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Zhang L, Zhang Y, Zhu M, Chen L, Wu B. A critical review on quantitative evaluation of aqueous toxicity in water quality assessment. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 342:140159. [PMID: 37716564 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
Conventional chemical techniques have inherent limitations in detecting unknown chemical substances in water. As a result, effect-based methods have emerged as a viable alternative to overcome these limitations. These methods provide more accurate and intuitive evaluations of the toxic effects of water. While numerous studies have been conducted, only a few have been applied to national water quality monitoring. Therefore, it is crucial to develop toxicity evaluation methods and establish thresholds based on quantifying toxicity. This article provides an overview of the development and application of bioanalytical tools, including in vitro and in vivo bioassays. The available methods for quantifying toxicity are then summarized. These methods include aquatic life criteria for assessing the toxicity of a single compound, comprehensive wastewater toxicity testing for all contaminants in a water sample (toxicity units, whole effluent toxicity, the potential ecotoxic effects probe, the potential toxicology method, and the lowest ineffective dilution), methods based on mechanisms and relative toxicity ratios for substances with the same mode of action (the toxicity equivalency factors, toxic equivalents, bioanalytical equivalents), and effect-based trigger values for micropollutants. The article also highlights the advantages and disadvantages of each method. Finally, it proposes potential areas for applying toxicity quantification methods and offers insights into future research directions. This review emphasizes the significance of enhancing the evaluation methods for assessing aqueous toxicity in water quality assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Mengyuan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Ling Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Bing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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Fuhrimann S, Wan C, Blouzard E, Veludo A, Holtman Z, Chetty-Mhlanga S, Dalvie MA, Atuhaire A, Kromhout H, Röösli M, Rother HA. Pesticide Research on Environmental and Human Exposure and Risks in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Literature Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 19:259. [PMID: 35010520 PMCID: PMC8750985 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
On the African continent, ongoing agriculture intensification is accompanied by the increasing use of pesticides, associated with environmental and public health concerns. Using a systematic literature review, we aimed to map current geographical research hotspots and gaps around environmental and public health risks research of agriculture pesticides in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Studies were included that collected primary data on past and current-used agricultural pesticides and assessed their environmental occurrence, related knowledge, attitude and practice, human exposure, and environmental or public health risks between 2006 and 2021. We identified 391 articles covering 469 study sites in 37 countries in SSA. Five geographical research hotspots were identified: two in South Africa, two in East Africa, and one in West Africa. Despite its ban for agricultural use, organochlorine was the most studied pesticide group (60%; 86% of studies included DDT). Current-used pesticides in agriculture were studied in 54% of the study sites (including insecticides (92%), herbicides (44%), and fungicides (35%)). Environmental samples were collected in 67% of the studies (e.g., water, aquatic species, sediment, agricultural produce, and air). In 38% of the studies, human subjects were investigated. Only few studies had a longitudinal design or assessed pesticide's environmental risks; human biomarkers; dose-response in human subjects, including children and women; and interventions to reduce pesticide exposure. We established a research database that can help stakeholders to address research gaps, foster research collaboration between environmental and health dimensions, and work towards sustainable and safe agriculture systems in SSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Fuhrimann
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), 4002 Basel, Switzerland; (A.V.); (S.C.-M.); (M.R.)
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands; (E.B.); (H.K.)
| | - Chenjie Wan
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Elodie Blouzard
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands; (E.B.); (H.K.)
| | - Adriana Veludo
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), 4002 Basel, Switzerland; (A.V.); (S.C.-M.); (M.R.)
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Zelda Holtman
- Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7729, South Africa; (Z.H.); (M.A.D.); (H.-A.R.)
- Division of Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7729, South Africa
| | - Shala Chetty-Mhlanga
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), 4002 Basel, Switzerland; (A.V.); (S.C.-M.); (M.R.)
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mohamed Aqiel Dalvie
- Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7729, South Africa; (Z.H.); (M.A.D.); (H.-A.R.)
| | - Aggrey Atuhaire
- Uganda National Association of Community and Occupational Health (UNACOH), Kampala 12590, Uganda;
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands; (E.B.); (H.K.)
| | - Martin Röösli
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), 4002 Basel, Switzerland; (A.V.); (S.C.-M.); (M.R.)
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Hanna-Andrea Rother
- Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7729, South Africa; (Z.H.); (M.A.D.); (H.-A.R.)
- Division of Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7729, South Africa
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de Araújo-Ramos AT, Passoni MT, Romano MA, Romano RM, Martino-Andrade AJ. Controversies on Endocrine and Reproductive Effects of Glyphosate and Glyphosate-Based Herbicides: A Mini-Review. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:627210. [PMID: 33790858 PMCID: PMC8006305 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.627210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) are among the most used pesticides worldwide, presenting high potential for human exposure. Recently, a debate was raised on glyphosate risks to human health due to conflicting views over its potential carcinogenic and endocrine disruptive properties. Results from regulatory guideline studies, reports from Regulatory Agencies, and some literature studies point to a lack of endocrine disrupting properties of the active ingredient glyphosate. On the other hand, many in vivo and in vitro studies, using different experimental model systems, have demonstrated that GBHs can disrupt certain hormonal signaling pathways with impacts on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and other organ systems. Importantly, several studies showed that technical-grade glyphosate is less toxic than formulated GBHs, indicating that the mixture of the active ingredient and formulants can have cumulative effects on endocrine and reproductive endpoints, which requires special attention from Regulatory Agencies. In this mini-review, we discuss the controversies related to endocrine-disrupting properties of technical-grade glyphosate and GBHs emphasizing the reproductive system and its implications for human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anderson Tadeu de Araújo-Ramos
- Animal Endocrine and Reproductive Physiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Sector of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Marcella Tapias Passoni
- Reproductive Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Sector of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | | | | | - Anderson Joel Martino-Andrade
- Animal Endocrine and Reproductive Physiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Sector of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
- Reproductive Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Sector of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
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