Manganese Exacerbates Seasonal Health Declines in a Suicidally Breeding Mammal

Reproductive costs must be balanced with survival to maximize lifetime reproductive rates; however, some organisms invest in a single, suicidal bout of breeding known as semelparity. The northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) is an endangered marsupial in which males, but not females, are semelparous. Northern quolls living near mining sites on Groote Eylandt, Northern Territory, Australia, accumulate manganese (Mn) in their brains, testes, and hair, and elevated Mn impacts motor performance. Whether Mn is associated with other health declines is yet unknown. In the present study we show that male and female northern quolls with higher Mn accumulation had a 20% reduction in immune function and a trend toward reduced cortisol concentrations in hair. The telomere lengths of male quolls did not change pre- to postbreeding, but those with higher Mn levels had longer telomeres; in contrast, the telomeres of females shortened during the breeding season but recovered between the first year and second year of breeding. In addition, the telomeres of quolls that were recaptured declined at significantly higher rates in quolls with higher Mn between prebreeding, breeding, and/or postbreeding seasons. Future research should determine whether changes in cortisol, immune function, or telomere length affect reproductive output or survival-particularly for semelparous males. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:74-86. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

A case series evaluation of comprehensive drug testing in the pediatric acute care setting

Introduction

Drug testing typically follows a one-size-fits-all approach that is inadequate in some clinical scenarios, such as child maltreatment, neglect, and unintentional drug exposure. Results from immunoassay-based testing, which are non-specific, insensitive, and far from comprehensive, can lead to unintended consequences for children and their families.

Objectives

The objective of this retrospective case series study is to evaluate the utility of real-time (0-1 day) comprehensive drug testing as an alternative to immunoassay-based testing in the pediatric acute care setting.

Methods

Comprehensive drug testing results obtained by mass spectrometry testing and associated medical data for all pediatric cases (0-12 years) at one institution from 2019 to 2022 were included in the analysis. The final case series (n = 7) included all cases from patients <3 years with comprehensive drug testing results that were inconsistent with medication history and/or toxicology results by immunoassay.

Results

Comprehensive drug testing by mass spectrometry was ordered for 174 urine and blood samples representing 97 patients (0-12 years) from 2019 to 2022. Of these, 76 cases were from patients <3 years old; results were consistent with medication history and confirmatory for immunoassay results (n = 34), consistent with medication history (n = 14), confirmatory for immunoassay results (n = 10), negative (n = 9), or medical history was incomplete (n = 2). The remaining 7 cases were included in the final case series.

Conclusions

The cases highlight the value of real-time comprehensive drug testing in acute pediatric cases. Testing results can rule out toxic exposure from the diagnostic differential when negative, and lead to appropriate medical and social interventions when positive.

Dried matrix spots: an evolving trend in the toxicological field

Dried matrix spot (DMS) is a sampling technique, primarily used to analyze blood to diagnose metabolic diseases in newborns. As this technique has several advantages, DMS has started to be employed for other purposes using other biological matrices and increasingly in toxicology over the last decade. The aim of this work was to review the analytical methods using DMS which can be applied to drugs of abuse and which have been published since 2010. Three different databases were searched, using dried, spots, and drugs of abuse as the descriptors and using a snowball search. After applying the exclusion criteria, 39 papers remained. The most common publications were related to the use of blood, which corresponded to 77% of the papers, followed by urine and oral fluid, which corresponded to 13 and 10% of the papers, respectively. The selected studies covered different illicit drugs, sample sizes of 5 to 250 µL and spot sizes ranging from 3 to 18 mm in diameter. This review also examined the extraction techniques and the methods employed to analyze various biological matrices and drugs of abuse, mostly by liquid-extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The benefits of DMS include: a simple sample pretreatment, better stability than liquid matrices, a simple extraction procedure, lower costs, and environmental benefits. DMS appears to be a promising technique in the field of toxicology and provides new perspectives for use in forensic laboratories.

Impurities in technical mixtures of chlorinated paraffins show AhR agonist properties as determined by the DR-CALUX bioassay

Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) are produced at more than one million tons per year. Technical CPs mixtures may contain impurities, which end up in consumer products. In the present study, 17 technical CPs mixtures were investigated for the potential occurrence of potential impurities. By applying the DR-CALUX bioassay, 3 out of 17 technical mixtures were shown to elicit responses at 4 h exposure time, but much lower at 48 h. Constitutional defined CPs materials did not show responses. Subsequently different groups of known AhR-agonists and compounds suspected to be present in technical CPs mixtures were investigated. Benzene, (poly)chlorobenzene, non-dioxin like polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), and three-ringed polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) did not result in a significant response at 4 h or 48 h. TCDD, non-ortho PCBs, dioxin-like PCNs, four or five ringed PAHs and their chlorinated analogues resulted in a significant response. TCDD and the non-ortho PCBs showed the highest potency and stability, while dioxin-like PCNs, PAHs, and the chlorinated PAHs were clearly inactivated (metabolized) at longer incubation. Altogether, the present findings substantiate that AhR-mediated responses of CPs technical mixtures in the DR-CALUX bioassay are caused by impurities, most likely some intermediate stable AhR-agonists such as dioxin-like PCNs or (chlorinated) PAHs. The current study shows that impurities in CPs technical mixtures need to be investigated for assessing the safety of technical CPs mixtures.

Homicidal Pesticide Poisoning - An Overview

Pesticides are chemical or biological agents used to repel or kill pests. Pesticides are potent and lethal toxic substances that are also being infamously used for homicidal purposes due to their easy availability and rapid action. In this review, we look at 21 articles related to homicidal pesticide poisoning in the literature with an emphasis on fatal doses, routes of administration, and profiles of victims and perpetrators. Organophosphates and rodenticides were the most commonly used classes of pesticides, and ingestion was the most common route of administration; however, other modes of administration, such as through intraperitoneal injection, were also reported. Interestingly, we have noticed that victims involved in homicidal poisoning were mostly in close relationships with perpetrators. Most perpetrators were either spouses or other immediate family members. Abiding by the regulations that govern the production, sale, and use of pesticides and proper documentation of the related trail can help control the prevalence of homicidal pesticide poisoning. Recognition of the distinct morbid anatomy of the poisoning cases, alongside a high index of suspicion in cases that fit the profile, is essential for forensic analysis.

Aquatic Phytotoxicity to Lemna minor of Three Commonly Used Drugs of Addiction in Australia

The manufacturing and consumption of drugs of addiction has increased globally and their widespread occurrence in the environment is an emerging concern. This study evaluated the phytotoxicity of three compounds: methamphetamine, codeine and morphine; commonly reported in Australian urban water, to the aquatic plant Lemna minor under controlled conditions. L. minor was sensitive to lower drug concentrations when administered in multi-compound mixtures (100-500 µg L^-1) than when applied individually (range 600-2500 µg L^-1), while no adverse effects were observed at environmentally-relevant concentrations (1-5 µg L^-1) detected in wastewater effluent. In conclusion, the results show that the concentrations of these compounds discharged into the environment are unlikely to pose adverse phytotoxic effects. These three compounds are known to be the most stable of their group under such conditions indicating that with this respect it is safe to use recycled water for existing regulated reclaimed purposes including agricultural or parklands irrigation or replenishing surface and groundwater. However, more research on the analysis of methamphetamines and opiates in municipal effluents is needed to reassure the likely environmental hazard of these neuroactive drug classes to aquatic organisms. Given the ever-growing production and aquatic disposal of discharge wastewater globally, this study provides timely and valuable insights into the likely drug-related impacts of effluent disposal on aquatic plants in receiving environments.

Determination of synthetic pharmaceutical adulterants in herbal weight gain supplements sold in herb shops, Tehran, Iran

BACKGROUND

Nowadays with the growing popularity of herbal remedies across the world, large sections of population rely on herbal drug practitioners for their primary care. Therefore there is a need to ensure about the safety of herbal drugs and to detect adulteration with undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients. Herbal drugs are used as first-line drug therapy in some instances. Unfortunately even if there are claims as to be natural, undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients have been detected in these supplements.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the present study was to analyse herbal weight gain drugs collected from herb shops located in Tehran, Iran to detect hidden pharmaceutical ingredients using UHPLC and GC/MS instrumentations.

METHODS

Sixty herbal drugs advertised as weight gain supplements were gathered from herb shops Tehran province, Iran. All samples were analysed from analytical toxicology point of view to detect undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients. Method was validated for quantitative analysis of cyproheptadine and dexamethasone.

RESULTS

Method validity parameters showed good results for quantitative analysis of pharmaceutical ingredients. Cyproheptadine, dexamethasone, sildenafil, tramadol, caffeine and acetaminophen were detected in herbal weight gain drugs. Analysed dosage forms contained cyproheptadine and dexamethasone in concentrations higher than therapeutic doses. Quantitative analysis of contaminated drugs showed that the content of pharmacologic ingredients were 0.2-67 and 5.5-10.1 mg/tablet or capsule for cyproheptadine and dexamethasone respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite natural supplements producers' claim, herbal weight gain drugs were not natural at all. Undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients can predispose patients to health problems and even life-threatening situations. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Acute toxicity of Corexit EC9500A and assessment of dioctyl sulfosuccinate as an indicator for monitoring four oil dispersants applied to diluted bitumen

The present study investigated oil dispersant toxicity to fish species typical of the cooler regions of Canada, together with less well-documented issues pertaining to oil dispersant monitoring. The oil dispersant toxicity of Corexit EC9500A was assessed for the freshwater fish species rainbow trout and the seawater species coho, chinook, and chum, with a final median lethal concentration (LC50) acute lethality range between 35.3 and 59.8 mg/L. The LC50 range was calculated using confirmed 0-h dispersant concentrations that were justified by fish mortality within the first 24 h of exposure and by variability of the dispersant indicator dioctyl sulfosuccinate (DOSS) used to monitor concentrations at later time points. To investigate DOSS as an oil dispersant indicator in the environment, microcosm systems were prepared containing Corexit EC9500A, Finasol OSR52, Slickgone NS, and Slickgone EW dispersants together with diluted bitumen. The DOSS indicator recovery was found to be stable for up to 13 d at 5 °C, 8 d at 10 °C, but significantly less than 8 d at ≥15 °C. After 3 d at temperatures ≥15 °C, the DOSS indicator recovery became less accurate and was dependent on multiple environmental factors including temperature, microbial activity, and aeration, with potential for loss of solvents and stabilizers. A final assessment determined DOSS to be a discrepant indicator for long-term monitoring of oil dispersant in seawater. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:1309-1319. © 2018 SETAC.

The fabrication and the use of immobilized cells as test organisms in a ferricyanide-based toxicity biosensor

Cell immobilization is an effective method to prolong the lifetime of a microorganism and has proven feasibility in some other biosensors. Thus, we studied the use of Escherichia coli immobilized by agar, gelatin, an agar/gelatin mixture, chitosan, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to screen toxicity electrochemically. The E. coli immobilized by PVA gel showed the highest apparent bioactivity and the longest storage time in pH 7.0 phosphate-buffered saline solution. Furthermore, the E. coli immobilized by different gels was applied in the toxicity determination via a reported ferricyanide-mediated electrochemical method, where 3,5-dichlorophenol (DCP) was used as a model toxin. The E. coli immobilized by PVA showed the highest sensitivity to DCP, and the corresponding value of 50% inhibition concentration was 9.62 mg L^-1 . Inhibition concentrations were in the range of 6.32 to 13.75% when the E. coli immobilized by PVA was challenged by wastewater, which were comparable with values obtained with the standard luminescent bacteria method (effective inhibition were in the range 7.96-25.42% for the same samples). Given the apparent bioactivity, storage ability, and sensitivity to toxin, PVA was the best polymer to confine cells among the polymers used in the present study. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:329-335. © 2017 SETAC.

Development of a quantitative approach in blood plasma for low-dosed hallucinogens and opioids using LC-high resolution mass spectrometry

The WHO annually reports an increasing abuse of new psychoactive substances (NPS), which are a heterogeneous group of synthetic drugs and are consumed as substitute for controlled drugs of abuse. In this work, we focused on highly potent derivatives such those of phenethylamine (2C), N-2-methoxybenzyl phenethylamine (NBOMes), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and fentanyl. Severe to fatal intoxications were described due to their high potency. Therefore, they have to be taken at very low doses resulting in low blood concentration in the low ng/mL range, which is a challenge for reliable analytical detection and quantification. The aim of this work was therefore to design a simple, robust, and fast method for simultaneous detection and quantification of multiple substances of the different classes in human blood plasma using liquid chromatography (LC) high resolution (HR) mass spectrometry (MS) with alternating HR full-scan (HRFS) MS and "All-ions fragmentation" (AIF) MS. The paper contains results of the method validation according to the EMA guideline, including intra-/interday accuracy and precision, matrix effects, storage and benchtop analyte stability as well as selectivity and carryover. All validation criteria were fulfilled for most tested compounds except for the NBOMe derivatives, one out of ten 2C-derivatives and butyryl fentanyl, which failed at accuracy and/or precision or at the acceptance criteria for matrix effect. Reasons for this are discussed and solutions presented. Despite some limitations, the HRFS + AIFMS analysis allowed detection of most of the analytes down to 0.1ng/mL, seamless integration of new or unexpected analytes, identification and quantification with no limitations on the number of monitored compounds, and reevaluation of the acquired data also concerning metabolism studies using group-indicating fragment ions.

Betel Nut Chewing in Iron Age Vietnam? Detection of Areca catechu Alkaloids in Dental Enamel

The betel quid is one of the most commonly consumed psychoactive substances in the world. By archaeological evidence like the occurrence of areca nuts in archaeological sites, the typical overall reddish-brown staining on prehistoric human teeth or specific artifacts linked with the habit, it is assumed that this tradition reaches back to prehistoric times. Since this kind of evidence is indirect, it is frequently doubted. The present study provides the earliest direct analytical indication of betel nut chewing in human history. A typical stained tooth from an Iron Age skeleton (site Gò Ô Chùa in Southern Vietnam, 400-100 BC) was analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HR-ToF-MS) and the alkaloid arecoline which is specific for Areca catechu L. (Arecaceae) was detected.

Chemical and biochemical characterization and in vivo safety evaluation of pharmaceuticals in drinking water

The water constituents that are currently subject to legal control are only a small fraction of the vast number of chemical substances and microorganisms that may occur in both the environment and water resources. The main objective of the present study was to study the health impact resulting from exposure to a mixture of pharmaceuticals that have been detected in tap water at low doses. Analyses of atenolol, caffeine, erythromycin, carbamazepine, and their metabolites in blood, urine, feces, fat tissue, liver, and kidney after exposure to a mixture of these pharmaceuticals in treated drinking water were performed. The effects of this exposure were assessed in rats by measuring biochemical markers of organ injury or dysfunction. Simultaneously, the selected pharmaceuticals were also quantified in both physiological fluids and organ homogenates by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (performed in multiple reaction monitoring mode and full scan mode). Following exposure of rats to a concentration of a pharmaceutical which was 10 times higher than the concentration known to be present in tap water, trace levels of some pharmaceuticals and their metabolites were detected in biological samples. This exposure did, however, not lead to significant organ injury or dysfunction. Thus, the authors report an experimental model that can be used to characterize the safety profile of pharmaceuticals in treated drinking water using a multiorgan toxicity approach. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2674-2682. © 2016 SETAC.