The fate, acute, and subchronic risks of dinotefuran in the water-sediment system: A systematic analysis at the enantiomer level

Screening of Aptamers for Typical Neonicotinoid Insecticides and A Homogeneous Strategy for Target-Induced "Incantation of the Golden Hoop" DNA Structure

Neonicotinoid insecticides (NEOs), as the largest category of insecticides in the world with global sales of more than 3 billion dollars in recent years, have shown an expanding trend in the application scope, and their usage has been surging year by year. In response to the current challenge of the lack of available biorecognition elements for typical NEOs, which leads to limited detection methods, this work for the first time obtained two aptamers specifically recognizing dinotefuran (DNF) and nitenpyram (NIT) respectively by using the graphene oxide-systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (GO-SELEX) aptamer screening method. Molecular docking (MD) results showed that the aptamers mainly interacted with DNF and NIT through hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions, with affinities of 48.03 and 25.20 nM, respectively. Based on the properties of the aptamers, a target-induced "Incantation of the Golden Hoop" DNA structure was ingeniously designed, and methylene blue (MB) and epirubicin (EP) embedded in the double helix structure of DNA were used as the electrochemical indicators. With the aid of exonuclease III (EXO III)-assisted cyclic signal amplification, the simultaneous determination of DNF and NIT was achieved, and the limits of detection (LODs) were as low as 5.37 and 1.95 pg mL-1. These values were significantly lower than those of the current methods based on the chemical properties of DNF and NIT. The present work can accurately detect the residues of NEOs in the environment and assess their environmental risks, which is an important contribution to the sustainable management and use of NEOs.

Transport mechanisms and fate of neonicotinoids in the soil-water systems under the effects of wetting-drying cycles and rice cultivation

Neonicotinoids (NEOs), the most widely used class of insecticides in global agriculture, pose environmental risks due to their persistence and mobility. Despite their extensive application, the transport mechanisms and fate of NEOs in agroecosystem remain unclear. This study investigated the spatial-temporal dynamics mechanisms of six typical NEOs (i.e., clothianidin (CLO), imidacloprid (IMI), acetamiprid (ACE), thiamethoxam (THM), dinotefuran (DIN), and nitenpyram (NIT)) under the effects of different water managements and rice cultivation in soil-water systems. After 61 days incubation, the dissipation in the soil-water systems were the dominated fate of NEOs (accounting for 96.3 ± 3.1 %), followed by storage in soils (2.6 ± 1.2 %), dissolution in interstitial water (0.7 ± 0.5 %) and overlying water (0.1 ± 0.1 %), and leakage in leakage water (0.3 ± 0.3 %). Both wetting-drying cycles and rice cultivation accelerated the NEOs dissipation. The possible reasons for this phenomenon were the wetting-drying cycles and rice cultivation stimulated NEO-degrader (i.e., Pseudomonas) growth in topsoil. Compared to flooding no rice treatment (half-life = 15.5 ± 4.4 days), the severe wetting-drying cycle with rice cultivation reduced NEO half-lives to 10.5 ± 3.1 days. The residual amounts of NEOs in each treatment were negatively (p < 0.05) correlated with the water solubility (CLO > IMI > ACE > THM > DIN > NIT), with the topsoil acting as the primary NEOs sink (41.6 % of total residues). The concentration of NEOs in the water phase decreased by 74.5 % from overlying water to leakage water, which due to the filtering effect of soils. The findings provide a scientific theoretical basis for the further prevention, control, and remediation of NEO pollution in agroecosystem.

The fate and ecological risk of mefentrifluconazole in the water-sediment system: A systematic analysis at the enantiomer level

Triazole fungicides occupy a significant position in the global fungicidal market. Mefentrifluconazole (MFZ) is a new-generation chiral triazole fungicide with broad applications. It can effectively control several rice fungal diseases; thus, its wide application increases its risk of entering the water and sediment in ecosystems. In this study, the stereoselective fate and risk of MFZ in the water-sediment system were investigated. The results showed stereoselective differences in the acute toxicity and fate of MFZ enantiomers (S-MFZ and R-MFZ) in the water-sediment system, with S-MFZ being more toxic and persistent. Both R-MFZ and S-MFZ induced significant decreases in the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) value and organic matter (OM) content of the sediment. Additionally, soil enzyme activity in the sediments changed in varying degrees during exposure. Further microbiome sequencing results showed that both R-MFZ and S-MFZ induced changes in the composition of sediment microbial communities and decreased species diversity, which, in turn, affected the metabolic processes of microorganisms and the function of glycosyltransferase (GT) enzymes, especially S-MFZ. Correlation analysis showed that stereoselectivity in the interaction between the MFZ enantiomers and GT enzymes induced a difference in the synthesis of lipopolysaccharides; thus, affecting the abundances of the relevant bacterial genera and carbohydrate metabolic pathways. Exposure to MFZ enantiomers induced an increase in the abundance of anaerobic bacteria, such as Methylophilus and Rhodoferax, which exacerbated the anaerobic environment of the sediment system, leading to acidification and accelerated nutrient decomposition.

A Monoclonal Antibody-Based Time-Resolved Fluorescence Microsphere Lateral Flow Immunoassay for Dinotefuran and Clothianidin Detection

Dinotefuran and clothianidin belong to the third generation of nicotinic insecticides and are widely used in crop pest control. It is necessary to detect their residues in food. The time-resolved fluorescent microspheres lateral flow immunoassay (TRFMs-LFIA) has the advantages of high sensitivity, short duration, and simple operation and is suitable for rapid field testing. In this study, two haptens (FCA-1, FCA-2) were synthesized in three steps and conjugated to the carrier proteins to obtain artificial antigens, which were subsequently used for monoclonal antibody preparation. A TRFMs-LFIA based on monoclonal antibodies was established to detect dinotefuran and clothianidin residues in food. The limit of detection (LOD) for dinotefuran was 0.045 ng/mL, with an IC50 of 0.61 ng/mL and a linear range (IC20~IC80) of 0.12~3.11 ng/mL. The LOD for clothianidin was 0.11 ng/mL, with an IC50 of 0.94 ng/mL and a linear range (IC20~IC80) of 0.24~3.65 ng/mL. Cross-reactivity rates with seven tested structural analogs were less than 1.5%. The pretreatment method was optimized for wheat, cucumber, and cabbage samples, which was time-saving (20 min) and easy to operate. The average recovery rates ranged from 88.0% to 114.8%, with the corresponding coefficients of variation appearing (CV) between 1.9% and 13.5%. The results of actual wheat, cucumber, and cabbage samples detected by the established TRFMs-LFIA were consistent with those of Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with Tandem Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). These results demonstrate that the established TRFMs-LFIA is sensitive, accurate, rapid, and suitable for real sample detection.

Prediction of Potential Risk for Ten Azole and Benzimidazole Fungicides with the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Agonistic Activity to Aquatic Ecosystems

Azole and benzimidazole fungicides are widely used agrochemicals to prevent and treat fungal growth and are frequently detected in aquatic environments. Here, we aimed to assess the aquatic ecological risks of ten currently used azole and benzimidazole fungicides, which with the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonistic activity, and their transformation products (TPs). We obtained over 400 types of aerobic TPs for ten fungicides. Some fungicides and their TPs (approximately 26.7%) exhibited the potential AhR agonistic activity and toxicity to different aquatic species. Meanwhile, some compounds with the chlorine element and benzene ring structure exhibited environmental persistence and mobile ability. Several of them were frequently detected in aquatic environments, posing potential risks to aquatic ecosystems. These harmful fungicides and their TPs should be given attention. This study provides important insight into the aquatic ecological risks caused by azole and benzimidazole fungicides, which can provide theoretical guidance for their pollution control.

Enantioselective Toxicity of Ibuprofen to Earthworms: Unraveling the Effect and Mechanism on Enhanced Toxicity of S-Ibuprofen Over R-Ibuprofen

With the global implementation of wastewater reuse, accurately assessing the soil ecological risk of chiral pollutants from wastewater necessitates a comprehensive understanding of their enantioselective toxicity to soil animals. Ibuprofen (IBU) is the most prevalent chiral pharmaceutical in municipal wastewater. However, its enantioselective toxicity toward soil animals and the underlying mechanism remain largely unknown. In this study, the toxicity of IBU enantiomers, S-IBU and R-IBU, to earthworms was evaluated at environmentally relevant concentrations (10 and 100 μg/L), simulating wastewater reuse for irrigation. The results demonstrated that IBU adversely affects the growth, reproduction, regeneration, defense systems, and metabolic processes of earthworms, with S-IBU exhibiting stronger toxic effects than R-IBU. The bioavailability assessment revealed that S-IBU was more readily absorbed by earthworms and converted to its enantiomer within earthworms than R-IBU. This is consistent with molecular docking results showing that S-IBU had stronger affinities for functional proteins associated with xenobiotic transport and transformation. The findings of this study highlight that S-IBU poses a higher risk than R-IBU to soil organisms under wastewater reuse scenarios and that the chirality of chemical pollutants in wastewater deserves more attention when implementing wastewater reuse. In addition, our study underscores that the differences in bioavailability and bioactivity may account for the enantioselective toxicity of chiral pollutants.

Enhanced sensing of dinotefuran in foods based on BC/ZnCo MOF@PBA nano-enzyme induced MIECL sensor

Natural enzymes can increase the signal of electrochemiluminescence. However, they are expensive and environmentally demanding. Here, the hollow prussian blue analogues decorated and biomass-derived carbon doped ZnCo metal-organic framework nano-enzyme was designed via self-assembly method. The BC/ZnCo MOF@PBA with peroxidase activity boosts the ECL intensity by catalyzing H2O2 to produce more free radicals as intermediates in the ECL reaction. Then, the molecularly imprinted polymer was synthesized by in-situ electropolymerization using o-aminophenol as the functional monomer and dinotefuran as the template molecule to form the MIECL sensor. This MIECL sensor exhibited high sensitivity for dinotefuran detection with a good linear relationship range from 0.01 μM to 100 μM, and a low detection limit of 0.0046 μM, which was better than the reported dinotefuran sensor. Additionally, this MIECL sensor has good selectivity, stability, repeatability, etc. Lastly, the MIECL sensor performed well in the fruit sample detection.

Chirality in Insecticide Design and Efficacy

Chirality plays a crucial role in the design and efficacy of insecticides, significantly influencing their biological activity, selectivity, and environmental impact. Recent advancements in chiral insecticides have focused on enhancing their effectiveness, reducing toxicity to nontarget organisms, and improving environmental sustainability. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge on chiral insecticides, including neonicotinoids, isoxazolines, and sulfiliminyls. We discuss the stereochemistry, synthetic development, mode of action, and environmental fate of these compounds. The review highlights the importance of chirality in optimizing insecticidal properties and underscores the need for continued research into novel chiral compounds and advanced synthesis technologies. By understanding the role of chirality, we can develop more effective and environmentally friendly insecticides for sustainable pest management.

Enantioselective toxicity of the neonicotinoid dinotefuran on honeybee (Apis mellifera) larvae

The threat of neonicotinoids to insect pollinators, particularly honeybees (Apis mellifera), is a global concern, but the risk of chiral neonicotinoids to insect larvae remains poorly understood. In the current study, we evaluated the acute and chronic toxicity of dinotefuran enantiomers to honeybee larvae in vitro and explored the mechanism of toxicity. The results showed that the acute median lethal dose (LD50) of S-dinotefuran to honeybee larvae was 30.0 μg/larva after oral exposure for 72 h, which was more toxic than rac-dinotefuran (92.7 μg/larva) and R-dinotefuran (183.6 μg/larva). Although the acute toxicity of the three forms of dinotefuran to larvae was lower than that to adults, chronic exposure significantly reduced larval survival, larval weight, and weight of newly emerged adults. Analysis of gene expression and hormone titer indicated that dinotefuran affects larval growth and development by interfering with nutrient digestion and absorption and the molting system. Analysis of hemolymph metabolome further revealed that disturbances in the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway and energy metabolism are the key mechanisms of dinotefuran toxicity to bee larvae. In addition, melatonin and vitellogenin are used by larvae to cope with dinotefuran-induced oxidative stress. Our results contribute to a comprehensive understanding of dinotefuran damage to bees and provide new insights into the mechanism of enantioselective toxicity of insecticides to insect larvae.

Interactions of Potential Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals with Whole Human Proteome Predicted by AlphaFold2 Using an In Silico Approach

Binding with proteins is a critical molecular initiating event through which environmental pollutants exert toxic effects in humans. Previous studies have been limited by the availability of three-dimensional (3D) protein structures and have focused on only a small set of environmental contaminants. Using the highly accurate 3D protein structure predicted by AlphaFold2, this study explored over 60 million interactions obtained through molecular docking between 20,503 human proteins and 1251 potential endocrine-disrupting chemicals. A total of 66,613,773 docking results were obtained, 1.2% of which were considered to be high binding, as their docking scores were lower than -7. Monocyte to macrophage differentiation factor 2 (MMD2) was predicted to interact with the highest number of environmental pollutants (526), with polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated dibenzofurans accounting for a significant proportion. Dimension reduction and clustering analysis revealed distinct protein profiles characterized by high binding affinities for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), phthalate-like chemicals, and other pollutants, consistent with their uniquely enriched pathways. Further structural analysis indicated that binding pockets with a high proportion of charged amino acid residues, relatively low α-helix content, and high β-sheet content were more likely to bind to PFAS than others. This study provides insights into the toxicity pathways of various pollutants impacting human health and offers novel perspectives for the establishment and expansion of adverse outcome pathway-based models.

Novel Insights into Stereoselective Reproductive Toxicity Induced by Mefentrifluconazole in Earthworms (Eisenia fetida): First Report of Estrogenic Effects

Widespread use of the new chiral triazole fungicide mefentrifluconazole (MFZ) poses a threat to soil organisms. Although triazole fungicides have been reported to induce reproductive disorders in vertebrates, significant research gaps remain regarding their impact on the reproductive health of soil invertebrates. Here, reproduction-related toxicity end points were explored in earthworms (Eisenia fetida) after exposure for 28 d to soil containing 4 mg/kg racemic MFZ, R-(-)-MFZ, and S-(+)-MFZ. The S-(+)-MFZ treatment resulted in a more pronounced reduction in the number of cocoons and juveniles compared to R-(-)-MFZ treatment, and the expression of annetocin gene was significantly downregulated following exposure to both enantiomers. This reproductive toxicity has been attributed to the disruption of ovarian steroidogenesis at the transcriptional level. Further studies revealed that MFZ enantiomers were able to activate the estrogen receptor (ER). Indirect evidence for this estrogenic effect is provided by the introduction of 17β-estradiol, which also induces reproductive disorders through ER activation.

Dihydroxyl modified UiO-66 as dispersive solid-phase extraction sorbent coupled with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry for detection of neonicotinoid insecticides

The extensive usage of neonicotinoid insecticides (NIs) has raised many concerns about their potential harm to environment and human health. Thus, it is of great importance to develop an efficient and reliable method to determine NIs in food samples. In this work, three Zr4+-based metal-organic frameworks functionalized with various numbers of hydroxyl groups were fabricated with a facile one-pot solvothermal method. Among them, dihydroxy modified UiO-66 (UiO-66-(OH)2) exhibited best adsorption performance towards five target NIs. Then, a sensitive and efficient method for detection of NIs from vegetable and fruit samples was established based on dispersive solid phase extraction (dSPE) with UiO-66-(OH)2 as adsorbent coupled with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Key parameters affecting the dSPE procedure including amounts of adsorbent, adsorption time, eluent solvents and desorption time were investigated. Under the optimal conditions, rapid adsorption of NIs within five minutes was achieved due to the high affinity of UiO-66-(OH)2 towards NIs. The developed method exhibited high sensitivity with limits of detection (LODs) varied from 0.003 to 0.03 ng/mL and wide linearity range over 3-4 orders of magnitude from 0.01 to 500 ng/mL. Furthermore, the established method was applied for determining trace NIs from complex matrices with recoveries ranging from 74.6 to 99.6 % and 77.0-106.8 % for pear and tomato samples, respectively. The results indicate the potential of UiO-66-(OH)2 for efficient enrichment of trace NIs from complex matrices.

The fate and transport of neonicotinoid insecticides and their metabolites through municipal wastewater treatment plants in South China

Neonicotinoid insecticides (NEOs) have gained widespread usage as the most prevalent class of insecticides globally and are frequently detected in the environment, posing potential risks to biodiversity and human health. Wastewater discharged from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is a substantial source of environmental NEOs. However, research tracking NEO variations in different treatment units at the WWTPs after being treated by the treatment processes remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to comprehensively investigate the fate of nine parent NEOs (p-NEOs) and five metabolites in two municipal WWTPs using distinct treatment processes. The mean concentrations of ∑NEOs in influent (effluent) for the UNITANK, anaerobic-anoxic-oxic (A2/O), and cyclic activated sludge system (CASS) processes were 189 ng/L (195 ng/L), 173 ng/L (177 ng/L), and 123 ng/L (138 ng/L), respectively. Dinotefuran, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, acetamiprid, and clothianidin were the most abundant p-NEOs in the WWTPs. Conventional wastewater treatment processes were ineffective in removing NEOs from wastewater (-4.91% to -12.1%), particularly major p-NEOs. Moreover, the behavior of the NEOs in various treatment units was investigated. The results showed that biodegradation and sludge adsorption were the primary mechanisms responsible for eliminating NEO. An anoxic or anaerobic treatment unit can improve the removal efficiency of NEOs during biological treatment. However, the terminal treatment unit (chlorination disinfection tank) did not facilitate the removal of most of the NEOs. The estimated total amount of NEOs released from WWTPs to receiving waters in the Pearl River of South China totaled approximately 6.90-42.6 g/d. These findings provide new insights into the efficiency of different treatment processes for removing NEOs in current wastewater treatment systems.

Exploring the neurotoxicity of chiral dinotefuran towards nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: Enantioselective insights into species selectivity

Dinotefuran is a chiral neonicotinoid that is widely distributed in environmental matrices, but its health risks to different organisms are poorly understood. This study investigated the neurotoxic responses of honeybee/cotton aphid nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) to chiral dinotefuran at the enantiomeric scale and demonstrated the microscopic mechanism of species selectivity in nAChR-mediated enantioselective neurotoxicity. The findings indicated that (S)-dinotefuran had a higher affinity for honeybee nAChR than (R)-dinotefuran whereas both enantiomers exhibited similar bioactivity toward cotton aphid nAChR. The results of dynamic neurotoxic processes indicated the association of conformational changes induced by chiral dinotefuran with its macroscopic neurotoxicity, and (R)-dinotefuran, which exhibit low toxicity to honeybee, was found to induce significant conformational changes in the enantioselective neurotoxic reaction, as supported by the average root-mean-square fluctuation (0.35 nm). Energy decomposition results indicated that electrostatic contribution (ΔGele) is the critical energy term that leads to substantial enantioselectivity, and both Trp-51 (－2.57 kcal mol-1) and Arg-75 (－4.86 kcal mol-1), which form a hydrogen-bond network, are crucial residues in mediating the species selectivity for enantioselective neurotoxic responses. Clearly, this study provides experimental evidence for a comprehensive assessment of the health hazards of chiral dinotefuran.

Sublethal acetamiprid affects reproduction, development and disrupts gene expression in Binodoxys communis

At present, understanding of neonicotinoid toxicity in arthropods remains limited. We here evaluated the lethal and sublethal effects of acetamiprid in F0 and F1 generations of Binodoxys communis using a range of sublethal concentrations. The 10% lethal concentration (LC10) and half lethal concentration (LC25) of ACE had negative effects on the B. communis survival rate, adult longevity, parasitism rate, and emergence rate, and significantly prolonged the duration of the developmental cycle. ACE also had intergenerational effects, with some biological indices affected in the F1 generation after pesticide exposure. Transcriptomic analysis demonstrated that differentially expressed genes were enriched in specific pathways including the amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, energy metabolism, exogenous metabolism, signal transduction, and glutathione metabolism pathways. These results indicated strong contact toxicity of ACE to B. communis, which may inhibit their biological control capacity. These results improve our understanding of the toxicological mechanisms of parasitic natural enemies in response to insecticide exposure.

Expanding the insight of ecological risk on the novel chiral pesticide mefentrifluconazole: Mechanism of enantioselective toxicity to earthworms (Eisenia fetida)

Continued application of new chiral fungicide mefentrifluconazole (MFZ) increases its risk to soil ecosystem. However, the toxicity of MFZ enantiomers to soil fauna and whether stereoselectivity exists remains poorly elucidated. Based on multilevel toxicity endpoints and transcriptomics, we investigated the negative effects of racemic, R-(-)-, and S-(+)-MFZ on Eisenia fetida. After exposure to S-(+) configuration at 4 mg/kg for 28 day, its reactive oxygen species levels were elevated by 15.4% compared to R-(-) configuration, inducing enantiospecific oxidative stress and transcriptional aberrations. The S-(+) isomer induced more severe cell membrane damage and apoptosis than the R-(-) isomer, and notably, the selectivity of apoptosis is probably dominated by the mitochondrial pathway. Mechanistically, differential mitochondrial stress lies in: S-(+) isomer specifically up-regulated mitochondrial cellular component compared to R-(-) isomer and identified more serious mitochondrial fission. Furthermore, S-(+) conformation down-regulated biological processes associated with ATP synthesis and metabolism, with specific inhibition of mitochondrial respiratory electron transport chain complex I and IV activity resulting in more severe electron flow disturbances. These ultimately mediated enantioselective ontogenetic process disorders, which were supported at phenotypic (weight loss), genetic, and protein (reverse modulate TCTP and Sox2 expression) levels. Our findings offer an important reference for elucidating the enantioselective toxicological mechanism of MFZ in soil fauna.

Enantioselective fate and risk assessment of chiral fungicide pydiflumetofen in rice-fish and wheat farming systems

Fungicides have been widely used for reducing the losses caused by plant diseases. Rice and wheat are the most basic food crops, and the potential risks after applying fungicides are worthy of attention. Especially rice-fish farming system is an ecological symbiosis system that is beneficial to both environmental and ecological protection. However, the application of pesticides will stress the ecosystem, and the pesticide residues in rice and fish would be transmitted along the food chain, which is harmful to human health. Here, the enantioselective behaviors of chiral pydiflumetofen in rice-fish and wheat farming systems were clarified. In the rice-fish farming system, pydiflumetofen enantiomers were preferentially attached to the plants, entering the paddy water and settling into the paddy soil, and then accumulating and dissipating in the fish. With the growth of rice, it was transported to rice fruits. The wheat farming system was similar. Enantioselective dissipation occurred in carp (Cyprinus carpio), brown rice and wheat soil, and S-(+)-pydiflumetofen was preferentially dissipated. In other words, R-(-)-pydiflumetofen showed higher concentrations, especially in carp, which meant R-(-)-pydiflumetofen was more easily accumulated in the environment, and posed a greater potential risk to the farming system. The pydiflumetofen residues in brown rice and wheat were lower than MRLs from the EFSA (0.02 mg/kg) and eCFR (0.3 mg/kg), respectively. What deserves attention is that the MRL of pydiflumetofen in fish is not clear. Meanwhile, pydiflumetofen in paddy soil and wheat soil had a persistent residual effect, and the risks could not be ignored. Combined with the previous research, developing S-(+)-pydiflumetofen products will help to reduce the dosage and reduce the risks to environment and people. This study evaluated the environmental fate and risk of chiral pydiflumetofen from the perspective of farming system, and would provide data support for its rational use and risk assessment.

Ecotoxicological impact of dinotefuran insecticide and its metabolites on non-targets in agroecosystem: Harnessing nanotechnology- and bio-based management strategies to reduce its impact on non-target ecosystems

The class of insecticides known as neonicotinoid insecticides has gained extensive application worldwide. Two characteristics of neonicotinoid pesticides are excellent insecticidal activity and a wide insecticidal spectrum for problematic insects. Neonicotinoid pesticides can also successfully manage pest insects that have developed resistance to other insecticide classes. Due to its powerful insecticidal properties and rapid plant absorption and translocation, dinotefuran, the most recent generation of neonicotinoid insecticides, has been widely used against biting and sucking insects. Dinotefuran has a wide range of potential applications and is often used globally. However, there is growing evidence that they negatively impact the biodiversity of organisms in agricultural settings as well as non-target organisms. The objective of this review is to present an updated summary of current understanding regarding the non-target effects of dinotefuran; we also enumerated nano- and bio-based mitigation and management strategies to reduce the impact of dinotefuran on non-target organisms and to pinpoint knowledge gaps. Finally, future study directions are suggested based on the limitations of the existing studies, with the goal of providing a scientific basis for risk assessment and the prudent use of these insecticides.

Multiomics Sequencing and AlphaFold2 Analysis of the Stereoselective Behavior of Mefentrifluconazole for Bioactivity Improvement and Risk Reduction

As the first isopropanol chiral triazole fungicide, mefentrifluconazole has broad prospects for application. In this study, the stereoselective stability, bioactivity, fate, and biotoxicity were systematically investigated. Our results indicated that the stability of mefentrifluconazole enantiomers differed between environmental media, and they were stable in water and sediment in the dark. The bactericidal activity of R-mefentrifluconazole against the four target pathogens was 4.6-43 times higher than that of S-mefentrifluconazole. In the water-sediment system, S-mefentrifluconazole dissipated faster than R-mefentrifluconazole in water; however, its accumulation capacity was higher than that of R-mefentrifluconazole in sediment and zebrafish. S-Mefentrifluconazole induced more differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in zebrafish than did R-mefentrifluconazole. Multiomics sequencing results showed that S-mefentrifluconazole enhanced the antioxidant, detoxification, immune, and metabolic functions of zebrafish by interacting with related proteins. Based on AlphaFold2 modeling and molecular docking, mefentrifluconazole enantiomers had different binding modes with key target proteins in pathogens and zebrafish, which may be the main reason for the stereoselective differences in bioactivity and biotoxicity. Based on its excellent bioactivity and low biotoxicity, the R-enantiomer can be developed to improve the bioactivity and reduce the risk of mefentrifluconazole.

Fosthiazate, a soil-applied nematicide, induces oxidative stress, neurotoxicity and transcriptome aberrations in earthworm (Eisenia fetida)

Fosthiazate is a widely used organophosphorus nematicide that resides in the soil and controls soil root-knot nematodes. However, whether it has toxic effects on non-target soil organisms such as earthworms is unclear. Therefore, in this study, a 28-day experiment of fosthiazate exposure was conducted using the Eisenia fetida as the model organism. The results showed that fosthiazate stress caused excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), increased the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and decreased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), suggesting that fosthiazate induced oxidative stress and DNA damage in E. fetida. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was significantly reduced, and the expression of its related functional genes was also altered, demonstrating that fosthiazate damaged the nervous system of E. fetida, which was further confirmed by AlphaFold2 modeling and molecular docking simulations. Furthermore, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis indicated that fosthiazate exposure may induce apoptosis, inflammation, and viral infection in E. fetida, which adversely affect the organism. This study provides reference data for the ecotoxicity of fosthiazate.

A systematic analysis of residue and risk of cyantraniliprole in the water-sediment system: Does metabolism reduce its environmental risk?

As a representative variety of diamide insecticides, cyantraniliprole has broad application prospects. In this study, the fate and risk of cyantraniliprole and its main metabolite J9Z38 in a water-sediment system were investigated. The present result showed that more J9Z38 was adsorbed in the sediment at the end of exposure. However, the bioaccumulation capacity of cyantraniliprole in zebrafish was higher than that of J9Z38. Cyantraniliprole had stronger influence on the antioxidant system and detoxification system of zebrafish than J9Z38. Moreover, cyantraniliprole induced more significant oxidative stress effect and more differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in zebrafish. Cyantraniliprole had significantly influence on the expression of RyR-receptor-related genes, which was confirmed by resolving their binding modes with key receptor proteins using AlphaFold2 and molecular docking techniques. In the sediment, both cyantraniliprole and J9Z38 had inhibitory effects on microbial community structure diversity and metabolic function, especially cyantraniliprole. The methane metabolism pathway, mediated by methanogens such as Methanolinea, Methanoregula, and Methanosaeta, may be the main pathway of degradation of cyantraniliprole and J9Z38 in sediments. The present results demonstrated that metabolism can reduce the environmental risk of cyantraniliprole in water-sediment system to a certain extent.

The stereoselective toxicity of dinotefuran to Daphnia magna: A systematic assessment from reproduction, behavior, oxidative stress and digestive function

Dinotefuran is a promising neonicotinoid insecticide with chiral structure. In the present study, the stereoselective toxicity of dinotefuran to Daphnia magna (D. magna) was studied. The present result showed that S-dinotefuran inhibited the reproduction of D. magna at 5.0 mg/L. However, both R-dinotefuran and S-dinotefuran had no genotoxicity to D. magna. Additionally, neither R-dinotefuran nor S-dinotefuran had negative influences on the motor behavior of D. magna. However, S-dinotefuran inhibited the feeding behavior of D. magna at 5.0 mg/L. Both R-dinotefuran and S-dinotefuran induced oxidative stress effect in D. magna after exposure. R-dinotefuran significantly activated the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST), while S-dinotefuran showed the opposite effect. S-dinotefuran had more obvious activation effect on the acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity and trypsin activity compared to R-dinotefuran. The transcriptome sequencing results showed that S-dinotefuran induced more DEGs in D. magna, and affected the normal function of ribosome. The DEGs were mainly related to the synthesis and metabolism of biomacromolecules, indicating the binding mode between dinotefuran enantiomer and biomacromolecules were different. Additionally, the present result indicated that the digestive enzyme activity and digestive gene expression levels in D. magna were greatly enhanced to cope with the inhibition of S-dinotefuran on the feeding.