus sancticaroli larvae, evaluating the endpoints: mortality, mentum deformity, development rate and biochemical biomarkers. The contaminant concentrations used were 2, 470, 950, and 1900 μg L^-1 in acute (96 h) and 2 μg L^-1 in subchronic (10 days) bioassays. An environmentally relevant concentration of atrazine (2 μg L^-1) presented toxic and lethal effects towards the larvae. The nanoparticles loaded with atrazine showed toxic effects similar to free atrazine, causing mortality and biochemical alterations on the larvae. The nanoparticle without atrazine caused biochemical alterations and mortality, indicating a possible toxic effect of the formulation on the larvae. In the acute bioassay, most concentrations of nanoparticles loaded with atrazine were not dose dependent for the endpoint mortality. Only the atrazine concentration of 470 μg L^-1 was statistically significant to endpoint mentum deformity. The atrazine and nanoparticles (with and without atrazine) did not affect larval development. The results indicate that Chironomus sancticaroli was sensitive to monitor nanoatrazine, presenting potential to be used in studies of toxicity of nanopesticides.

Pesticides in edible mushrooms in Vietnam

Maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticides have been established for edible mushrooms in order to control quality and ensure benefits of consumers in numerous countries, especially areas comprising Europe. In this study, by means of optimising extract purification conditions, a high sensitivity and reliability method to simultaneously determine 180 pesticides in mushrooms has been proposed. Matrix effects were minimised by combining QuEChERS extraction and a mixed mode of SPE cleaned up with different adsorbent materials after sample preparation. The method was completely validated following the requirements of SANTE/12682/2019. The LOQs ranged from 2 to 5 μg/kg, well below the MRLs as regulated by the EU (10-50 μg/kg). Both relative standard deviation of repeatability (RSD_r) and reproducibility (RSD_R) were less than 20% and recoveries varied from 70 to 120%. Therefore, this method was considered to be suitable for routine analysis of multi-pesticide residues in edible mushrooms.

Rapid and cost-effective multiresidue analysis of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and antifouling booster biocides in marine sediments using matrix solid phase dispersion

Currently, there are many contaminants of concern that need to be accurately determined to help assess their potential environmental hazard. Despite their increasing interest, yet few environmental occurrence data exist, likely because they are present at low levels and in very complex matrices. Therefore, multiresidue analytical methods for their determination need to be highly sensitive, selective, and robust. Particularly, due to the trace levels of these chemicals in the environment, an extensive extraction procedure is required before determination. This work details the development of a fast and cheap vortex-assisted matrix solid-phase dispersion-high performance liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (VA-MSPD-HPLC-MS/MS) method for multiresidue determination of 59 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and booster biocides, in sediment. The validated method provided high sensitivity (0.42-36.8 ngg^-1 dw quantification limits), wide and good linearity (r² > 0.999), satisfactory accuracy (60-140%), and precision below 20% for most target analytes. In comparison with previous methods, relying on traditional techniques, the proposed method demonstrated to be more environmentally friendly, cheaper, simpler, and faster. The method was applied to monitor the occurrence of these compounds in sediments collected in Brazil, using only 2 g dw sediment samples, free-solid support, and 5 mL methanol as extraction solvent. The UV filter avobenzone, the UV stabilizer and antifreeze methylbenzotriazole, the preservative methylparaben, the fluoroquinolone antibiotic ciprofloxacin, and the biocides irgarol and 4,5-dichloro-2-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one were determined at concentrations in the range 1.44-69.7 ngg^-1 dw.

Aquaculture-derived distribution, partitioning, migration, and transformation of atrazine and its metabolites in seawater, sediment, and organisms from a typical semi-closed mariculture bay

Atrazine (ATR) is one of the most commonly used herbicides that could directly impair the growth and health of organisms in mariculture areas and adversely affect human health through the food chain. This study investigated the contaminant occurrence, migration, and transformation of ATR and three of its chlorinated metabolites, namely deethylatrazine (DEA), deisopropylatrazine (DIA), and didealkylatrazine (DDA), in surface seawater, sediment, and aquatic organisms from the Xiangshan Harbor. ATR was detected in all samples, while DIA and DDA were only respectively detected in aquatic and seawater samples. The distribution of ATR and its metabolites presented different patterns depending on the geographic location and showed a higher level in the aquaculture area than that in the non-aquaculture area. The bioaccumulation of ATR in aquaculture organisms showed that benthic organisms, such as Ditrema, and Sinonovacula constricta (Sin), had increased levels. The ecological risks indicated that ATR posed medium or high risks to algae in the water phase of the study area. The microcosm experiment showed that the main fate of ATR in the simulated microenvironment was sedimentation, which followed the first-order kinetic equation. The ATR in the sediment could be enriched 3-5 times in Sin, and its major metabolites were DEA and DIA.

Phenylurea herbicide degradation and N-nitrosodimethylamine formation under various oxidation conditions: Relationships and transformation pathways

Four phenylurea herbicides (PUHs) were assessed for degradation and transformation into N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) under three oxidation conditions (chlorine (Cl₂), chlorine dioxide (ClO₂), and ozone (O₃)) from an aqueous solution. Removal ratios correlated with the numbers of halogen elements contained in PUHs (isoproturon ₍₀₎ > chlorotoluron _{(1 Cl)} > diuron _{(2 Cl)} > fluometuron _(3 F)), and the degradation efficiencies of oxidants from fastest to slowest were: O₃, ClO₂, and Cl₂. NDMA can be generated directly from the ozonation of PUHs. Further, compared with chloramination alone, ozonation prominently promoted NDMA formation potential (NDMA-FP) during post-chloramination, and NDMA-FPs increased approximately 23-68 times than those during ozonation only at 2.5 mg/L O₃ over 10 min; molar yields of NDMA from highest to lowest were 11.1% (isoproturon), 1.17% (chlorotoluron), 1.0% (diuron), and 0.73% (fluometuron). The PUH degradation kinetics data during ozonation agreed with the pseudo-first-order model. The rate constant k_obs were 0.31 × 10^-3-19.8 × 10^-3 s^-1. The k_obs and removal ratios of PUHs during ozonation partially scaled with the mass, LogK_ow, and Henry's constants of PUHs. Comparisons of measured NDMA-FPs with calculated NDMA-FPs from residual PUH after oxidation showed that the intermediates produced during ozonation facilitated NDMA-FPs; this contribution was also observed for chlorotoluron and isoproturon during ClO₂ oxidation. Examination of reaction mechanisms revealed that tertiary amine ozonation, N-dealkylation, hydroxylation, the cleavage of N-C bonds, ammonification, and nitrification occurred during the ozonation of PUHs, and the dimethylamine (DMA) functional groups could be decomposed directly and transformed into NDMA via the formation of the intermediate unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine. NDMA is also formed from the reaction between DMA and phenylamino-compounds. Clarifying primary degradation products of PUHs and transformation pathways of NDMA during oxidation processes is useful to optimize treatment processes for water supplies.

Microalgae-based bioremediation of water contaminated by pesticides in peri-urban agricultural areas

The present study evaluated the capacity of a semi-closed, tubular horizontal photobioreactor (PBR) to remove pesticides from agricultural run-off. The study was carried out in summer (July) to study its efficiency under the best conditions (highest solar irradiation). A total of 51 pesticides, including 10 transformation products, were selected and investigated based on their consumption rate and environmental relevance. Sixteen of them were detected in the agricultural run-off, and the estimated removal efficiencies ranged from negative values, obtained for 3 compounds, namely terbutryn, diuron and imidacloprid, to 100%, achieved for 10 compounds. The acidic herbicide MCPA was removed by 88% in average, and the insecticides 2,4-D and diazinon showed variable removals, between 100% and negative values. The environmental risk associated to the compounds still present in the effluent of the PBR was evaluated using hazard quotients (HQs), calculated using the average and highest measured concentrations of the compounds. HQ values > 10 (meaning high risk) were obtained for imidacloprid (21), between 1 and 10 (meaning moderate risk) for 2,4-D (2.8), diazinon (4.6) and terbutryn (1.5), and <1 (meaning low risk) for the remaining compounds diuron, linuron and MCPA. The PBR treatment yielded variable removals depending on the compound, similarly to conventional wastewater treatment plants. This study provides new data on the capacity of microalgae-based treatment systems to eliminate a wide range of priority pesticides under real/environmental conditions.

Monitoring and environmental risk assessment of pesticide residues and some of their degradation products in natural waters of the Spanish vineyard region included in the Denomination of Origin Jumilla

Water pollution by pesticides used in agriculture is currently a major concern both in Spain and in Europe as a whole, prompting the need to evaluate water quality and ecological risk in areas of intensive agriculture. This study involved monitoring pesticide residues and certain degradation products in surface and ground waters of the Denomination of Origin (DO) Jumilla vineyard area in Spain. Sixty-nine pesticides were selected and evaluated at twenty-one sampling points using a multi-residue analytical method, based on solid-phase extraction (SPE) and analysis by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS), providing reliable results. Twenty-six compounds from those selected were detected in the samples analyzed (eleven insecticides including one degradation product, nine herbicides, and six fungicides) and fifteen of them were found in concentrations over 0.1 μg L^-1 (upper threshold established by the EU for pesticides detected in waters for human consumption). Indoxacarb was present in more than 70% of the samples, being the most frequently detected compound in water samples. Some pesticides were ubiquitous in all the water samples. Ecotoxicological risk indicators, toxic units (TUs) and risk quotients (RQs), for algae, Daphnia magna and fish were calculated to estimate the environmental risk of the presence of pesticides in waters. The compounds with the highest risk were the herbicides pendimethalin, with RQ values > 1 for the three aquatic organisms, and diflufenican, posing a high risk for algae and fish, and the insecticide chlorpyrifos, with a high risk for Daphnia magna and fish. The ∑TUi determined for water at each sampling point posed only a high risk for the three aquatic organisms in a sample. These results are important for considering the selection of pesticides with less environmental risk in intensive agricultural areas.

Antifouling biocides as a continuous threat to the aquatic environment: Sources, temporal trends and ecological risk assessment in an impacted region of Brazil

Antifouling biocides, such as irgarol and diuron, are commonly used in antifouling paints. Recently, studies carried out in a Brazilian region of ecological concern have warned for extremely high levels of these biocides. So, this work focused on a 4-year (2015-2018) evaluation considering the occurrence, environmental fate, seasonal variations and ecological risk assessment of irgarol and diuron in water and sediment from São Marcos Bay, Brazil, which is an area of international relevance located in the Amazon region. The results showed the ubiquitous presence of antifouling biocides, as well as their wide distribution along the bay. The concentration range of irgarol was between <0.8 and 89.4 ng L^-1 in water and between <0.5 and 9.2 ng g^-1dw in sediments, whereas diuron showed a range between <1.4 and 22.0 ng L^-1 in water and between <2.0 and 15.0 ng g^-1dw in sediments. The distribution of the biocides was mainly related to the intense Bay hydrodynamics. The environmental risk assessment showed that irgarol and diuron posed "high risk" to the aquatic biota of São Marcos Bay, exceeding international Environmental Quality Guidelines. The results represent a robust study on the environmental fate of such biocides and intend to be a useful data source for eventual legislation since regulation concerning antifouling substances is necessary for Brazil.

Passive Samplers vs Sentinel Organisms: One-Year Monitoring of Priority and Emerging Contaminants in Coastal Waters

Temporal monitoring of pollutants in aquatic systems impacted by human activities is mandatory for a correct assessment on their environmental impact and later management. The aim of this work was to study the suitability of using silicone rubber passive samplers and caged organisms (Ruditapes philippinarum), simultaneously, to examine the spatial and temporal variability of priority and emerging contaminants in a coastal environment (Cadiz Bay, SW Spain) over the course of an entire year. Seasonal trends were observed for some classes of compounds, such as UV filters and fragrances, and attributed to fluctuations in their sources and changes in the hydrodynamic conditions, respectively. Up to 42 out of 48 (in seawater) and 27 out of 37 (in biota) target analytes were detected, the highest concentrations being observed for synthetic fragrances and UV filters in both biota (136.9-159 ng g^-1) and the dissolved phase (3322.2-265.7 ng L^-1). Conversely, spatiotemporal differences in the concentrations of target contaminants in clam tissues were minimal. Higher field bioaccumulation factors (log BAF > 5) were found for priority substances. Overall, silicone rubber passive samplers proved to be more sensitive than sentinel organisms for monitoring spatiotemporal changes in the dissolved aqueous concentrations of contaminants, whereas the latter allowed for a more realistic evaluation of the potential uptake and bioaccumulation of each compound.

The role of direct photolysis in the photodegradation of the herbicide bentazone in natural surface waters

The photochemical fate of the herbicide bentazone was assessed by lab experiments and modeling tools. Experimental and modeling results showed that bentazone is mainly photodegraded by direct photolysis in natural water samples, even in the presence of dissolved organic matter (DOM) that can act as light-screening agent, photosensitizer and scavenger of reactive species. Even when it was dissolved in natural water samples containing different DOM amounts, the phototransformation kinetics of bentazone was unchanged compared to irradiation runs in ultrapure water. This finding suggests that the DOM and the other components of our samples did not affect the direct photolysis of bentazone by light-absorption competition, at least at the experimental optical path lengths, and did not induce significant indirect photodegradation by producing reactive transient species. Photochemical modeling in a lake-water photoreactivity scenario corroborated the observed experimental results, showing the predominant role of direct photolysis in the overall (direct + indirect) photodegradation of bentazone at different water depths and DOM contents. However, the model predicted a minor but non-negligible contribution of indirect photochemistry (i.e., reactions triggered by HO^•, CO₃^•- and ³CDOM*) to the herbicide degradation. This contribution (especially by ³CDOM*) could become crucial in deep and DOM-rich water bodies. Finally, several photoproducts formed by direct photolysis and HO^•-induced photodegradation were identified, which should not be particularly toxic for aquatic organisms and Vibrio fischeri bacteria.

Rapid biodegradation of chlorpyrifos by plant growth-promoting psychrophilic Shewanella sp. BT05: An eco-friendly approach to clean up pesticide-contaminated environment

The present study explores the rapid chlopyrifos (CPs) biodegradation potential of plant growth promoting (PGP) psychrophilic bacteria isolated from brackish water by enrichment culture technique. Based on biochemical tests and 16 S rDNA sequencing the isolate was identified as Shewanella sp. The isolate Shewanella BT05 showed significant growth rate in various concentrations of (10-50 mg/L) CPs. The isolate produced plant growth promoting factors, IAA (20.8 ± 1.2 and 15.4 ± 1.0 μg/mL) and siderophores (60.67 ± 1.2 and 57.5 ± 0.9%) in the absence and presence of CPs. Further, the isolate BT05 solublized phosphate (16.5 ± 1.0 and 12.0 ± 1.0 mm in size respectively), and produce hydrogen cyanide (excellent and moderate) in the presence and absence of CPs. The isolate BT05 degraded 94.3, 91.8, 87.9, 82.6, and 80.5% of CPs at 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 mg/L, respectively, within 24 h. Further, the media conditions were optimized for enhanced CPs removal and observed 93% removal in the presence of 3.5% glucose in pH 7.0 at 32.5 °C. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography results indicated the role for Shewanella BT05 in the biomineralization of CPs. The results suggested the isolate BT05 could be used for CPs removal as well as PGP activity in contaminated soil.

Development, validation, comparison, and implementation of a highly efficient and effective method using magnetic solid-phase extraction with hydrophilic-lipophilic-balanced materials for LC-MS/MS analysis of pesticides in seawater

To achieve multi-pesticides residue analysis in seawater, hydrophilic-lipophilic-balanced magnetic particles were designed and fabricated by swelling polymerization of divinyl benzene (DVB) and N-vinyl pyrrolidone (NVP) on the surface of Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ magnetic particles. The ratio of DVB to NVP was adjusted to achieve a proper balance in hydrophilicity and lipophilicity. The obtained magnetic particles were systematically characterized by TEM, SEM, FT-IR and vibrating sample magnetization. Based on the optimized magnetic nanoparticles, a sensitive magnetic solid-phase extraction method was developed for the simultaneous pre-concentration and determination of 96-pesticide residues from large-volume seawater samples prior to being detected by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Recoveries of pesticides in spiked seawater samples (0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1.0 μg L^-1) ranged from 62% to 112% with RSDs less than 21%. The method limits of detection of 96 pesticides ranged from 0.13 to 0.42 ng L^-1, the method limits of quantification of 96 pesticides ranged from 1.0 to 10 ng L^-1. The method was successfully applied to pesticide residue analysis in water samples from Jiulong River Estuary of China, demonstrating the prospects of this technique as a potential method for the rapid determination of trace levels of multi-pesticide residues in seawater.

Basin-scale monitoring and risk assessment of emerging contaminants in South American Atlantic coastal lagoons

Emerging contaminants (ECs) such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, drugs of abuse and polar pesticides are under particular attention due to their high consumption, frequent detection in the environment and reported ecotoxicological risk. This study investigates the occurrence and distribution of multiclass of ECs in surface waters at basin scale of two Atlantic coastal lagoons of Uruguay, South America. For this purpose, a target screening approach covering up to 362 compounds was employed using nanoflow liquid chromatography - high resolution mass spectrometry (nanoLC/HRMS). 56 compounds were identified including five banned pesticides in the European Union: atrazine, carbendazim, chlorpyrifos ethyl, diazinon, and ethion. Pharmaceuticals, hormones and drugs of abuse showed maximum detection frequencies and concentrations downstream cities. The highest occurrence of pesticides was found in lagoons and streams with neighboring agricultural activity. ECs were also found in coastal sea. Environmental risk assessment revealed that the hormones 17α-ethinylestradiol and 17-β-estradiol showed the highest risk to aquatic organisms in these basins. This study represents the first basin- scale monitoring of ECs in superficial waters encompassing streams, lagoons, and coastal seas in Uruguay, South America.

Persistence of pesticides-based contaminants in the environment and their effective degradation using laccase-assisted biocatalytic systems

Inevitable use of pesticides due to modern agricultural practices and the associated worldwide environmental pollution has called the special attention of the researchers to overcome the persistence, recalcitrance, and multi-faceted toxicity of pesticides-based emerging contaminants. Some restricted use pesticides (RUPs) are highly toxic and carcinogenic chemicals that can be easily accumulated into non-target organisms, including humans, aquatic invertebrates, algae, and microbes. With regard to physicochemical strategies, enzymes-mediated bioremediation is a compelling and meaningful strategy for biodegradation and biotransformation of pesticides into harmless chemical species. Oxidoreductases hydrolases and transferases are among the most representative classes of enzymes pursued and engineered for this purpose. Ligninolytic enzymes, particularly laccases, are of exceptional interest due to high efficiency, specificity, eco-sustainability, and wide-ranging substrates. However, the use of native enzymes is often hindered in industrial processes for the effective removal of refractory compounds by their high cost and susceptibility. Many of these drawbacks can be addressed by enzyme immobilization on some suitable support materials. Increase in stability, reusability, reduction of product inhibition, enhanced activity, specificity, and easier product separation are amid the desirable characteristics of immobilization to construct biocatalysts for continuous systems. This review summarizes recent and up-to-date literature on the use of enzymes, explicitly, free as well as immobilized laccases in the degradation of different pesticides. In the first part, source and occurrence of pesticides in the environment, their types, and associated detrimental effects on the ecosystem/human health are comprehensively described. Afterward, we highlighted the use of different enzymes with a particular emphasis on laccase for the degradation and detoxification of an array of pesticides. Finally, the review is closed with concluding remarks, and possible future direction is proposed in this very important research arena. In conclusion, it is envisioned that effective deployment of laccase-assisted biocatalytic systems for the degradation or removal of diverse pesticides and related contaminants will help to better understand the persistence and removal fate of these hazardous pollutants. Moreover, the current research thrust presented in this review will additionally evoke researcher to engineer robust and sustainable processes to remediate pesticides-contaminated environmental matrices effectively.