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Exposure to genotoxic agents is associated with the development of cancer and related diseases. For this reason, assessing the genotoxicity of chemical compounds is necessary. In this line, information about the genotoxic effect of glufosinate-ammonium (GLA) has been reported only for the technical grade. However, humans are frequently exposed to commercial formulations of pesticides. Commercial formulations are characterized by using inner agents that increase toxicity compared to pesticides in technical grade. This study aimed to determine the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of GLA on HepG2 cells. MTT and comet assays were performed to evaluate cell viability and DNA damage, respectively. HepG2 cells were exposed for 24 h to different concentrations of GLA (at 0.01 µg/mL; 0.04 µg/mL; 0.1 µg/mL; 0.24 µg/mL; 0.52 µg/mL; 1.25 µg/mL; 2.62 µg/mL and 13.12 µg/mL) in commercial- (Finale Ultra®) or technical-grade (GLAT). The results indicated that only Finale Ultra® induced a reduction in cell viability at 13.12 µg/mL. Furthermore, exposure to Finale Ultra® or GLAT was associated with increased DNA damage at concentrations from 0.52–13.12- µg/mL. This study shows the genotoxic effect of GLA on HepG2 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neonicotinoid pesticides are one of the most commercialized groups worldwide. Their application in agriculture aims to control pests through a systemic mode of action which is not specific to target species. Our study aimed to evaluate the effects of the insecticide Actara® [active ingredient thiamethoxam (TMX)] on a non-target species, Girardia tigrina. Therefore, acute and sublethal endpoints, such as mortality, feeding activity, locomotion and behavioral biomarkers were assessed. Actara® exerted low toxicity towards the planarian Girardia tigrina, showing a 96 h LC50 value of 77.6 mg TMX·L−1 (95% C.I: 74.1–81.2 mg TMX·L−1; R2 = 0.85). At the sublethal level, Actara® exerted no effect on regeneration of photoreceptors and auricles of planarians after 24 and 48 h post-exposure (NOEC > 7.8 mg TMX·L−1). The feeding rate of planarians was significantly increased by Actara®, but only at the highest tested concentration (LOEC = 7.8 mg TMX·L−1). Planarians showed to be less sensitive to the active ingredient TMX compared to other freshwater species. This might be explained by the presence of a high proportion of sub-types of acetylcholine receptors in planarians, exhibiting low binding affinity sites for TMX, an acetylcholine partial agonist. The comparison between effects induced by Actara® with the ones caused by other formulations, in planarians, might support our understanding of how other unknown ingredients can modify the uptake, and bioavailability of such substances, as well as the detoxification capacity of planarians, all of which influences toxicity.

Earthworms are key organisms of the soil ecosystem and bioindicators for soil quality. While pesticides are used for the improvement of crop yields, they also present a burden for soil organisms. To understand the complex effects of pesticides on soil organisms, it is important to test these effects in soil exposures to include influences of the soil matrix on the toxicity. Therefore, the aim of this study was the assessment of the effects pesticides on earthworm Eisenia andrei. In an initial screening, active ingredients and commercial preparations were tested for comparison. Since the commercial preparations showed a higher toxicity, all further investigations (biomarkers, multixenobiotic resistance (MXR) activity, and avoidance behavior) were performed using the commercial pesticide formulations only: Sumialfa (esfenvalerate), Calypso (thiacloprid), Frontier (dimethenamid-p), and Filon (prosulfocarb). Significant differences in avoidance behavior were observed for Filon and Frontier. All pesticides inhibited the MXR activity and affected oxidative stress-related markers. Frontier was the only pesticide that did not affect enzymatic biomarkers related to neurotransmission. The results show the potential hazards associated with the usage of the tested pesticides and the importance of evaluating the effects of commercial pesticide preparations for a more realistic insight into the adverse effects on the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Pesticides have reached aquatic ecosystems and have caused numerous impacts on organisms. The present study aimed to assess the sensitivity of Daphnia similis Straus 1820 and Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata (Korshikov) F.Hindák to three commercial pesticides with different active ingredients: Siptran 500SC® (atrazine), Dimilin® (diflubenzuron), and Aproach Prima® (picoxystrobin + cyproconazole). For this purpose, we performed acute toxicity tests on these organisms. The compound most toxic to D. similis was the insecticide Dimilin® (toxic up to 5 μg/L of the active ingredient), followed by the fungicide Aproach Prima® (48h-EC50: 47.33 μg of the active ingredients/L) and the herbicide Siptran 500SC® (48h-EC50: 534.69 mg of the active ingredient/L). In contrast, Siptran 500SC® was the most toxic compound (96h-IC50: 52.61 μg/L) to P. subcapitata, followed by Aproach Prima® (96h-IC50: 164.73 μg/L) and Dimilin® (non-toxic up to 1 g/L). The toxicity of the fungicide to algae and microcrustaceans demonstrates that compounds developed for certain organisms are able to affect others, indicating the relevance of conducting ecotoxicological tests on different organisms.

The herbicides atrazine and glyphosate are used worldwide and their excessive usage results in the frequent presence of these pesticides in environmental compartments. We evaluated the effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of analytical standards and commercial formulations of atrazine (2 µg L−1) and glyphosate (65 µg L−1), isolated and in mixture (2 + 65 µg L−1) on the microcrustacean Daphnia magna. Through chronic exposure (21 days) of two generations, we observed effects on survival, reproductive capacity and responses of the antioxidant defense system (catalase) and biotransformation system (glutathione S-transferase). The survival of organisms was affected in the second generation (F1) with a mortality of 17% in the mixture of commercial formulations treatments. In the evaluation of the first generation (F0) we observed only effects on sexual maturation of organisms, while in the F1, changes were observed in all parameters evaluated. A statistical difference (p < 0.05) was also observed between the analytical standards and the commercial formulations for all parameters evaluated, indicating that other components present in the formulations can change the toxicity of products. We suggest that atrazine can modulate toxicity when mixed with glyphosate, as the standard analytical atrazine and mixture of analytical standards results were similar in most parameters. Given the difficulty in estimating effects of mixtures and considering that various stressors are found in the environment, our results support the need to carry out long-term studies and, above all, to verify what are the impacts across generations, so that the toxicity of products is not underestimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glyphosate and 2,4-D are two herbicides commonly used together. Since there is little information about the interactions between these pesticides, the aim of this study was to evaluate the single and joint lethal toxicity of the glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH) ATANOR® (43.8% of glyphosate, isopropylamine salt) and the 2,4-D-based herbicide (2,4-DBH) Así Max 50® (602000 mg/L of 2,4-D) on Rhinella arenarum larvae. Equitoxic and non-equitoxic mixtures were prepared according to the recommendation for their combination and analyzed with a fixed ratio design at different exposure times and levels of lethality (LC10, LC50, and LC90). GBH (504h-LC50=38.67 mg ae/L) was significantly more toxic than 2,4-DBH (504h-LC50=250.31 mg ae/L) and their toxicity was time-dependent. At 48h, the equitoxic mixture toxicity was additive and from the 96h was antagonistic at LC10 and LC50 effect level. The non-equitoxic mixture toxicity was additive at LC10 effect level from the 48h to the 168h, and synergistic from the 240h. At LC50 and LC90 effect level, the mixture interaction resulted synergistic for all exposure times. This is the first study to report the synergistic interactions between GBH and 2,4-DBH on amphibians, alerting about its negative impact on aquatic ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthworms are key organisms of the soil ecosystem and bioindicators for soil quality. While pesticides are used for the improvement of crop yields, they also present a burden for soil organisms. To understand the complex effects of pesticides on soil organisms, it is important to test these effects in soil exposures to include influences of the soil matrix on the toxicity. Therefore, the aim of this study was the assessment of the effects pesticides on earthworm Eisenia andrei. In an initial screening, active ingredients and commercial preparations were tested for comparison. Since the commercial preparations showed a higher toxicity, all further investigations (biomarkers, multixenobiotic resistance (MXR) activity, and avoidance behavior) were performed using the commercial pesticide formulations only: Sumialfa (esfenvalerate), Calypso (thiacloprid), Frontier (dimethenamid-p), and Filon (prosulfocarb). Significant differences in avoidance behavior were observed for Filon and Frontier. All pesticides inhibited the MXR activity and affected oxidative stress-related markers. Frontier was the only pesticide that did not affect enzymatic biomarkers related to neurotransmission. The results show the potential hazards associated with the usage of the tested pesticides and the importance of evaluating the effects of commercial pesticide preparations for a more realistic insight into the adverse effects on the environment.

A study was carried out in the Bio-control Laboratory, Department of Entomology at Pir Mehr Ali Shah, Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi to check the efficacy of commercial biopesticides under controlled environmental conditions. Bio pesticides are important alternates for chemical control of economically damaging insect pests like leaf worm, Spodoptera litura Fabricius. In this study, two commercial products including Dipel with Bt sub speciess kurstaki and Turex with Bt sub speciess kurstaki and aizawai were tested against three early larval instars of S. litura under laboratory conditions using leaf dip method. Mortality was recorded after three and seven days of exposure. The results indicated that larval mortality increased with time and Turex (Bt sub speciess kurstaki and aizawai) after 3 days of exposure caused significantly higher mortality i.e 46.43, 43.45 and 38.69 % as compared to Dipel (Bt sub speciess kurstaki) that caused 19.05, 6.55 and 4.76 % mortality for 1st, 2nd and 3rd instar, respectively. The data for 7th day also showed significantly higher mortality as 64.29, 60.71 and 45.24 % by Turex (Bt sub speciess kurstaki and aizawai) in comparison with 55.95, 57.74 and 42.86 % mortality by Dipel (Bt sub species kurstaki) for 1st, 2nd and 3rd instar, respectively. Susceptibility to both bio pesticides increased with increase in their concentration and decreased with increase in larval instar. Similarly LC50 values suggested Turex (Bt sub species kurstaki and aizawai) to be more toxic with less LC50 values as compared to Dipel (Bt sub species kurstaki). These results indicated that these bio pesticides if used at early insect stage can help to control this pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By assessing the changes in stable isotope compositions within individual pesticide molecules, Compound Specific Isotope Analysis (CSIA) holds the potential to identify and differentiate sources and quantify pesticide degradation in the environment. However, the environmental application of pesticide CSIA is limited by the general lack of knowledge regarding the initial isotopic composition of active substances in commercially available formulations used by farmers. To address this limitation, we established a database aimed at cataloguing and disseminating isotopic signatures in commercial formulations to expand the use of pesticide CSIA. Our study involved the collection of 25 analytical standards and 120 commercial pesticide formulations from 23 manufacturers. Subsequently, 59 commercial formulations and 25 standards were extracted, and each of their active substance was analyzed for both δ13C (n = 84) and δ15N CSIA (n = 43). The extraction of pesticides did not cause significant isotope fractionation (Δ13C and Δ15N < 1‰). Incorporating existing literature data, stable carbon and nitrogen isotope signatures varied in a relatively narrow range among pesticide formulations for different pesticides (Δ13C and Δ15N < 10‰) and within different formulations for a single substance (Δ13C and Δ15N < 2‰). Overall, this suggests that pesticide CSIA is more suited for identifying pesticide transformation processes rather than differentiating pesticide sources. Moreover, an inter-laboratory comparison showed similar δ13C (Δ13C ≤ 1.2 ‰) for the targeted substances albeit varying GC-IRMS instruments. Insignificant carbon isotopic fractionation (Δ13C < 0.5‰) was observed after 4 years of storing the same pesticide formulations, confirming their viability for long-term storage at 4 °C and future inter-laboratory comparison exercises. Altogether, the ISOTOPEST database, in open access for public use and additional contributions, marks a significant advancement in establishing an environmentally relevant pesticide CSIA approach. [Display omitted] • Collection of 120 active substances from commercial pesticide formulations for CSIA. • Validation of two extraction methods for CSIA from pesticide formulations. • Carbon and nitrogen CSIA of active substances from 84 formulations. • Exploration of variability in isotope compositions of active substances across formulations. • Stable isotope composition of commercial pesticides for source identification and process elucidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Bacillus subtilis based formulation inhibited Cryphonectria parasitica growth (>40%) in in vitro tests. • Glomus spp. and Trichoderma spp. formulations were less effective in in vitro tests (inhibition <20%). • B. subtilis formulation reduced the size of chestnut cankers in co-inoculation tests. • All three commercial formulations reduced the size of chestnut cankers in dual inoculation. • The obtained data open new chances for the control of C. parasitica. Abstract Castanea sativa is a widespread and important multi-purpose tree in the Mediterranean area. Recently, intensive infestation of gall wasp decreased the production of chestnut, and makes the plants more susceptible to Cryphonectria parasitica , the causal agent of chestnut blight. Generally, biological control of chestnut blight is through natural spread or artificial release of hypovirulent strains of C. parasitica. However, this approach is not always successful. The aim here was to evaluate alternative approaches for control chestnut blight based on application of antagonistic microorganisms. In-vitro antagonistic activities of fungal species Trichoderma and Penicillium were tested after in vitro isolation from chestnut bark. In dual cultures, these antagonistic fungi consistently reduced growth of C. parasitica. Three commercial formulations based on Trichoderma spp., Glomus spp. and Bacillus subtilis were tested at three doses, both in vitro and directly applied to cuttings of chestnut stems as co-inoculations and as separated inoculations with C. parasitica mycelium plugs. With co-inoculation, B. subtilis showed the best performance against chestnut blight, with necrotic areas reduced by >70%. In separated inoculations, B. subtilis reduced the size of cankers on chestnut stems, by 29%–67%, as also for Trichoderma spp., by 36%–65%, and Glomus spp., by 31%–63%. Application of commercial formulations based on antagonistic microorganisms are effective tools in management of chestnut blight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple, accurate, precise and robust reversed phase high performance liquid chromatographic (RP-HPLC) method was developed for the estimation of Ertugliflozin (ETZ) and metformin (MFN) in bulk and in tablet dosage form. The method was carried out by used Waters (5µm, C18 250 x 4.6 mm) column with mobile phase consists of 0.75 mM sodium dihydrogen orthophosphate buffer pH adjusted to 8.5, with NaOH, and acetonitrile in the ratio of 60:40 v/v, a flow rate of 1.5 mL/min and photodiode detection at 263 nm. The method was validated as per ICH guidelines with different parameters, the mean retention times of ertugliflozin and metformin were found to be 3.5& 2.0 min, respectively. The correlation coefficient values of calibration curves were found to be 0.999 for both ETZ and MFN, respectively. The LOD and LOQ for ertugliflozin and metformin were found to be 0.02-0.06 µg/mL and 17.5-58.3 µg/mL respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimising the use of biocontrol agents (BCAs) requires the temporal tracking of viable populations in the crop phyllosphere to ensure that effective control can be achieved. No sensitive systems for quantifying viable populations of commercially available BCAs, such as Bacillus subtilis and Gliocladium catenulatum, in the phyllosphere of crop plants are available. The objective of this study was to develop a method to quantify viable populations of these two BCAs in the crop phyllosphere. A molecular tool based on propidium monoazide (PMA) (PMAxx™-qPCR) capable of quantifying viable populations of these two BCAs was developed. Samples were treated with PMAxx™ (12.5–100 μM), followed by 15 min incubation, exposure to a 800 W halogen light for 30 min, DNA extraction, and quantification using qPCR. This provided a platform for using the PMAxx™-qPCR technique for both BCAs to differentiate viable from dead cells. The maximum number of dead cells blocked, based on the DNA, was 3.44 log10 for B. subtilis and 5.75 log10 for G. catenulatum. Validation studies showed that this allowed accurate quantification of viable cells. This method provided effective quantification of the temporal changes in viable populations of the BCAs in commercial formulations on lettuce leaves in polytunnel and glasshouse production systems.

Abstract Pigments and binders are known to influence drying and ageing mechanisms of paint films. However, the study of the long-term mechanical behaviour of paint films and its relationship with paint degradation and conservation still needs further investigation. This paper presents an insight into the role of cobalt blue pigment in the mechanical properties of some modern paint films by studying selected commercial oil and alkyd paint films containing cobalt blue. In addition, several representative mock-ups containing cobalt blue mixed with drying and semi-drying oils and some common additives were also tested for comparison purposes. Optical microscopy, SEM-EDX, XRF, VIS-reflectance spectroscopy, FTIR-ATR and GC-MS analysis were carried out to identify pigments, binders, additives and fillers. Uniaxial tensile measurements were run to test the mechanical performance of the studied paint films. The differences in the mechanical behaviour led to the evaluation of the discrepancies found in the chemical and physical properties of the different formulations studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to contribute to the increase of the body of knowledge on the sensitivity of tropical indigenous species to pesticides, acute and chronic toxicity tests were conducted with the neotropical cladoceran Ceriodaphnia silvestrii. Tests were carried out with the active ingredients diuron and carbofuran and one of their commercial formulations, the Diuron Nortox® 500 SC and the Furadan® 350 SC, respectively. For carbofuran, the active ingredient was more toxic than the commercial product, whereas for diuron, the commercial product appeared more toxic. In addition, hormetic effects on fertility were recorded for intermediate diuron concentrations. Acute and chronic toxicity data indicated that C. silvestrii was among the most sensitive invertebrate species for both test compounds. Based on concentrations measured in Brazilian water bodies, these compounds represent ecological risks for causing direct and indirect toxic effects on C. silvestrii and other aquatic organisms. Our results support previous claims on the advantages of using native species to better tune ecological risk assessment of chemicals in tropical ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pesticides are causing strong decreases in aquatic biodiversity at concentrations assumed safe by legislation. One reason for the failing risk assessment may be strong differences in the toxicity of the active ingredient of pesticides and their commercial formulations. Sublethal effects, especially those on behaviour, have been largely ignored in this context, yet can be equally important as lethal effects at the population and ecosystem levels. Here, we compared the toxicity of the herbicide Roundup and its active ingredient glyphosate on survival, but also on ecologically relevant sublethal traits (life history, behaviour and physiology) in damselfly larvae. Roundup was more toxic than glyphosate with negative effects on survival, behaviour and most of the physiological traits being present at lower concentrations (food intake, escape swimming speed) or even only present (survival, sugar and total energy content and muscle mass) following Roundup exposure. This confirms the toxicity of the surfactant POEA. Notably, also glyphosate was not harmless: a realistic concentration of 2 mg/l resulted in reduced growth rate, escape swimming speed and fat content. Our results therefore indicate that the toxicity of Roundup cannot be fully attributed to its surfactant, thereby suggesting that also the new generation of glyphosate-based herbicides with other mixtures of surfactants likely will have adverse effects on non-target aquatic organisms. Ecotoxicological studies comparing the toxicity of active ingredients and their commercial formulations typically ignore behaviour while the here observed differential effects on behaviour likely will negatively impact damselfly populations. Our data highlight that risk assessment of pesticides ignoring sublethal effects may contribute to the negative effects of pesticides on aquatic biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of 2 currently used commercial pesticide formulations on Pacific sockeye salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka), from fertilization to emergence, were evaluated in a gravel-bed flume incubator that simulated a natural streambed. Embryos were exposed to atrazine at 25 µg/L (low atrazine) or atrazine at 250 µg/L (high atrazine) active ingredient (a.i.), and chlorothalonil at 0.5 µg/L (low chlorothalonil) or chlorothalonil at 5 µg/L a.i. (high chlorothalonil) and examined for effects on developmental success and timing, as well as physical and biochemical growth parameters. Survival to hatch was reduced in the high chlorothalonil group (55% compared with 83% in controls), accompanied by a 24% increase in finfold deformity incidence. Reduced alevin condition factor (2.9-5.4%) at emergence and elevated triglyceride levels were seen in chlorothalonil-exposed fish. Atrazine exposure caused premature hatch (average high atrazine time to 50% hatch [H50] = 100 d postfertilization [dpf]), and chlorothalonil exposure caused delayed hatch (high chlorothalonil H50 = 108 dpf; controls H50 = 102 dpf). All treatments caused premature emergence (average time to 50% emergence [E50]: control E50 = 181 dpf, low chlorothalonil E50 = 175 dpf, high chlorothalonil E50 = 174 dpf, high atrazine E50 = 175 dpf, low atrazine E50 = 174 dpf), highlighting the importance of using a gravel-bed incubator to examine this subtle, but critical endpoint. These alterations indicate that atrazine and chlorothalonil could affect survival of early life stages of sockeye salmon in the wild. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1354-1364. © 2017 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study deals with 20th century manufactured artists' oil paints containing raw and burnt umber pigments, this is, natural earth pigments resulting from the combination of iron and manganese oxides. Manganese, in particular, is known to be a primary drier and to have a siccative effect on oil paint films. This research aims to show the diversity of formulations behind apparently same commercial names as well as to understand how the content of manganese, the presence of modern lipidic media and the hydrolysis mechanisms can promote significant differences in the expected mechanical properties of oil paint films, thus conditioning their long-term performance. Several manufactured artists' oil paint films containing manganese were selected. Dried films from raw and burnt umber oil paints by Winsor&Newton® (UK), Grumbacher® (USA), Gamblin® (USA) and Speedball® (USA) were studied and information about their chemical composition and mechanical behaviour is here presented. In addition to the identification and the study of the inorganic and organic components present in each formulation through LM, SEM-EDX, FTIR-ATR, XRD, GC-MS analysis, tensile tests were run and stress–strain curves were obtained. Together with evident hue differences, the obtained results showed significant differences in the chemical composition and the mechanical behaviour of the oil paint films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The in-vitro effects of flurochloridone and its formulations Twin Pack Gold® (25% a.i.) and Rainbow® (25% a.i.) were evaluated in Chinese Hamster Ovary K1 (CHO-K1) cells. The cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome (CBMN-cyt) and single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) assays were used. The activities were tested within the range of final concentrations of 0.25-15 μg flurochloridone/mL. The results demonstrated that both the flurochloridone and Rainbow® were not able to induce micronuclei (MN). On the other hand, Twin Pack Gold® only increased the frequency of MN at 5 μg/mL. Furthermore, 10 and 15 μg/mL of both formulations resulted in a cellular cytotoxicity demonstrated by alterations in the nuclear division index and cellular death. SCGE assay appeared to be a more sensitive bioassay for detecting primary DNA strand breaks at lower concentrations of flurochloridone than MN did. A marked increase in the genetic damage index was observed when 5 and 15 μg/mL of both flurochloridone and Rainbow® but only when 15 μg/mL of Twin Pack Gold® were used. This is the first report demonstrating that flurochloridone and its two commercial formulations are able to induce single-strand DNA breaks in vitro on mammalian cells. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 29: 884-892, 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nyctanthes arbortristis L. (Oleaceae) or "night jasmine" is cultivated for its fragrant flowers and is widely used in traditional systems of medicine as an anthelmintic, cholagogue, laxative and antimalarial. The plant has been studied pharmacognostically and certain standards are available. However there are no reports on HPTLC quality assessment of Nyctanthes arbortristis. Hence the present study involves the development of qualitative HPTLC fingerprint profile of n-hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol extracts of leaves of N. arbortristis followed by quantitation of marker compounds â-sitosterol, â-amyrin in n-hexane extract and caffeic acid in ethyl acetate extract. The developed methods were used for comparison of plant extracts with a few commercial formulations containing N. arbortristis. These HPTLC methods can be used easily for evaluation of quality of plants collected from different sources as well as for commercial formulations containing N. arbortristis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The size of aerosol particles prior to, and during, inhalation influences the site of deposition within the lung. As such, a detailed understanding of the hygroscopic growth of an aerosol during inhalation is necessary to accurately model the deposited dose. In the first part of this study, it is demonstrated that the aerosol produced by a nebulizer, depending on the airflows rates, may experience a (predictable) wide range of relative humidity prior to inhalation and undergo dramatic changes in both size and solute concentration. A series of sensitive single aerosol analysis techniques are then used to make measurements of the relative humidity dependent thermodynamic equilibrium properties of aerosol generated from four common nebulizer formulations. Measurements are also reported of the kinetics of mass transport during the evaporation or condensation of water from the aerosol. Combined, these measurements allow accurate prediction of the temporal response of the aerosol size prior to and during inhalation. Specifically, we compare aerosol composed of pure saline (150mM sodium chloride solution in ultrapure water) with two commercially available nebulizer products containing relatively low compound doses: Breath®, consisting of a simple salbutamol sulfate solution (5mg/2.5mL; 1.7mM) in saline, and Flixotide® Nebules, consisting of a more complex stabilized fluticasone propionate suspension (0.25mg/mL; 0.5mM in saline. A mimic of the commercial product Tobi© (60mg/mL tobramycin and 2.25mg/mL NaCl, pH 5.5–6.5) is also studied, which was prepared in house. In all cases, the presence of the pharmaceutical was shown to have a profound effect on the magnitude, and in some cases the rate, of the mass flux of water to and from the aerosol as compared to saline. These findings provide physical chemical evidence supporting observations from human inhalation studies, and suggest that using the growth dynamics of a pure saline aerosol in a lung inhalation model to represent nebulizer formulations may not be representative of the actual behavior of the aerosolized drug solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Acute toxicity and genotoxicity of the flurochloridone (FLC)-containing commercial formulation herbicides Twin Pack Gold© (25 percent a.i.) and Rainbow© (25 percent a.i.) were evaluated on Rhinella arenarum (Anura: Bufonidae) tadpoles exposed under laboratory conditions. Lethal effect was evaluated as end point for lethality, whereas frequency of micronuclei (MN) and single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) were employed as end points for genotoxicity. Lethality studies revealed equivalent LC-5096h values of 2.96 and 2.85mg/L for Twin Pack Gold© and Rainbow©, respectively. Twin Pack Gold© did not induce DNA damage at the chromosomal level, whereas Rainbow© increased the frequency of MN only when the lowest concentration (0.71mg/L) was used. However, all concentrations of Twin Pack Gold© and Rainbow© increased the frequencies of primary DNA lesions estimated by alkaline SCGE. This study represents the first evidence of the acute toxic and genotoxic effects exerted by two FLC-based commercial formulations, Twin Pack Gold© and Rainbow©, on tadpoles of an amphibian species native to Argentina under laboratory conditions. Finally, our findings highlight the importance of minimizing the impacts on nontarget living species exposed to agrochemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The in vitro effects of flurochloridone (FLC) and its formulations Twin Gold Pack® (25% a.i.) and Rainbow® (25% a.i.) were evaluated on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells by genotoxicity [sister chromatid exchange (SCE)] and cytotoxicity [cell-cycle progression, proliferative rate index (PRI), mitotic index (MI), MTT, and neutral red] end points. Cells were treated for 24h within the 0.25–15μg/ml concentration range. FLC and Twin Pack Gold® induced a significant and equivalent increase in SCEs regardless of the concentration. Rainbow®-induced SCEs at concentrations higher than 2.5μg/ml; however, the increases were always lower than those induced by FLC and Twin Pack Gold®. For all compounds, the PRI decreased as a function of the concentration titrated into cultures. Whereas only the highest FLC and Twin Pack Gold® concentrations induced a significant reduction of the MI, all tested Rainbow® concentrations induced MI inhibition. Overall, the results demonstrated that although all compounds were not able to reduce the lysosomal activity, the mitochondrial activity was diminished when the highest concentrations were employed. These observations represent the first study analyzing the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects exerted by FLC and two formulated products on mammalian cells in vitro, at least on CHO-K1 cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This article describes a simple, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly method for the monitoring of glyphosate using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The proposed method is based on reflectance measurements of the colored compound produced from the spot test reaction between glyphosate and p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde (p-DAC) in acid medium, using a filter paper as solid support. Experimental designs were used to optimize the analytical conditions. All reflectance measurements were carried out at 495nm. Under optimal conditions, the glyphosate calibration graphs obtained by plotting the optical density of the reflectance signal (AR) against the concentration were linear in the range 50–500μgmL−1, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9987. The limit of detection (LOD) for glyphosate was 7.28μgmL−1. The technique was successfully applied to the direct determination of glyphosate in commercial formulations, as well as in water samples (river water, pure water and mineral drinking water) after a previous clean-up or pre-concentration step. Recoveries were in the ranges 93.2–102.6% and 91.3–102.9% for the commercial formulations and water samples, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The enantiomers of two acylamine fungicides (metalaxyl and benalaxyl) were separated by EKC using CDs as chiral selectors. The use of 15mM succinyl-γ-CD for metalaxyl and 5mM succinyl-β-CD for benalaxyl dissolved in a 50mM 2-morpholinoethanesulfonic acid buffer (pH 6.5), enabled the chiral separation of metalaxyl enantiomers in 11.5min with a resolution of 3.1 and the enantiomeric separation of benalaxyl in 7.5min with a resolution close to 15. Under these conditions, the two enantiomers of each of the chiral compound studied were also separated from folpet, very commonly present in fungicide formulations containing metalaxyl or benalaxyl. The analytical characteristics of the two developed methods were studied in terms of precision, linearity, selectivity, limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantitation (LOQs) showing their suitability for the determination of these compounds in commercial agrochemical formulations. Finally, the development of an in-capillary preconcentration strategy allowed the detection of enantiomeric impurities up to 1.2% in commercial products labeled as enantiomerically pure in metalaxyl-M. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Aloe emodin is an anthraquinone compound found in Aloe vera and other species of the Asphodelaceae and the Polygonaceae families, which has recently attracted much attention as a prospective antineoplastic agent. A HPLC method with tandem UV absorption and fluorimetric detection, was developed and validated for the analysis of aloe emodin in products obtained from Aloe leaves, such as capsules, tablets, dried extracts and mother tinctures. The stationary phase was a C18 reversed-phase column and the mobile phase was composed of water and methanol (30/70, v/v). Satisfactory linearity was obtained over the 10.0–1000.0ng/mL range for photodiode array detection (limit of detection: 3ng/mL) and over the 2.5–1000.0ng/mL range for fluorimetric detection (limit of detection: 0.8ng/mL). Aloe emodin levels were determined in A. vera extracts and commercial formulations by both detection means, with good precision (R.S.D.<9%) and accuracy (recovery>85%) and consistent results. Thus, the method seems to be suitable for the analysis of aloe emodin in different herbal and commercial products; it could also be useful for the identity confirmation of formulations and extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxicological and environmental issues are associated with the extensive use of agricultural pesticides, although the knowledge of their toxic effects as commercial formulations is still far from being complete. This work investigated the impact of three herbicides as commercial formulations on the oxidative status of a wild type Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain. With yeast being a well-established model of eukaryotic cells, especially as far as regards the stress response, these results may be indicative of potential damages on higher eukaryotes. It was found that herbicide-mediated toxicity towards yeast cells could be the result of an increased production of hydroperoxides (like in the case of the herbicides Pointer and Silglif) or advanced oxidation protein products and lipid peroxidation (especially in the case of the herbicide Proper Energy). Through a redox-proteomic approach it was found also that, besides a common signature, each herbicide showed a specific pattern for protein thiols oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this review, we summarized a general background of the history and the use of pesticides worldwide. Furthermore, we evaluated comparatively the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects exerted on mammalian cells in vitro by several pure pesticides and their technical formulations commonly used in Argentina. Among them, the herbicide Dicamba and Banvel® (52% Dicamba) and the endectocide Ivermectin and Ivomec® (1% Ivermectin) are included. The sister chromatid exchange frequency, comet assay, cell-cycle progression analysis, proliferative replication index, MTT and neutral red assays were used as end-points for measuring genotoxicity and cytotoxicity in several cell systems including human lymphocytes and rodent cell lines. The results clearly demonstrated that the damage induced by the commercial formulation Banvel® are in general greater than those produced by the pure pesticide Dicamba, demonstrating the presence of deleterious components in the excipients with a toxic additive effect over the pure chemicals. Finally, no such an effect was detected for the excipients present in the formulation of the Ivermectin. Accordingly, these observations highlight that: 1) A complete knowledge of the toxic effect/s of the active ingredient is not enough in biomonitoring studies; 2) Pesticide/s toxic effect/s should be evaluated according to the commercial formulation available in market; 3) The deleterious effect/s of the excipient/s present within the commercial formulation should not be either discarded nor underestimated, and 4) A single bioassay is not enough to characterize the toxicity of a pesticide under study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In vivo cytogenetic effects of commercially formulated cypermethrin (CYP, synthetic pyrethroid insecticide) and/or quinalphos (QUI, organophosphate insecticide), generally used in combination, were examined through chromosomal aberrations (CA) and micronucleus test (MT) in mice. Male mice were orally gavaged to a single dose of CYP/QUI commercial mixture (22, 44 or 67mg/kg b.wt.) for 24h (CA) or 48h (MT). Based on the concentrations of active ingredients of CYP and QUI present in the test doses of CYP/QUI mixture, mice were orally exposed to 0.66, 1.32 and 2mg/kg of CYP or 4.4, 8.8 and 13.4mg/kg of QUI. For reference, a group of five mice was intraperitoneally administered to cyclophosphamide (20 or 50mg/kg) or orally gavaged to peanut oil for vehicle control. Exposure of CYP/QUI mixture inhibited the mitotic index (MI) and induced CA in a dose-dependent manner at 24h; however, significant (p <0.01 or 0.001) frequencies of CA were observed at 44mg/kg onwards, whereas inhibition of MI at 67mg/kg. Independent exposure of QUI at 8.8mg/kg onwards also significantly (p <0.01 or 0.001) inhibited MI and induced CA, whereas CYP at 2mg/kg (highest concentration in CYP/QUI mixture) inhibited MI significantly but failed to induce CA. Chromatid breaks and fragments found to be frequent aberrations in all the test groups. Treatment of CYP/QUI mixture also induced micronucleus formation dose-dependently at 48h, yet statistically significant (p <0.001) frequencies of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPCE) were observed at 44mg/kg onwards. QUI (8.8 and 13.4mg/kg) alone also induced significant frequencies of MNPCE, whereas frequencies of MNPCE observed with the CYP even at 2mg/kg were comparable to that of vehicle control. Present findings indicate the genotoxicity potential of CYP/QUI mixture and suggest that the simultaneous presence of the toxic doses of CYP and QUI can lead to synergistic genotoxicity in mice and may pose mutagenic risk in human beings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

&lt;b&gt;Background and Objective:&lt;/b&gt; The use of entomopathogenic agents for crop pest management is a viable alternative to synthetic chemical pesticides. &lt;i&gt;Beauveria bassiana&lt;/i&gt; (Bals.) and &lt;i&gt;Metarhizium anisopliae&lt;/i&gt; (Metsch.) are fungi considered the most promising extensively widely applied bio-control agents in protecting a wide range of economic crops. Fungal toxins are thought to play a crucial part in the pathogenicity process during insect infestation. The bioinsecticides' synergy could help to control the invasive pest more safely and effectively. &lt;b&gt;Materials and Methods:&lt;/b&gt; Suspensions of Beauveroz (&lt;i&gt;Beauveria&lt;/i&gt; &lt;i&gt;bassiana&lt;/i&gt;) and Metarhoz-P (&lt;i&gt;Metarhizium anisopliae&lt;/i&gt;), were evaluated as to their virulence against &lt;i&gt;T.&lt;/i&gt; &lt;i&gt;absoluta&lt;/i&gt; larvae at 3 different doses. As a comparison, Abamectin was utilized as a positive control, while water was used as a negative control. &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; All the commercial compounds caused significant mortality among &lt;i&gt;T.&lt;/i&gt; &lt;i&gt;absoluta&lt;/i&gt; larvae, with approximately 52% mortality after 5 days of the treatment. Over 5 days, mortality of &lt;i&gt;T.&lt;/i&gt; &lt;i&gt;absoluta&lt;/i&gt; larvae when exposed to a combined treatment of &lt;i&gt;B.&lt;/i&gt; &lt;i&gt;bassiana&lt;/i&gt;, &lt;i&gt;M.&lt;/i&gt; &lt;i&gt;anisopliae&lt;/i&gt; and Abamectin reached 92%. The results under field conditions, showed significant differences (p<0.001) among these products while adding the surfactants increased the mortality larvae. Combined treatments of these 3 commercial compounds showed a synergistic effect acceded the effect obtained using each compound alone. Bio-pesticides, &lt;i&gt;B.&lt;/i&gt; &lt;i&gt;bassiana&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;M.&lt;/i&gt; &lt;i&gt;anisopliae&lt;/i&gt; formulations caused mortality rates among &lt;i&gt;T.&lt;/i&gt; &lt;i&gt;absoluta&lt;/i&gt; larvae similar to the Abamectin treatment. &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; Observations indicated that both fungus candidates and Abamectin proved effective against &lt;i&gt;T. absoluta&lt;/i&gt; larvae. The combined use showed a high potentiality indicating a positive synergistic effect.

Electrically conductive polymeric nanocomposites with nanoparticles are adaptable types of nanomaterials that are prospective for various applications. The extraordinary features of copper oxide (CuO) and aluminium oxide (Al2O3) nanostructures, encourages extensive studies to prospect these metal oxide nanocomposites as potential electroactive materials in sensing and biosensing applications. This study suggested a new CuO/Al2O3 nanocomposite-based polymeric coated wire membrane sensor for estimating naltrexone hydrochloride (NTX) in commercial formulations. Naltrexone hydrochloride and sodium tetraphenylborate (Na-TPB) were incorporated in the presence of polymeric polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and solvent mediator o-nitrophenyloctyl ether (o-NPOE) to form naltrexone tetraphenylborate (NTX-TPB) as an electroactive material. The modified sensor using NTX-TPB-CuO/Al2O3 nanocomposite displayed high selectivity and sensitivity for the discrimination and quantification of NTX with a linearity range 1.0 × 10−9–1.0 × 10−2 mol L−1 and a regression equation EmV = (58.25 ± 0.3) log [NTX] + 754.25. Contrarily, the unmodified coated wire sensor of NTX-TPB exhibited a Nernstian response at 1.0 × 10−5–1.0 × 10−2 mol L−1 and a regression equation EmV = (52.1 ± 0.2) log [NTX] + 406.6. The suggested modified potentiometric system was validated with respect to various criteria using the methodology recommended guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: There is a need to be able to track the viable populations of biocontrol agents when applied on the foliar surfaces of plants. We have developed a molecular-based method for the quantification of viable cells of two commercial biocontrol agents—a bacterium (Bacillus subtilis) and a fungus (Gliocladium catenulatum). The method has been tested on the leaf surfaces of lettuce plants to examine the changes in viable population over 10–12 days for the first time. Optimising the use of biocontrol agents (BCAs) requires the temporal tracking of viable populations in the crop phyllosphere to ensure that effective control can be achieved. No sensitive systems for quantifying viable populations of commercially available BCAs, such as Bacillus subtilis and Gliocladium catenulatum, in the phyllosphere of crop plants are available. The objective of this study was to develop a method to quantify viable populations of these two BCAs in the crop phyllosphere. A molecular tool based on propidium monoazide (PMA) (PMAxx™-qPCR) capable of quantifying viable populations of these two BCAs was developed. Samples were treated with PMAxx™ (12.5–100 μM), followed by 15 min incubation, exposure to a 800 W halogen light for 30 min, DNA extraction, and quantification using qPCR. This provided a platform for using the PMAxx™-qPCR technique for both BCAs to differentiate viable from dead cells. The maximum number of dead cells blocked, based on the DNA, was 3.44 log10 for B. subtilis and 5.75 log10 for G. catenulatum. Validation studies showed that this allowed accurate quantification of viable cells. This method provided effective quantification of the temporal changes in viable populations of the BCAs in commercial formulations on lettuce leaves in polytunnel and glasshouse production systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]