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Precisely detecting organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) is paramount in upholding human safety and environmental preservation, especially in food safety. Herein, an electrochemical acetylcholinesterase (AChE) sensing platform entrapped in chitosan (Chit) on the glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs) decorated with Pt/MoS 2 /Ti 3 C 2 MXene (Pt/MoS 2 /TM) was constructed for the detection of chlorpyrifos. It is worth noting that Pt/MoS 2 /TM possesses good biocompatibility, remarkable electrical conductivity, environmental stability and large specific surface area. Besides, the heterostructure formed by the composite of TM and MoS 2 improves the conductivity and maintains the original structure, which is conducive to improving the electrochemical property. The coordination effect between the individual components enables the even distribution of functional components and enhances the electrochemical performance of the biosensor (AChE-Chit/Pt/MoS 2 /TM). Under optimal efficiency and sensitivity, the AChE-Chit/Pt/MoS 2 /TM/GCE sensing platform exerts comparable analytical performance and a wide concentration range of chlorpyrifos from 10 -12 to 10 -6  M as well as a low limit of detection (4.71 × 10 -13  M). Furthermore, the biosensor is utilized to detect OPs concerning three kinds of fruits and vegetables with good feasibility and recoveries (94.81% to 104.0%). This work would provide a new scheme to develop high-sensitivity sensors based on the two-dimensional nanosheet/laminar hybrid structure for practical applications in environmental monitoring and agricultural product detection., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There is no conflict of interest in this manuscript, and the work described is original research., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, a hydrophobic covalent organic framework-functionalized magnetic composite (CoFe 2 O 4 @Ti 3 C 2 @TAPB-TFTA) with a high specific area with 1,3,5-tris(4-aminophenyl)benzene (TAPB) and 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoroterephthalaldehyde (TFTA) was designed and synthesized through Schiff base reaction. An efficient magnetic solid-phase extraction method was established and combined with gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry to sensitively determine 10 organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides in tea samples. The established method exhibited good linearity in the range of 0.05-120 μg/L and had low limits of detection (0.013-0.018 μg/L). The method was evaluated with tea samples, and the spiked recoveries of pesticides in different tea samples reached satisfactory values of 85.7-96.8%. Moreover, the adsorption of pesticides was spontaneous and followed Redlich-Peterson isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. These results demonstrate the sensitivity, effectiveness, and reliability of the proposed method for monitoring organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides in tea samples, providing a preliminary basis for researchers to reasonably design adsorbents for the efficient extraction of pesticides., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Climate change has resulted in increased use of pesticides and fertilizers in agriculture, leading to elevated pesticide and nitrate levels in aquatic ecosystems that receive agricultural runoff. In this study, we demonstrate that far-UVC (UV 222 ) photolysis of nitrate rapidly degrades four pesticides in surface water, with a degradation rate constant 37.1-144.75 times higher than that achieved by UV 254 photolysis of nitrate. The improved pesticide degradation is due not only to the enhanced direct photolysis by UV 222 compared to UV 254 but also to the increased generation of hydroxyl radicals (HO • ) and reactive nitrogen species (e.g., NO 2 • and ONOO - ) in the UV 222 /nitrate process. We determined the innate quantum yields of nitrate photolysis at 222 nm and incorporated these values into a kinetic model, allowing for the accurate prediction of nitrate photodecay and reactive species generation. While reactive nitrogen species predominantly contribute to pesticide degradation in the UV 222 /nitrate process, they also lead to the formation of nitration byproducts. Using stable isotope-labeled nitrate ( 15 NO 3 - ) combined with mass spectrometry, we confirmed that the nitration byproducts are formed from the reactive nitrogen species generated from nitrate photolysis. Additionally, we demonstrate that the UV 222 /nitrate process increases the formation potential of highly toxic nitrogenous chlorinated products (e.g., trichloronitromethane) during postchlorination in real surface water.

The overuse of pesticides has shown their malpractices. Novel and sustainable formulations have consequently attracted abundant attention but still appear to have drawbacks. Here, we use a maleic anhydride-functionalized cellulose nanocrystals-stabilized Pickering emulsions template to prepare thermo-responsive microcapsules for a pesticide delivery system via radical polymerization with N-isopropyl acrylamide. The microcapsules (MACNCs-g-NIPAM) are characterized by the microscope, SEM, FTIR, XRD, TG-DTG, and DSC techniques. Imidacloprid (IMI) is loaded on MACNCs-g-NIPAM to form smart release systems (IMI@MACNCs-g-NIPAM) with high encapsulation efficiency (~88.49%) and loading capability (~55.02%). The IMI@MACNCs-g-NIPAM present a significant thermo-responsiveness by comparing the release ratios at 35°C and 25°C (76.22% vs 50.78%). It also exhibits advantages in spreadability, retention and flush resistance on the leaf surface compared with the commercial IMI water-dispersible granules (CG). IMI@MACNCs-g-NIPAM also manifest a significant advantage over CG (11.12 mg/L vs 38.90 mg/L for LC 50 ) regarding activity tests of targeted organisms. In addition, IMI@MACNCs-g-NIPAM has shown excellent biocompatibility and low toxicity. All the benefits mentioned above prove the excellent potential of IMI@MACNCs-g-NIPAM as a smart pesticide formulation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing financial interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The accurate determination of polar cationic pesticides in food poses a challenge due to their high polarity and trace levels in complex matrices. This study hypothesized that the use of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) can significantly enhance the extraction efficiency and sensitivity of these analytes because of their rich hydroxyl groups and cation exchange sites. Therefore, we chemically incorporated HNTs with organic polymer monoliths for in-tube solid-phase microextraction (SPME). This novel hybrid monolith extended service life, improved adsorption capacity, and exhibited excellent extraction performance for polar cationic pesticides. Based on these advancements, a robust and sensitive in-tube SPME-HILIC-MS/MS method was constructed to determine trace levels of polar cationic pesticides in complex food matrices. The method achieved limits of detection of 1.9, 2.1, and 0.1 μg/kg for maleic hydrazide, amitrole, and cyromazine, respectively. The spiked recoveries in five food samples ranged from 80.2 to 100.8%, with relative standard deviations below 10.7%., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The expanding global population and the use of conventional agrochemical pesticides have led to the loss of crop yield and food shortages. Excessive pesticide used in agriculture risks life forms by contaminating soil and water resources, necessitating the use of nano agrochemicals. This article focuses on synthesis moiety and use of nanopesticides for enhanced stability, controlled release mechanisms, improved efficacy, and reduced pesticide residue levels. The current literature survey offered regulatory frameworks for commercial deployment of nanopesticides and evaluated societal and environmental impacts. Various physicochemical and biological processes, especially microorganisms and advanced oxidation techniques are important in treating pesticide residues through degradation mechanisms. Agricultural waste could be converted into nanofibers for sustainable composites production, new nanocatalysts, such as N-doped TiO 2 and bimetallic nanoparticles for advancing pesticide degradation. Microbial and enzyme methods have been listed as emerging nanobiotechnology tools in achieving a significant reduction of chlorpyrifos and dimethomorph for the management of pesticide residues in agriculture. Moreover, cutting-edge biotechnological alternatives to conventional pesticides are advocated for promoting a transition towards more sustainable pest control methodologies. Application of nanopesticides could be critical in addressing environmental concern due to its increased mobility, prolonged persistence and ecosystem toxicity. Green synthesis of nanopesticides offers solutions to environmental risks associated and using genetic engineering techniques may induce pest and disease resistance for agricultural sustainability. Production of nanopesticides from biological sources is necessary to develop and implement comprehensive strategies to uphold agricultural productivity while safeguarding environmental integrity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In recent years, incidents of pesticide pollution and abuse of feed additives have occurred frequently, which pose a great threat to human health. Raman spectroscopy has become an important method in the field of food safety due to its rapidity, simplicity and sensitivity. It is important to obtain complex structure to promote surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effect. In this study, gold helical nanoparticles with rich surface structure were synthesized using cysteine as induce agent. Notably, the complex helical structure and tip led to an excellent electromagnetic enhancement property. The helical structure showed ultra-sensitive detection of hazardous molecular, such as thiram and ractopamine. Interestingly, the D/L-Au structure had significant chiral optical activity and could be used as an unlabeled SERS platform for enantiomer identification. This study provided an effective strategy for the detection of pesticides and feed additives, which could be applied in other aspects of food safety in the future., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Enzyme-inhibited electrochemical sensor is a promising strategy for detecting organophosphorus pesticides (OPs). However, the poor stability of enzymes and the high oxidation potential of thiocholine signal probe limit their potential applications. To address this issue, an indirect strategy was proposed for highly sensitive and reliable detection of chlorpyrifos by integrating homogeneous reaction and heterogeneous catalysis. In the homogeneous reaction, Hg 2+ with low oxidation potential was employed as signal probe for chlorpyrifos detection since its electroactivity can be inhibited by thiocholine, which was the hydrolysate of acetylthiocholine catalyzed by acetylcholinesterase. Additionally, Co,N-doped hollow porous carbon nanocage@carbon nanotubes (Co,N-HPNC@CNT) derived from ZIF-8@ZIF-67 was utilized as high-performance electrode material to amplify the stripping voltammetry signal of Hg 2+ . Thanks to their synergistic effect, the sensor exhibited outstanding sensing performance, excellent stability and good anti-interference ability. This strategy paves the way for the development of high-performance OP sensors and their application in food safety., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Nano-pesticides have attracted much attention in the field of agriculture, due to existing problems such as decreased bactericidal effect and poor adhesion. An environmentally friendly metal porphyrin (Cu-TCPP)-based nanocarrier pesticide release of diniconazole (DIN) was designed to enhance bactericidal efficacy and modulate its bioavailability in a multidimensional manner by constructing a metal phenolic network (MPN) encapsulation. The introduction of the MPN prevents the DIN from prematurely escaping from the Cu-TCPP@DIN@MPN in the environment and gives it strong interfacial adhesion to resist rain washing. The resulting Cu-TCPP@DIN@MPN nanoparticles (NPs) showed a lamellar stacked embedded structure, which improved the inhibition of Fusarium oxysporum (90.9%) and photostability (67.2%), while they do not affect healthy plant growth and meet the relevant food safety requirements for DIN residues. This work provides new ideas for the development of superior photostable, adhesive, rainwater erosion-resistant, and sustainable nanocarrier pesticides.

( S )-Methoprene has been widely applied as a powerful biochemical pesticide to control disease vectors and other pestiferous arthropods of economic importance. As a juvenile hormone analogue, many products based on ( S )-methoprene are developed and commercialized in the USA, Europe, and elsewhere. However, the agricultural use of ( S )-methoprene and its analogues remains underexplored. Here, based on an intermediate derivatization strategy and structural modification, a series of enantiopure ( S )-methoprene derivatives were designed for their expected bioactivity against two crop-threatening pests. Six compounds showed more than 2-fold stronger inhibition of emergence against Plutella xylostella than ( S )-methoprene, among which one that was designated as B2 showed even superior activity to the conventional chemical pesticide and biopesticide with IE 50 of 0.02 mg/L. Nine compounds exhibited over 2-fold higher bioactivity against Aphis craccivora growth than ( S )-methoprene. The physicochemical property evaluation and toxicological test showed that the potent ( S )-methoprene derivatives were low toxic to the nontarget organism and the environment. Molecular docking studies further demonstrated that the high bioactivity of B2 may be partially attributed to its great affinity for binding to juvenile hormone receptors of P. xylostella . The current study suggests that B2 is a biochemical pesticide candidate with potency to be developed as a new agrochemical for lepidopteran control.

This research used a magnetic AlFu nano-metal-organic framework as an adsorbent for the first time. This approach extracts and preconcentrates eight pesticides from various distillates through a two-step process: magnetic dispersive micro solid phase extraction and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction. Initially, the nanocomposite is dispersed into a sample solution containing the pesticides and Na 2 SO 4 . The target pesticides are then adsorbed onto the nanocomposite, which is subsequently isolated from the aqueous phase using an external magnetic field. Acetonitrile is used to elute the adsorbed analytes pesticides from the nanocomposite surface. The resulting acetonitrile extract, containing the concentrated pesticides, is then mixed with a tiny amount of another solvent and injected into a NaCl solution. Centrifugation allows the organic phase, enriched with the pesticides, to settle down. An aliquot of this organic layer is then analyzed using a gas chromatography-flame ionization detector. Optimization of the procedure led to favorable performance, including good extraction recovery of the pesticides (68-98 %), significant enrichment (enrichment factors of 340-489), a wide range of detectable concentrations (2.90-1400 µg L -1 ), and low detection (0.15-0.88 µg L -1 ) and quantification limits. (0.49-2.90 µg L -1 )., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Profenofos, as a typical chiral organophosphorus pesticide, can cause various environmental problems and even endanger human health when used in excess. The toxicity of chiral profenofos was investigated through multispectral analysis, molecular docking, and density functional theory (DFT), employing human serum albumin (HSA) as the model protein. Fluorescence titration and lifetime measurements demonstrated that the interaction between chiral profenofos and HSA involves static quenching. Chiral profenofos forms a 1:1 complex with HSA at site II (subdomain IIIA), primarily driven by hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds. Notably, the binding efficacy diminishes as temperature increases. Spectroscopic analyses confirm that chiral profenofos alters the microenvironment and structure of HSA, with the R-enantiomer exerting a greater impact than the S-enantiomer. Consequently, the toxicological implications of the R-profenofos is significantly more pronounced. Investigating the molecular-level toxic effects of chiral pesticides enhances the thoroughness of pesticide assessments, aids in understanding their distribution, metabolism, and associated risks, and facilitates the development of mitigation strategies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

During the development of green agriculture and pesticide use, "reducing pesticides use and improving control efficiency" is imperative. To date, new pesticide formulations created by nanotechnology can be expected to overcome the difficulties that cannot be solved by the traditional pesticide processes and make pesticide formulations close to the needs of green agricultural production. As natural polysaccharides, Xanthan gum (XG) charactered by a repeated units and side chain of d-glucose, d-mannose, and d-glucuronic acid, and thereby having the unprecedented features in response to wide practice in various fields. This review introduces the properties of the natural polymer XG and its current status of application in agriculture, focusing on the pesticide adjuvant and preparation of novel pesticide and fertilizer delivery systems (such as core-shell and hydrogel), and combined with the applications in mulch film and soil engineering. Furthermore, the properties of Xantho-oligosaccharides suitable for agriculture were discussed. Finally, the potential of XG for the creation of nanopesticides and its future prospects are highlighted. Taken together, XG's excellent performance endows it with a wide range of applications in the agriculture field, and result in strong stimulating the sustainable development of agriculture and evolution of agricultural industry., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Pesticides are vital for ensuring crop protection and stable yields, but their low efficiency and eco-unfriendly carriers raise environmental concerns. In this study, abamectin nanopesticides were designed and fabricated using natural polysaccharides [gum arabic (GA)] and a co-stabiliser via flash nanoprecipitation (FNP) method to reduce the size of nanopesticides and enhance their foliar affinity and deposition. Various co-stabilisers were innovatively introduced into the FNP process; the synergy between GA and the co-stabiliser significantly reduced the particle size (111.5 nm), narrowed the size distribution (polydispersity index = 0.078), and enhanced the stability and release performance of the nanopesticides. Importantly, the downsized nanopesticides effectively improved retention on leaf surfaces, reducing pesticide loss. In addition, because of the excellent control capability of the FNP method, the particle size of the nanopesticides could be flexibly adjusted by modifying the flow-based process parameters. Nanopesticides with small sizes demonstrated good control efficacy against Tetranychus urticae, comparable to those of commercial emulsion in water formulations. This study provides an effective approach for enhancing the utilisation efficiency of pesticide droplets by reducing particle size to ensure sustainable agriculture., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Metal-halide perovskites have become attractive nanomaterials for advanced biosensors, yet the structural design remains challenging due to the trade-off between environmental stability and sensing sensitivity. Herein, a trinity strategy is proposed to address this issue by integrating Mn (II) substitution with CsPb 2 Cl 5 inert shell and NH 2 -PEG-COOH coating for designing Mn 2+ -doped CsPbCl 3 /CsPb 2 Cl 5 core/shell hetero perovskite nanocrystals (PMCP PNCs). The trinity strategy isolates the emissive Mn 2+ -doped CsPbCl 3 core from water and the Mn 2+ d-d transition generates photoluminescence with a long lifetime, endowing the NH 2 -PEG-COOH capped Mn 2+ -doped CsPbCl 3 /CsPb 2 Cl 5 PNCs with robust water stability and oxygen-sensitive property. Given the structural integration, photoluminescent hydrogel biosensors are designed by embedding the PMCP PNCs into the hydrogel system to deliver on-site pesticide information on food products. Impressively, benefiting from the dual enzyme triggered-responsive property of PMCP PNCs, the hydrogel biosensor is endowed with ultra-high sensitivity toward chlorpyrifos pesticide at the nanogram per milliliter level. Such a robust PMCP PNCs-based hydrogel sensor can provide accurate pesticide information while guiding the construction of photoluminescent biosensors for upcoming on-site applications., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

In this study, essential oils and waste hydrosols of leaves of Ocimum tenuiflorum in four different geographical locations were extracted by hydrodistillation method and using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for chemical composition analysis. All four essential oil samples contained the main components (E)-β-caryophyllene (27.8-49.0 %), trans-β-elemene (20.3-37.1 %) and eugenol (9.0-44.0 %). Three of the four hydrosol samples had eugenol in absolute content (94.5-98.6 %), while the remaining hydrosol sample had two main components, elemicin (77.8 %) and eugenol (14.2 %). Essential oils and hydrosols demonstrated larvicidal activities against four important disease-transmitting mosquito species including Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Culex fuscocephala with 24-h LC 50 values in the range 15.42-56.01 μg/mL and 53.88-97.80 μg/mL for the essential oils and the hydrosols, respectively. Essential oils and hydrosols strongly inhibited the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme of electric eels with IC 50 values in the range of 25.35-107.19 μg/mL. Microemulsion (ME) can be considered as a sustainable pesticide formulation over 300 days and has improved larvicidal activity compared to free essential oil. The O. tenuiflorum in Vietnam can be considered a low-cost source of eugenol, botanical pesticides that control disease-transmitting mosquitoes, as well as having therapeutic potential to be further investigated., (© 2024 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

In this paper, an ultra-small-sized CuO x /GDYO nanozyme in situ grown on ITO glass was rationally synthesized from mixed precursors of graphdiyne oxide (GDYO) and copper based infinite coordination polymer (Cu-ICP, consisting of Cu ions and two organic ligands 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol and 1,4-bis(imidazole-1-ylmethyl)benzene) via mild and simple electrochemical strategy. On one hand, the preferential electro-reduction of Cu-ICP enabled the formation of ultra-small CuO x with Cu(I) as the main component and avoided the loss of oxygen-containing functional groups and defects on the surface of GDYO; on the other hand, GDYO can also serve as electroless reductive species to facilitate the electrochemical deposition of CuO x and turn itself to a higher oxidation state with more exposed functional groups and defects. This one-stone-two-birds electrochemical strategy empowered CuO x /GDYO nanozyme with superior peroxidase-mimicking activity and robust anchoring stability on ITO glass, thus enabled further exploration of the portable device with availability for point-of-use applications. Based on the organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) blocked acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, the competitive redox reaction was regulated to initiate the chromogenic reaction of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) catalyzed by CuO x /GDYO peroxidase-like nanozyme, which laid out a foundation for the detection of OPs (with chlorpyrifos as an example). With a detection of limit low to 0.57 nM, the OPs residues during agricultural production can be directly monitored by the portable device we developed., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study introduced an innovative magnetic effervescence-assisted microextraction method, streamlining the preparation of effervescent tablets through a one-pot method that blends a CO 2 donor (Na 2 CO 3 ) and an H + donor (NaH 2 PO 4 ) with bare magnetic particles (Fe 3 O 4 ) and an adsorbent (hydroxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes), followed by pressing. During the extraction process, the bare magnetic particles and adsorbent undergo in-situ self-assembly to create a magnetic adsorbent. The effervescence generates bubbles that enhance effective extraction and magnetism facilitates the easy separation of the magnetic adsorbent from the sample solution, completing the process within 4 min. Applied to organochlorine pesticide analysis in fruit juices and herbal extracts, the method exhibits excellent linearity (R 2  > 0.993), sensitivity (detection limits: 0.010-0.125 ng/mL), accuracy (recoveries: 85.8-99.9%), and precision (RSDs < 9.7%) with GC-ECD. Overall, this approach stands out for its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and suitability for on-site analysis, owing to its operational ease and independence from specialized equipment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors affirm that they have no known conflicting financial interests or personal relationships that may have influenced the research presented in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) through urease enzyme has attained a lot of recognition in various fields of civil engineering and geotechnology for stabilizing the strength of soil and various concrete materials. The activity of urease has been found to be affected by various factors like temperature, substrate concentrations, pH of the medium, presence of inhibitors, etc. Through this study, the outcome of the interaction of pesticides (commonly found in Indian coastal regions) on Bacillus pasteurii urease, a major organism reported for MICP studies has been investigated in silico . The results from the study revealed that the enzyme has higher interactions of -4.1, -3.2, and -3.4 kJ/mol with common pesticides like dichloro diphenyl dichloro ethane(DDD), dichloro diphenyl trichloroe thane (DDT), and methyl parathion of organochlorides and organophosphates class. From the molecular dynamics simulation analysis, complex 1 (DDD -receptor) has been found to have the highest and more compact structure followed by methyl parathion -receptor. Prime MM-GBSA analysis also revealed the highest binding energy of -27.8 kcal/mol with the protein and DDD. Thus, it can be inferred from the current study that pesticides, particularly, DDD, DDT, and methyl parathion present in the coastal areas may have an impact on urease. This interaction can result in the inhibition of the urease activity of B. pasteurii, thus preventing the biomineralization process. This study would be the first report on the computational approach to understanding the interaction of prominent pesticides on the coastal region and B. pasteurii urease.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

For the first time, a magnetic carbon nanocomposite was synthesized using one-step hydrothermal procedure, employing bovine serum albumin, curcumin, and ferric ammonium citrate. Additionally, the application of this novel composite as an adsorbent for magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction of fungicides and pesticides from water and food samples is a unique aspect of this study. Under optimum conditions (salt concentration: 5.0% w/v, pH: 7.0, desorption solvent: ethanol, sorbent amount: 20 mg, extraction time: 20 min, desorption time: 3 min, stirring rate: 500 rpm, sample volume: 30 mL, extraction temperature: room temperature, and desorption solvent volume: 150 μL) linearity (2.5 to 1400 ng mL -1 ), coefficients of determination (R 2  ≥ 0.997), limits of detection (0.75 to 1.5 ng mL -1 ), and limits of quantification (2.5 to 5.0 ng mL -1 ) were achieved. The method validation results showed extraction recovery ranging from 71.2% to 93.4%, and preconcentration factors ranging from 142.5 to 186.1., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A magnetic biochar nanomaterial derived from fungal hyphae was introduced into the sample preparation field. The magnetic fungal hyphae-derived biomass carbon (MFHBC) could be produced by a controllable hydrothermal method. In order to obtain the best sorbent for magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE), the reaction conditions containing temperature, time and the consumption of fungal hyphae were investigated. A series of MFHBC materials were characterized by vibrating sample magnetometers, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. A material with a satisfactory saturation magnetization (21.58 emu g-1) and largest surface area (88.06 m2 g-1) was selected as the sorbent to extract ten typical organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). The extraction conditions were optimized as 20 mL of sample solution with 70 mg of sorbent and 2.0 g of NaCl oscillated at 50 °C for 5.0 min. And the optimum desorption was performed by oscillating sorbent in 1.0 mL acetonitrile for 5.0 min. Then, the MFHBC-based MSPE-GC-MS/MS methods were established for different samples including water samples, tea beverages, and Chinese traditional medicines. The linearities were 10-2500 ng L -1 or 100-25,000 ng kg -1 , and the limits of detection were 0.3-13.9 ng L -1 for water sample, 0.1-9.7 ng L -1 for tea beverage samples, 0.1-21.4 ng L -1 for Shenqi Fuzheng injection samples, and 7.2-278.3 ng kg -1 for Astragali Radix decoction pieces. Except for satisfactory repeatability (RSDs ≤13.8%) in intra-day and inter-day tests (n = 3), the reproducibility (RSDs ≤13.5%, n = 3) of MFHBC was acceptable. The methods were applied in the determination of OCPs from above real samples, with the recoveries of 80.5-117.2% and the RSDs (n = 3) <8.9%. The methods were suitable in the sensitive determination of OCPs from simple to complex matrix samples., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Phosphotriesterase (PTE) biodegradation of organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) is an efficient and environmentally friendly method. However, the instability and nonreusability of free PTE become the key factors restricting its practical application. In this study, a novel cross-linked magnetic hybrid nanoflower (CLMNF) was prepared. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to further investigate the enhanced catalytic efficiency of the enzymes. The recovery rate of enzyme activity was 298% due to the large specific surface area and metal ion activation effect. More importantly, the immobilization scheme greatly improved the stability and reuse performance of the catalyst and simplified the recovery operation. CLMNFs retained 90.32% relative activity after 5 consecutive cycles and maintained 84.8% relative activity after 30 days at 25 °C. It has a good practical application prospect in the degradation and detection of OPs. Consequently, the immobilized enzyme as a biocatalyst has the characteristics of high efficiency, stability, safety, and easy separation, establishing the key step in a biodetoxification system to control organophosphorus contamination in food and the environment.

The widespread use of pesticides poses significant threats to both environmental and human health, primarily due to their potential toxic effects. The study investigated the cardiovascular toxicity of selected pesticides, focusing on their interactions with Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), an important part of the innate immune system. Using computational tools such as molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, principal component analysis (PCA), density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and ADME analysis, this study identified C160 as having the lowest binding affinity (-8.2 kcal/mol), followed by C107 and C165 (-8.0 kcal/mol). RMSD, RMSF, Rg, and hydrogen bond metrics indicated the formation of stable complexes between specific pesticides and TLR4. PCA revealed significant structural changes upon ligand binding, affecting stability and flexibility, while DFT calculations provided information about the stability, reactivity, and polarity of the compounds. ADME studies highlighted the solubility, permeability, and metabolic stability of C107, C160, and C165, suggesting their potential for bioavailability and impact on cardiovascular toxicity. C107 and C165 exhibit higher bioactivity scores, indicating favourable absorption, metabolism, and distribution properties. C165 also violated rule where molecular weight is greater than 500 g/mol. Further, DFT and NCI analysis of post MD conformations confirmed the binding of ligands at the binding pocket. The analysis shed light on the molecular mechanisms of pesticide-induced cardiovascular toxicity, aiding in the development of strategies to mitigate their harmful effects on human health., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The potential pesticide hazard to non-target organisms is a global concern. It is critical to develop the sensitive detection methods of multiple pesticides in various complex matrices. Here, benzene-1,3,5-tricarbaldehyde (BTCA) and 1,3,5-Tri (4-aminophenyl) benzene (TAPB) were employed as precursors for the in-situ growth of COF TAPB-BTCA on the surface of amino-functionalized stainless steel wire (SS) via a solvothermal method. The successful COF TAPB-BTCA bonded fiber exhibited significant enrichment capability of pyrethroids insecticides (PYs), organophosphorus (OPPs), and organochlorine (OCPs), with enrichment factors (EFs) ranging from 1133-7762, 1319-7291, and 734.1-2882, respectively. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated that various interactions contributed to its high enrichment capacity. Automated detection of PYs, OPPs, and OCPs in water, foods, and biological samples was realized by coupling this fiber with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The detection limits were as low as 0.0370-0.657 ng/L, 0.0128-0.400 ng/L, and 0.0329-0.202 ng/L for PYs, OPPs, and OCPs, respectively. In addition, the environmental risks of these samples were assessed based on the above data. This work not only provided a straightforward technique for sensitive monitoring of pesticides in complex matrices but also presented a novel approach for the in-situ controlled growth of versatile adsorbents with broad-spectrum properties., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Difluoromethyl (CF 2 H) groups have been found in many listed pesticides due to their unique physical and chemical properties and outstanding biological activity. In pesticide molecules, compared with the drastic changes brought by trifluoromethyl, difluoromethyl usually moderately regulates the metabolic stability, lipophilicity, bioavailability, and binding affinity of compounds. Therefore, difluoromethylation has become an effective means to modify the biological activity of pesticide molecules. This paper reviews the representative literatures and patents containing difluoromethyl groups in the past 10 years, and introduces the research progress. The aim is to provide an effective reference value for the study of difluoromethyl in pesticides.

A new formulation that gradually released encapsulated Thuja plicata essential oil (TPEO) as an active component from a biopolymer matrix within a given period was obtained. Antimicrobial activity was determined in in-vitro tests where pure TPEO successfully inhibited the development of different Phytophthora species. The TPEO essential oil was encapsulated into the biopolymer matrix and an oil-in-water emulsion was formed. FTIR spectra analysis confirmed the formation of electrostatic interaction between these polymers, and hydrogen interactions between active components of TPEO and polymer chains. The stability of the emulsions was confirmed by zeta potential measurements, with a value of about 30 mV, even after 14 days of aging. UV-Vis spectra analysis revealed that >60 % of TPEO remained in the emulsion after 14 days of exposure to ambient conditions, whereas pure TPEO evaporated faster, and around 20 % remained after 6 days. Encapsulated TPEO almost completely inhibited the growth of Phytophthora species during the ten-day day's exposition being statistically significantly improved compared to fungicide treatment. It was demonstrated that the emulsion exhibited a prolonged antimicrobial effect and successfully suppressed the growth of Phytophthora species, and can be considered as a means of protection in forests and crops., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Adjuvants are included in many pesticide spray mixtures to enhance the performance of the applied chemical. Many adjuvants which modify the emulsion or extensional viscosity of the tank-mixture have been found to offer benefits in drift management, primarily by eliminating or reducing the 'Fine' droplets included in the spray with diameters <100-200 μm that can move off-target in unfavorable conditions during ground, airblast and aerial pesticide applications. Among wind tunnel and field studies conducted around the world, there is consensus that while some adjuvants are effective for drift management, the performance varies on a case-by-case basis, requiring verification for each adjuvant which could be achieved through a programme such as certification based on showing a reduction in Fine droplets and/or a reduction in airborne drift. These can be measured in wind tunnel studies according to international standards. This article provides a review of the current science in this subject area, from the approaches to data collection to a review of existing data and regulatory application for encouraging and rewarding the use of appropriate adjuvants that have been demonstrated to reduce airborne spray drift potential and therefore the size of no-spray buffer zones appropriate to protect nontarget sensitive areas from drift exposure. Some adjuvants can offer the same reduction in drift as offered by hooded sprayer retrofits. A drift reduction programme based on adjuvant use could include testing candidate adjuvants for their effect on droplet size and reduction in Fine droplets when sprayed through reference nozzles and compared against sprays without the adjuvant. Testing could also be based alternatively on measurements of drift potential on collectors such as monofilament line in wind tunnel or field studies. Once shown to be effective in reducing 'Fines' or spray drift, adjuvants could be certified and then referenced on pesticide labels and/or regulatory or best management practice schemes to encourage their use and offer reductions in use restrictions or no-spray buffer zone sizes based on drift management. Studies have shown that some adjuvants can reduce pesticide leaching into soils and contamination of groundwater, as well as runoff of active ingredients from plants into the environment. Performance depends on the adjuvant type, the pesticide with which it is used, the soil or plant type, the timing and mass of water input from rainfall and climatic factors. © 2024 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.)

Nanomaterials associated with plant growth and crop cultivation revolutionize traditional concepts of agriculture. However, the poor reiterability of these materials in agricultural applications necessitates the development of environmentally-friendly approaches. To address this, biocompatible gelatin nanoparticles (GNPs) as nanofertilizers with a small size (≈150 nm) and a positively charged surface (≈30 mV) that serve as a versatile tool in agricultural practices is designed. GNPs load agrochemical agents to improve maintenance and delivery. The biocompatible nature and small size of GNPs ensure unrestricted nutrient absorption on root surfaces. Furthermore, when combined with pesticides, GNPs demonstrate remarkable enhancements in insecticidal (≈15%) and weed-killing effects (≈20%) while preserving the efficacy of the pesticide. That GNPs have great potential for use in sustainable agriculture, particularly in inducing plant growth, specifically plant root growth, without fertilization and in enhancing the functions of agrochemical agents is proposed. It is suggested conceptual applications of GNPs in real-world agricultural practices., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The development of smart systems for pesticidal delivery presents a significant advancement in enhancing the utilization efficiency of pesticides and mitigating environmental risks. Here an acid-responsive pesticidal delivery system using microspheres formed by the self-assembly of halloysite clay nanotubes (HNTs) is proposed. Insecticide avermectin (AVM) and herbicide prometryn (PMT) are used as two models of hydrophobic pesticide and encapsulated within the porous microspheres, followed by a coating of tannic acid/iron (TA/Fe III ) complex films to generate two controlled-release pesticides, named as HCEAT and HCEPT, resulting in the loading capacity of AVM and PMT being 113.3 and 120.3 mg g -1 , respectively. Both HCEAT and HCEPT exhibit responsiveness to weak acid, achieving 24 h-release ratios of 85.8% and 80.5% at a pH of 5.5. The experiment and simulation results indicate that the coordination interaction between EDTA 2- and Ca 2+ facilitates the spherical aggregation of HNTs. Furthermore, these novel pesticide formulations demonstrate better resistance against ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, higher foliar affinity, and less leaching effect, with negligible impact of the carrier material on plants and terrestrial organisms. This work presents a promising approach toward the development of efficient and eco-friendly pesticide formulations, greatly contributing to the sustainable advancement of agriculture., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

In this study, a cellulase-responsive controlled-release formulation (FPR-HMS-HPC) was developed by grafting hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) onto fipronil (FPR) loaded hollow mesoporous silica (HMS) nanoparticles via ester linkage. The FPR-HMS-HPC formulation was characterized using scanning and transmission electron microscopies, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The results indicated that FPR-HMS-HPC exhibited a high loading capacity of 10.0 % (w/w) and demonstrated favorable responsiveness to cellulase enzyme. Moreover, its insecticidal efficacy against Reticulitermes flaviceps surpassed that of an equivalent dose of FPR. Toxicology studies showed that the mortality and hatching rates of zebrafish exposed to FPR-HMS-HPC nanoparticles were reduced by >6.5 and 8.0 times, respectively. Thus, HPC-anchored HMS nanoparticles as insecticide delivery systems present a sustainable method for pest control significantly reducing harm to non-target organisms and the environment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The residues of organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) are increasing environmental pollution and public health concerns. Thus, the development of simple, convenient and sensitive method for detection of OPs is crucial. Herein, a multifunctional Fe-based MOF with fluorescence, catalytic and adsorption, is synthesized by a simple one-pot hydrothermal method. The ratiometric fluorescence sensor for detection of OPs is constructed by using only one multifunctional sensing material. The NH 2 -MIL-101(Fe) is able catalyze the o-phenylenediamine (OPD) into 2,3-diaminophenazine (DAP) in the presence of H 2 O 2 . The generated DAP can significantly quench the intrinsic fluorescence of NH 2 -MIL-101(Fe) by the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and internal filtration effect (IFE), while producing a new measurable fluorescence. Without immobilization or molecular imprinting, pyrophosphate ion (PPi) can inhibit the peroxidase-like activity of the NH 2 -MIL-101(Fe) by chelating with Fe 3+ /Fe 2+ redox couple. Moreover, PPi can also be hydrolyzed by alkaline phosphatase (ALP), the presence of OPs inhibits the activity of ALP, resulting in the increase of extra PPi preservation and signal changes of ratiometric fluorescence, the interactions of ALP with different OPs are explored by molecular docking, the OPs (e.g., glyphosate) interact with crucial amino acid residues (Asp, Ser, Ala, Lys and Arg) are indicated. The proposed sensor exhibits excellent detection performance for OPs with the detection limit of 18.7 nM, which provides a promising strategy for detection of OPs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflict of potential competing interest, financial or otherwise., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A new guar gum hydrogel beads were fabricated by dropping method from an aqueous solution of guar gum (GG) using ammonium persulphate and polyethylene glycol as initiator and crosslinker respectively, for the adsorption of chlorpyrifos (CP) from water. The semi-crystalline nature of the synthesized beads was confirmed by FESEM analysis. The TGA studies implied that the beads were thermally stable up to 600 °C. The maximum swelling ratio of 1400 gg -1 was attained at pH 9.2 and 80 min. The evidence of a strong absorption band was found in FTIR spectrum at 584 cm -1 due to -P=S of the adsorbed pesticide CP. The maximum adsorption of CP was found to be 220.97 mgg -1 . The adsorption followed pseudo second-order kinetics and Langmuir adsorption isotherm with regression coefficients 0.9998 and 0.9938 which followed the chemisorption process. It is due to the hydrolysis of CP at pH 9.2 to yield 3,5,6-trichloropyridinol which in turn reacts with the carboxylic group present in GG giving -N-C=O linkage. A -ΔG indicates that the process is spontaneous and involves chemisorption which is thermodynamically and kinetically favorable and a -ΔH value (-10.37 kJ/mol) suggests that the adsorption is exothermic., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interest or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The complicated food matrix seriously limits the one-time test for the potential food hazards in non-targeted analysis. Accordingly, developing advanced sample pretreatment strategy to reduce matrix effects is of great significance. Herein, newly-integrated hollow-structured covalent organic frameworks (HCOFs) with large internal adsorption capacity and target-matched pore size were synthesized via etching the core-shell structured COFs. The as-prepared HCOFs could be directly applied for matrix clean-up of vegetable samples, while further modification of polydopamine (PDA) network facilitated application for animal samples. Both HCOFs and HCOFs@PDA with the comparable sizes to the matrix interference gave excellent adsorption performance to targets, achieving satisfied recoveries (70%-120%) toward 90 pesticides and 44 veterinary drugs in one-test, respectively. This work showed the great potential of the facile-integrated HCOFs with high stability and customized size to remove interference matrix and offered a universal strategy to achieve simultaneous screening of hazards with considerable quantity in high-throughput non-targeted analysis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Jing-Min Liu reports financial support was provided by National Key Research and Development Program of China. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Accurate and rapid monitoring of organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) residues is crucial for regulating food safety. Herein, dual-emission carbon dots (de-CDs) were fabricated for the ratiometric detection of OPs and Hg 2+ . The de-CDs exhibited two emission peaks at 678 and 485 nm when excited with visible light. Interestingly, the fluorescence at 678 nm was significantly quenched by Hg 2+ mainly because of the static quenching effect, whereas that at 485 nm exhibited a slight change. More significantly, the quenched fluorescence of the de-CDs recovered remarkably after introducing omethoate, diazinon and malathion. Accordingly, the ratiometric detection of the three OPs and Hg 2+ was achieved with high selectivity and robust performance. In addition, the OPs residues assay in Brassica chinensis was successfully performed with satisfactory results. This study not only provides an attractive tool for the simple and rapid assay of OPs but also offers new insights into the fabrication of multi-functional carbon dots., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Pesticide residues in agricultural products pose a significant threat to human health. Herein, a sensitive fluorescence method employing upconversion nanoparticles was developed for detecting organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) based on the principle of enzyme inhibition and copper-triggered o-phenylenediamine (OPD) oxidation. Copper ions (Cu 2+ ) oxidized the colorless OPD to a yellow 2,3-diaminophenazine (oxOPD). The yellow solution oxOPD quenched the fluorescence of upconversion nanoparticles due to the fluorescence resonance energy transfer. The high affinity of Cu 2+ for thiocholine reduced the level of oxOPD, resulting in almost no fluorescence quenching. The addition of dimethoate led to the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity and thus prevented the formation of thiocholine. Subsequently, Cu 2+ oxidized OPD to form oxOPD, which attenuated the fluorescence signal of the system. The detection system has a good linear range of 0.01 ng/mL to 50 ng/mL with a detection limit of 0.008 ng/mL, providing promising applications for rapid detection of dimethoate., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is reported to have benefits for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease by binding with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) to enhance the cholinergic neurotransmission. Organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) inhibited AChE and damaged the nervous system. This study investigated the combined effects of EGCG and OPs on AChE activities in vitro & vivo. The results indicated that EGCG significantly reversed the inhibition of AChE caused by OPs. In vitro, EGCG reactived AChE in three group tubes incubated for 110 min, and in vivo, it increased the relative activities of AChE from less than 20% to over 70% in brain and vertebral of zebrafish during the exposure of 34 h. The study also proposed the molecular interaction mechanisms through the reactive kinetics and computational analyses of density functional theory, molecular docking, and dynamic modeling. These analyses suggested that EGCG occupied the key residues, preventing OPs from binding to the catalytic center of AChE, and interfering with the initial affinity of OPs to the central active site. Hydrogen bonding, conjugation, and steric interactions were identified as playing important roles in the molecular interactions. The work suggests that EGCG antagonized the inhibitions of OPs on AChE activities and potentially offered the neuroprotection against the induced damage., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Food safety is an important issue to protect humane health and improve the life quality. Hence, analysis of the possible contaminants in food samples is essential. A rapid and efficient vortexed-assisted dispersive µ-solid-phase extraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was proposed for simultaneous separation/preconcentration and determination of five commonly used organophosphorus pesticides. Reduced graphene oxide decorated NiCo 2 (OH) 6 nanoflowers as a novel nanostructure was synthetized and introduced for separation of the target pesticides from the wheat flour, rice flour, and baby food cereal samples. The characterization of the nanoflowers was accomplished by SEM-EDX, XRD, and FT-IR techniques. The main factors including pH, the amount of nanoflower, the volume of sample solution, salt concentration (ionic strength), desorption conditions (i.e. desorption solvent type and volume, and desorption time) on the pesticides extraction efficiencies were inquired using matrixed match method. Applying the optimum conditions, the linearity of 0.100-500.000 µg kg -1 , LODs and LOQs in the range of 0.03-0.04 µg kg -1 and 0.1 µg kg -1 for the studied food samples were obtained. The repeatability (intra-day precision (n = 5)) of ≤ 2.0 % and reproducibility (inter-day precision, days = 5, n = 3) of ≤3.1 % and were appraise at three concentration levels (10, 50 and 100 μg kg -1 of each analyte). High relative recoveries of 90.0-99.3 % ascertained high potential of the presented method for complex matrix analysis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A sensitive and accurate analysis of organochlorine pesticide (OCP) residues in dairy products poses a significant challenge. Herein, a novel covalent organic polymer, Azo-COP-1, was synthesized for the enhanced extraction of OCPs in dairy products. The solid phase microextraction fiber coated with Azo-COP-1 demonstrated excellent extraction performance for the OCPs via hydrogen bonding, halogen bonding, π-π stacking, and electrostatic interactions. Coupled with gas chromatography-electron capture detection, we developed a facile and reliable method for detecting OCPs in six types of dairy products with low limits of detection (2.0-400 pg g -1 ) and high method recoveries (82.6-113%). Azo-COP-1 coatings exhibited good stability and durability. The results verified the feasibility of using Azo-COP-1-based SPME to extract OCP residues in dairy product samples, highlighting its potential for routine monitoring of pesticide residues and food safety assessments.

Recognizing the challenges in using botanicals as sustainable pest control agents due to compositional variation, this study addresses the limitations of traditional component-based approaches such as Hewlett and Plackett or Wadley's models. Based on the assumption of noninteractivity among constituents, these models often fail to predict outcomes accurately due to dynamic intermolecular interactions. We introduce a whole mixture-based approach, employing a combination of experimental design and polynomial modeling. This technique accurately predicts miticidal activity on Tetranychus urticae , ecotoxicity on Daphnia magna , and phytotoxic activities on Phaseolus vulgaris of Rosemarinus officinalis essential oils with varying composition. The RMSE values from the polynomial model are 66.9 and 5.0 for miticidal activity and ecotoxicity, respectively, while they are much higher in component-based models, up to 1097.7 and 41.3, respectively. Additionally, we utilize multiobjective optimization algorithms to identify the optimal supplementary blending of oils and compounds. This strategy aims to maximize miticidal effectiveness while minimizing ecotoxicity and phytotoxicity. Our approach for predicting multicomponent mixture effects is likely to bridge the knowledge gap between research and commercialization.

Based on the modified cross-linking of the degradable natural polymers chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) and gelatin (GEL) via introduction of a functional bridge 3,3'-dithiodipropionic acid, this study constructed an environmentally responsive dinotefuran (DNF) delivery system (DNF@COS-SS-GEL). The introduction of the disulfide bond (-S-S-) endowed DNF@COS-SS-GEL with redox-responsive properties, allowing for the rapid release of pesticides when stimulated by glutathione (GSH) in the simulated insect. Compared with commercial DNF suspension concentrate (DNF-SC), DNF@COS-SS-GEL showed superior wet spreading and retention performance on cabbage leaves with a reduced contact angle (57°) at 180 s and 4-fold increased retention capacity after rainfall washout. Nanoencapsulation effectively improved the UV-photostability with only a 31.4% decomposition rate of DNF@COS-SS-GEL at 96 h. The small scale and large specific surface area resulted in excellent uptake and transportation properties in plants as well as higher bioactivity against Plutella xylostella larvae. This study will help promote sustainable agricultural development by reducing environmental pollution through improved pesticide utilization.

During agricultural production, significant quantities of copper-based nanopesticides (CBNPs) may be released into terrestrial ecosystems through foliar spraying, thereby posing a potential risk of biological transmission via food chains. Consequently, we investigated the trophic transfer of two commonly available commercial CBNPs, Reap2000 (RP) and HolyCu (HC), in a plant-caterpillar terrestrial food chain and evaluated impacts on host microbiota. Upon foliar exposure (with 4 rounds of spraying, totaling 6.0 mg CBNPs per plant), leaf Cu accumulation levels were 726 ± 180 and 571 ± 121 mg kg -1 for RP and HC, respectively. HC exhibited less penetration through the cuticle compared to RP (RP: 55.5%; HC: 32.8%), possibly due to size exclusion limitations. While caterpillars accumulated higher amounts of RP, HC exhibited a slightly higher trophic transfer factor (TTF; RP: 0.69 ± 0.20; HC: 0.74 ± 0.17, p > 0.05) and was more likely to be transferred through the food chain. The application of RP promoted the dispersal of phyllosphere microbes and perturbed the original host intestinal microbiota, whereas the HC group was largely host-modulated (control: 65%; RP: 94%; HC: 34%). Integrating multiomics analyses and modeling approaches, we elucidated two pathways by which plants exert bottom-up control over caterpillar health. Beyond the direct transmission of phyllosphere microbes, the leaf microbiome recruited upon exposure to CBNPs further influenced the ingestion behavior and intestinal microbiota of caterpillars via altered leaf metabolites. Elevated Proteobacteria abundance benefited caterpillar growth with RP, while the reduction of Proteobacteria with HC increased the risk of lipid metabolism issues and gut disease. The recruited Bacteroidota in the RP phyllosphere proliferated more extensively into the caterpillar gut to enhance stress resistance. Overall, the gut microbes reshaped in RP caterpillars exerted a strong regulatory effect on host health. These findings expand our understanding of the dynamic transmission of host-microbiota interactions with foliar CBNPs exposure, and provide critical insight necessary to ensure the safety and sustainability of nanoenabled agricultural strategies.

Given the potential dangers of thiram to food safety, constructing a facile sensor is significantly critical. Herein, we presented a colorimetric sensor based on glutathione‑iron hybrid (GSH-Fe) nanozyme for specific and stable detection of thiram. The GSH-Fe nanozyme exhibits good peroxidase-mimicking activity with comparable Michaelis constant (K m  = 0.551 mM) to the natural enzyme. Thiram pesticides can specifically limit the catalytic activity of GSH-Fe nanozyme via surface passivation, causing the change of colorimetric signal. It is worth mentioning that the platform was used to prepare a portable hydrogel kit for rapid qualitative monitoring of thiram. Coupling with an image-processing algorithm, the colorimetric image of the hydrogel reactor is converted into the data information for accurate quantification of thiram with a detection limit of 0.3 μg mL -1 . The sensing system has good selectivity and high stability, with recovery rates in fruit juice samples ranging from 92.4% to 106.9%., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Nanoformulations of pesticides are an effective way to increase utilization efficiency and alleviate the adverse impacts on the environments caused by conventional pesticide formulations. However, the complex preparation process, high cost, and potential environmental risk of nanocarriers severely restricted practical applications of carrier-based pesticide nanoformulations in agriculture. Herein, carrier-free self-assembled nanoparticles (FHA-PRO NPs) based on fenhexamid (FHA) and prochloraz (PRO) were developed by a facile co-assembly strategy to improve utilization efficiency and reduce toxicity to aquatic organism of pesticides. The results showed that noncovalent interactions between negatively charged FHA and positively charged PRO led to core-shell structured nanoparticles arranged in an orderly manner dispersing in aqueous solution with a diameter of 256 nm. The prepared FHA-PRO NPs showed a typical pH-responsive release profile and exhibited excellent physicochemical properties including low surface tension and high max retention. The photostability of FHA-PRO NPs was improved 2.4 times compared with free PRO. The FHA-PRO NPs displayed superior fungicidal activity against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Botrytis cinerea and longer duration against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on potted rapeseed plants. Additionally, the FHA-PRO NPs reduced the acute toxicity of PRO to zebrafish significantly. Therefore, this work provided a promising strategy to develop nanoformulations of pesticides with stimuli-responsive controlled release characteristics for precise pesticide delivery., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Triazine pesticide (atrazine and its derivatives) detection sensors have been developed to thoroughly check for the presence of these chemicals and ultimately prevent their exposure to humans. Sensitive coatings were designed by utilizing molecular imprinting technology, which aims to create artificial receptors for the detection of chlorotriazine pesticides with gravimetric transducers. Initially, imprinted polymers were developed, using acrylate and methacrylate monomers containing hydrophilic and hydrophobic side chains, specifically for atrazine, which shares a basic heterocyclic triazine structure with its structural analogs. By adjusting the ratio of the acid to the cross-linker and introducing acrylate ester as a copolymer, optimal non-covalent interactions were achieved with the hydrophobic core of triazine molecules and their amino groups. A maximum sensor response of 546 Hz (frequency shift/layer height equal to 87.36) was observed for a sensitive coating composed of 46% methacrylic acid and 54% ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, with a demonstrated layer height of 250 nm (6.25 kHz). The molecularly imprinted copolymer demonstrated fully reversible sensor responses, not only for atrazine but also for its metabolites, like des-ethyl atrazine, and structural analogs, such as propazine and terbuthylazine. The efficiency of modified molecularly imprinted polymers for targeted analytes was tested by combining them with a universally applicable quartz crystal microbalance transducer. The stable selectivity pattern of the developed sensor provides an excellent basis for a pattern recognition procedure.

Pesticides play a crucial role in ensuring food production and food security. Conventional pesticide formulations can not meet the current needs of social and economic development, and they also can not meet the requirements of green agriculture. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop efficient, stable, safe, and environmentally friendly pesticide formulations to gradually replace old formulations which have high pollution and low efficacy. The rise of nanotechnology provides new possibilities for innovation in pesticide formulations. Through reasonable design and construction of an environmentally friendly pesticide delivery system (PDS) based on multifunctional nanocarriers, the drawbacks of conventional pesticides can be effectively solved, realizing a water-based, nanosized, targeted, efficient, and safe pesticide system. In the past five years, researchers in chemistry, materials science, botany, entomology, plant protection, and other fields are paying close attention to the research of nanomaterials based PDSs and nanopesticide formulations and have made certain research achievements. These explorations provide useful references for promoting the innovation of nanopesticides and developing a new generation of green and environmentally friendly pesticide formulations. This Perspective summarizes the recent advances of nanomaterials in PDSs and nanopesticide innovation, aiming to provide useful guidance for carrier selection, surface engineering, controlled release conditions, and application in agriculture.

The escalating introduction of pesticides/veterinary drugs into the environment has necessitated a rapid evaluation of their potential risks to ecosystems and human health. The developmental toxicity of pesticides/veterinary drugs was less explored, and much less the large-scale predictions for untested pesticides, veterinary drugs and bio-pesticides. Alternative methods like quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) are promising because their potential to ensure the sustainable and safe use of these chemicals. We collected 133 pesticides and veterinary drugs with half-maximal active concentration (AC 50 ) as the zebrafish embryo developmental toxicity endpoint. The QSAR model development adhered to rigorous OECD principles, ensuring that the model possessed good internal robustness (R 2 > 0.6 and Q LOO 2 > 0.6) and external predictivity (R test 2 > 0.7, Q Fn 2 >0.7, and CCC test > 0.85). To further enhance the predictive performance of the model, a quantitative read-across structure-activity relationship (q-RASAR) model was established using the combined set of RASAR and 2D descriptors. Mechanistic interpretation revealed that dipole moment, the presence of C-O fragment at 10 topological distance, molecular size, lipophilicity, and Euclidean distance (ED)-based RA function were main factors influencing toxicity. For the first time, the established QSAR and q-RASAR models were combined to prioritize the developmental toxicity of a vast array of true external compounds (pesticides/veterinary drugs/bio-pesticides) lacking experimental values. The prediction reliability of each query molecule was evaluated by leverage approach and prediction reliability indicator. Overall, the dual computational toxicology models can inform decision-making and guide the design of new pesticides/veterinary drugs with improved safety profiles., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Developing sensors with high selectivity and sensitivity is of great significance for pesticide analysis in environmental assessment. Herein, a versatile three-way sensor array was designed for the detection of the pesticide atrazine, based on the integration of catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) amplification and three-mode signal transducers. With atrazine, CHA was triggered to generate abundant G-quadruplex. The produced G-quadruplex hybrid could assemble with thioflavin T (TFT) or hemin to mimic enzyme and induce the fluorescence enhancement by TFT, or the colorimetric increase by the oxidized chromogenic substrate and the naked-eye color change by inhibiting the L-cysteine-mediated aggregation of gold nanoparticles. A distinctive three-mode array was successfully constructed with convenience, on-site accessibility and high sensitivity for enzyme-free practical analysis of atrazine. It is also effective and reliable for analyzing real samples including paddy water, paddy soil and polished rice. The detection limits for atrazine were as low as 7.4 pg/mL by colorimetric observation and 0.25 pg/mL by fluorescent detection. Furthermore, the array was exploited to monitor the residue, distribution and bioaccumulation of atrazine in maize and rice for food security and environmental assessment. Hence, this work presented a versatile example for sensitive and on-site all-in-one pesticide analysis arrays with multiple signal report modes., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Mass spectrometry (MS) has dramatically transformed environmental protection by facilitating the precise quantification and identification of pollutants. This review charts the evolution of environmental chemistry, intertwining it with advancements in analytical chemistry and MS technologies. It specifically focuses on the role of MS in studying persistent organic pollutants like organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), brominated fire retardants (BFRs), and perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), marking significant milestones and their implications. Notably, the adoption of gas chromatography with MS in the 1970s and liquid chromatography with MS in the late 1990s profoundly expanded scientists' ability to detect complex pollutant mixtures. Over the past 50 years, the proliferation of potential pollutants has surged, necessitating more sophisticated analysis techniques, such as high-resolution mass spectrometry-nontargeted analysis (HRMS-NTA) and suspect screening. While HRMS promises to enhance the characterization of new environmental pollutants, a significant shift in chemical management strategies remains imperative. Despite technological advances, MS alone is insufficient to mitigate the risks from the continuous emergence of novel chemicals, with many potentially already present in the environment and bioaccumulating in humans.

In recent years, nanocarrier-based pesticide delivery systems have provided new possibilities for the efficient utilization of pesticides. In this research, we developed a hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin-modified graphene oxide (GO-HP-β-CD) nanocarrier for pyraclostrobin (Pyr) delivery and studied its application for tobacco target spot disease control. GO-HP-β-CD has excellent pesticide-loading performance for Pyr (adsorption capacity of 1562.5 mg/g) and good water dispersibility and stability. Besides, GO-HP-β-CD shows pH-responsive release performance. In addition, GO-HP-β-CD also has better leaf affinity than Pyr, and it can effectively adhere to the leaf surface after simulated washing. The results of antifungal experiments indicate that GO-HP-β-CD-Pyr has a good preventive effect on tobacco target spot disease, and its EC 50 value is 0.384 mg/L, which is lower than Pyr. Specifically, this nanopesticide formulation does not contain toxic organic solvent or additive, so it has good environmental friendliness. Therefore, we believe that the GO-HP-β-CD-Pyr nanopesticide has brilliant potential in the prevention and control of tobacco diseases.

Context: Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura, 1931) is a widespread agricultural pest responsible for significant damage to various soft-skinned fruit hosts. The revolutionary potential of bioinformatics in agriculture emerges from its ability to provide extensive information on pests, fungi, chemical resistance, implications of non-target species, and other critical aspects. This wealth of information allows researchers to engage in projects and applied research in diverse agricultural domains that face these challenges. In this context, bioinformatics tools play a fundamental role. The negative impact of pests on crops, resulting in substantial economic losses, has highlighted the importance of in silico methods., Methods: To achieve this, we conducted a systematic search in scientific databases using as keywords "Drosophila suzukii," "biopesticides," "simulations computational," and "in-silico." After applying the filters of relevance and publication date, we organized the articles and prioritized those that directly addressed that matched the keywords and the use of bioinformatics tools. Additionally, we included studies focusing on in silico assays of biopesticides, such as molecular docking. Our review aimed to present a collection of recent literature on biopesticides against Drosophila suzukii, emphasizing bioinformatics methods. Through this work, we strive to contribute to the literature of new perspectives on the development and efficiency of biopesticides, along with to advance research that may improve pest control strategies., Results: In the results of the systematic review, we found 2734 articles related to the selected keywords. Six of these articles directly address Drosophila suzukii and the use of bioinformatics tools in the search for alternatives in pest control. In the selected studies, we observed that two articles tend to focus on phylogenetic approaches, searching for gene sequences, amino acids, and constructing phylogenetic trees. The other three articles used molecular modeling and docking of receptors such as GABA and TRP with plant-derived and synthetic compounds to study intermolecular interactions. However, we identified gaps in these studies that could lead to further research in the biorational development of biopesticides using bioinformatics tools., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)