Glyphosate, glufosinate ammonium, and AMPA occurrences and sources in groundwater of hilly vineyards

Occurrence, persistence and risk assessment of pesticide residues in European wheat fields: A continental scale approach

Pesticide residues in agricultural soils represent an environmental concern that requires special attention due to their potential ecological and public health risks. We analyzed 614 pesticides in 188 wheat fields across Europe subjected to both conventional and organic farming systems. At least one pesticide residue was detected in 141 soils. Seventy-eight pesticides or their metabolites were detected. The presence of pesticides was significantly higher in both number and concentration in conventional fileds (up to 0.98 mg kg-1) compared to organically managed sites (up to 0.40 mg kg-1). A total of 88 % of conventional fields and 63 % of organic fields contained two or more pesticides. Conversion from conventional to organic farming does not guarantee that soils will be pesticide-free in the short term. Fenbutatin oxide was the most frequently detected pesticide in both farming systems, followed by AMPA. Other substances, such as boscalid, epoxiconazole, diflufenican, tebuconazole, dinoterb, bixafen, and DEET, were found in ≥ 10 % of samples. Some Persistent Organic Pollutants, including dieldrin, endosulfan sulphate, and chlorpyrifos, were also detected. Ecological risks were higher in conventionally managed fields, with 46 % exhibiting high-risk levels, compared to just 1 % in organic fields. Epoxiconazole and boscalid were the substances with the highest risk levels.

Fe-based metal-organic frameworks: performance and advantages on removal organophosphate pesticides in water for human consumption

The study of real-world applications of adsorbent materials for water treatment enhances the feasibility of wastewater reuse and upgrades purifying processes for water supplies, thereby decreasing risks to public health. This study examined the removal of organophosphate pesticides from agricultural runoff samples using MIL-101(Fe). Rapid microwave-assisted synthesis, stability up to 350 °C, environmental safety, and potential reusability were promising features related to synthesized MIL-101(Fe). The MIL-101(Fe) performance in the simultaneous adsorptive removal of glyphosate (GLY), glufosinate (GLU), and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) was evaluated. It achieved a 99.2% removal efficiency (%RE) for GLY within 15 min of contact and 85.4 and 64.2% for AMPA and GLU after 120 min, respectively. Good experimental adsorption capacities (≥ 97 mg/g) for the three pollutants were obtained. Characterization analysis after adsorption indicates the possible synergistic effects of hydrogen bonding, active sites of material, pore filling, and inner-sphere surface complex as likely to predominate the mechanism of adsorption. MIL-101(Fe) exhibited satisfactory recycling results for GLY and AMPA, with %RE that decreased from 99 to 83% and 87 to 59%, respectively, after 5 recycles. The high stability of the adsorbent was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Finally, the MIL-101(Fe) potential for practical applications was demonstrated with the successful removal in real water samples above 92, 80 and 60% for GLY, AMPA, and GLU, respectively. The obtained findings provide further progress in the MIL-101(Fe) remarkable use for large-scale future applications for pesticide removal in complex aqueous environments.

Glyphosate and AMPA in Groundwater, Surface Water, and Soils Related To Different Types of Crops in Mexico

Glyphosate (GLY) is the most widely used herbicide globally, employed not only in agricultural settings but also in urban areas for weed control. When released into the environment, GLY is transformed into aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), resulting in contamination across various environmental compartments. The objective of this study was to assess the concentrations of glyphosate and AMPA in groundwater, surface water, and soils associated with different types of crops in Mexico. The findings indicate that the highest concentrations of GLY and AMPA were detected in soils from bean crops (GLY: 826.33 µg/kg and AMPA: 339.60 µg/kg) and transgenic soybean (GLY: 565.66 µg/kg and AMPA: 1,097.79 µg/kg). Additionally, these herbicides were found in groundwater at sites near pumpkin crops (GLY: 3.53 µg/L and AMPA: 4.32 µg/L) and corn (GLY: 3.99 µg/L and AMPA: 4.80 µg/L). These results underscore the necessity of evaluating the impact of glyphosate and regulating its use, as surface and groundwater sources are utilized for human consumption.

Evaluating point source pesticide contamination via sprayer washing water dispersal: A northern Italian vineyard area case study

Wastewater contaminated by plant protection products (PPP) from sprayer cleaning operations must be properly managed and disposed of, as it could represent a point source of environmental PPP pollution and pose risks to non-target organisms. Three conventionally and two organically managed farms in hilly vineyards of North-West Italy engaged in a participatory activity for sampling sprayer washing and resultant water. In total 52 samples of wash water (internal and external) were collected during two agricultural seasons and analyzed for six organic pesticides and metallic Cu. PPP concentrations in water collected after internal washing were up to 37.9 times higher than in water collected after external washing. Concentrations in water after external washing were surprisingly high. This may be explained by the characteristics of the sprayers, but also by farmers failing to comply with good practices during PPP use. To evaluate the possible impact on the aquatic environment of dispersal of wash water into a water body, the FOCUS "Stream" approach was followed. The concentrations thus estimated were almost always higher than the environmental quality standard for surface waters but below the toxicological endpoints for fish and Daphnia magna. With reference to the Italian guidelines for waste classification, only one sample would be classified as ecotoxicological hazardous waste and need to be properly managed. In conclusion, due to the nature of contamination, which is point source but diffuse in the territory, analytical data confirms the need for additional joint efforts to improve awareness in managing wastewater containing PPP and to decrease the impact of the agricultural sector.

Mechanisms of interactions and the significance of different colloidal structures in the vertical transport of glyphosate in soils with contrasting mineralogies

Soil is regarded as a natural repository for strongly adsorbed pollutants since glyphosate (GLY) is preferentially adsorbed by the inorganic fraction of the soil, which may greatly limits its leaching. In this way, understanding how clay mineralogy influences the sorption and transport processes of glyphosate in soils with different mineralogical characteristics is highly relevant. In this work, two clay mineralogy contrasting soils were used to evaluate GLY retention: a Oxisol (OX) with high levels of iron oxides (amorphous and crystalline) and a Inceptisol (IN) with a predominance of kaolinite. According to results obtained, the sorption process is influenced by more than one mechanism, including intraparticle diffusion, which is particularly favored at pH 4.00, and mass transfer across the boundary layer, which is favored at pH 6.50. When evaluating the adsorption isotherms, some differences associated with pH were also observed. At pH 4.00, good fits were obtained with the Freundlich model, suggesting electrostatic interaction between the compound and the soil. At pH 6.50, the best modeling involves the Langmuir-Freundlich model, indicating the occurrence of chemical and physical interactions. Desorption studies suggest that GLY sorption at pH 4.00 mostly involves the formation of inner-sphere complexes, while at pH 6.50, much of the sorption involves outer-sphere complexes. In column studies, GLY leaching was observed in both soils at concentrations between 0.01 and 0.02 mg L-1. After pH correction by liming, differences were observed in the leached GLY concentration, especially in the second rain event in, which leached concentrations greater than 0.04 mg L-1. These results confirm the strong sorption of GLY in the soil, as well as its evident mobilization through the soil column, probably due to colloid-facilitated transport.

Novel electrochemiluminescence platform utilizing AuNPs@Uio-66-NH2 bridged luminescent substrates and aptamers for the detection of pesticide residues in Chinese herbal medicines

A large number of Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) are included in daily recipes, but their pesticide residues have aroused more and more concerns. In this paper, an electrochemiluminescence aptasensor was constructed for the trace detection of acetamiprid (ACE) in Angelica sinensis and Lycium barbarum. Possessing a large specific surface area, UiO-66 was modified with amino groups to improve biocompatibility, and the addition of AuNPs allowed UiO-66-NH2 to catalyze the formation of excited states of luminescent molecules (TPrA⁎; Ru(bpy)32+⁎), and AuNPs@UiO-66-NH2 was used to bridge the aptamer (Au-S) and luminescent substrate (peptide bond). The conventional luminescent reagent Ru(bpy)32+ was doped with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to obtain a more powerful and stable light signal. After optimizing the experimental parameters, the aptasensor could give results in 10 min with a detection range from 1×10-2-1×104 nM and a lower limit of detection (LOD) of 0.8 pM. The LOD of the study was at least one order of magnitude lower than that of the fluorescence detection method. Furthermore, the accuracy of the aptasensor was validated for spiked recovery experiments.

Glyphosate as a Food Contaminant: Main Sources, Detection Levels, and Implications for Human and Public Health

Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum pesticide that has become the most widely used herbicide globally. However, concerns have risen regarding its potential health impacts due to food contamination. Studies have detected glyphosate in human blood and urine samples, indicating human exposure and its persistence in the organism. A growing body of literature has reported the health risks concerning glyphosate exposure, suggesting that the daily intake of contaminated food and water poses a public health concern. Furthermore, countries with high glyphosate usage and lenient regulations regarding food and water contamination may face more severe consequences. In this context, in this review, we examined the literature regarding food contamination by glyphosate, discussed its detection methods, and highlighted its risks to human health.

Pesticide exposure in greenspaces: Comparing field measurement of dermal contamination with values predicted by registration models

Since 2014, the Agricultural Operator Exposure Model (AOEM) has been the harmonised European model used for estimating non-dietary operator exposure to pesticide. It is based on studies conducted by the pesticide companies and it features 13 different crops including non-agricultural areas such as amenity grasslands. The objective of this study was to compare the dermal exposure measured during a field study conducted in a non-agricultural area with the corresponding values estimated by the model AOEM. The non-controlled field study was conducted in France in 2011 and included 24 private and public gardeners who apply glyphosate with knapsack sprayers. Dermal exposure was measured using the whole-body method and cotton gloves. Each measured value had an estimated value given by AOEM and we tested their correlation using linear regression. The model overestimated body exposure for all observations and there was no correlation between values. However, it underestimated hand exposure by 42 times and it systematically underestimated the exposure when the operators were wearing gloves, especially during the application. The model failed at being conservative regarding hand exposure and highly overestimated the protection afforded by the gloves. At a time of glyphosate renewed approval in Europe, non-controlled field studies conducted by academics are needed to improve AOEM model, especially in the non-agricultural sector. Indeed, among the 34 studies included in the model, none were conducted on a non-agricultural area and only four assessed the exposure when using a knapsack sprayer. Moreover, knapsack sprayers being the main equipment used worldwide in both agricultural and non-agricultural settings, it is also crucial to integrate new data specific to this equipment in the model. Operator exposure should be estimated with accuracy in the registration process of pesticides to ensure proper safety as well as in epidemiological studies to improve exposure assessment.

Gestational glyphosate exposure and early childhood neurodevelopment in a Puerto Rico birth cohort

INTRODUCTION

N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine, or glyphosate, is a non-selective systemic herbicide widely used in agricultural, industrial, and residential settings since 1974. Glyphosate exposure has been inconsistently linked to neurotoxicity in animals, and studies of effects of gestational exposure among humans are scarce. In this study we investigated relationships between prenatal urinary glyphosate analytes and early childhood neurodevelopment.

METHODS

Mother-child pairs from the PROTECT-CRECE birth cohort in Puerto Rico with measures for both maternal urinary glyphosate analytes and child neurodevelopment were included for analysis (n = 143). Spot urine samples were collected 1-3 times throughout pregnancy and analyzed for glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), an environmental degradant of glyphosate. Child neurodevelopment was assessed at 6, 12, and 24 months using the Battelle Developmental Inventory, 2nd edition Spanish (BDI-2), which provides scores for adaptive, personal-social, communication, motor, and cognitive domains. We used multivariable linear regression to examine associations between the geometric mean of maternal urinary glyphosate analytes across pregnancy and BDI-2 scores at each follow-up. Results were expressed as percent change in BDI-2 score per interquartile range increase in exposure.

RESULTS

Prenatal AMPA concentrations were negatively associated with communication domain at 12 months (%change = -5.32; 95%CI: 9.04, -1.61; p = 0.007), and communication subdomain scores at 12 and 24 months. At 24 months, four BDI-2 domains were associated with AMPA: adaptive (%change = -3.15; 95%CI: 6.05, -0.25; p = 0.038), personal-social (%change = -4.37; 95%CI: 7.48, -1.26; p = 0.008), communication (%change = -7.00; 95%CI: 11.75, -2.26; p = 0.005), and cognitive (%change = -4.02; 95%CI: 6.72, -1.32; p = 0.005). Similar trends were observed with GLY concentrations, but most confidence intervals include zero. We found no significant associations at 6 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that gestational exposure to glyphosate is associated with adverse early neurodevelopment, with more pronounced delays at 24 months. Given glyphosate's wide usage, further investigation into the impact of gestational glyphosate exposure on neurodevelopment is warranted.

Rapid determination of glyphosate and glufosinate in human blood by probe electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

In forensic science, glyphosate (GLYP) and glufosinate (GLUF), a class of non-selective broad-spectrum herbicides, have been frequently encountered in many fatal poisoning and suicide cases due to their widespread availability. Therefore, it is essential to develop an effective method for detecting these compounds. Some conventional methods, such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) or liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), have been reported to detect these compounds. However, these methods are not ideal for their time-consuming and non-sensitive feature. Herein, probe electrospray ionization (PESI) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), a fast and sensitive technique, was applied for the determination of GLYP and GLUF in human blood, which can obtain analytical results within 0.5 min without derivatization and chromatographic separation. After protein precipitation of blood samples, the supernatant was mixed with isopropanol and ultra-pure water (1:1 v/v). Then, 8 μL of the mixture was introduced into the plastic sample plate for PESI-MS/MS analysis. The limits of detection (LODs) of the method were 0.50 μg/mL and 0.25 μg/mL for two analytes, and the limits of quantitation (LOQs) were both 1.00 μg/mL, which are higher than the concentration of reported poisoning and fatal cases. In the linear range of 1-500 μg/mL, the regression coefficients (r2) for GLYP and GLUF were over 0.99. The matrix effects ranged from 94.8 % to 119.5 %, and the biases were below 4.3 %. The recoveries ranged between 84.8 % and 107.4 %, and the biases were below 7.6 %. Meanwhile, the method was effectively utilized to detect and quantify the blood, urine, and other samples. Consequently, the results suggest that PESI-MS/MS is a straightforward, fast, and sensitive method for detecting GLUF and GLYP in forensics. In the future, PESI-MS/MS will become an indispensable technique for polar substances in grassroots units of public security where rapid detection is essential.

Removal of glyphosate (GLY) and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) by ultrafiltration with permeate-side polymer-based spherical activated carbon (UF-PBSAC)

Glyphosate (GLY) is the most commonly used herbicide worldwide, and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) is one of its main metabolites. GLY and AMPA are toxic to humans, and their complex physicochemical properties present challenges in their removal from water. Several technologies have been applied to remove GLY and AMPA such as adsorption, filtration, and degradation with varied efficiencies. In previous works, an ultrafiltration membrane with permeate-side polymer-based spherical activated carbon (UF-PBSAC) showed the feasibility of removing uncharged micropollutants via adsorption in a flow-through configuration. The same UF-PBSAC was investigated for GLY and AMPA adsorption to assess the removal of charged and lower molecular weight micropollutants. The results indicated that both surface area and hydraulic residence time were limiting factors in GLY/AMPA adsorption by UF-PBSAC. The higher external surface of PBSAC with strong affinity for GLY and AMPA showed higher removal in a dynamic process where the hydraulic residence time was short (tens of seconds). Extending hydraulic residence times (hundreds of seconds) resulted in higher GLY/AMPA removal by allowing GLY/AMPA to diffuse into the PBSAC pores and reach more surfaces. Enhancement was achieved by minimising both limiting factors (external surface and hydraulic residence time) with a low flux of 25 L/m2.h, increased PBSAC layer of 6 mm, and small PBSAC particle size of 78 µm. With this configuration, UF-PBSAC could remove 98 % of GLY and 95 % of AMPA from an initial concentration of 1000 ng/L at pH 8.2 ± 0.2 and meet European Union (EU) regulation for herbicides (100 ng/L for individuals and 500 ng/L for total herbicides). The results implied that UF-PBSAC was able to remove charged micropollutants to the required levels and had potential for application in wastewater treatment and water reuse.

Occurrence, multiphase partitioning, drivers, and ecological risks of current-use herbicides in a river basin dominated by rice-vegetable rotations in tropical China

Rice-vegetable rotation practices prevail in subtropical and tropical agriculture worldwide, with applications of current-use herbicides (CUHs) vital for nontarget plant control. After application, CUHs migrate to environmental compartments, where the occurrence, fate, and ecological risks have not been well characterized. To further understand the occurrence and multiphase partitioning, as well as to evaluate potential drivers and mixture risks in environmental compartments, we analyzed 11 CUHs in 576 samples from 36 rice-vegetable rotations in Nandu River basin, Hainan, China. Samples included soil, water, suspended particulate matter, and sediment collected during both rice and vegetable planting periods. The CUH concentrations varied across environmental compartments, but with high levels of glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid organophosphorus herbicides (OPHs) frequently detected, accounting for 82.3 % to 99.0 % in environmental compartments. Phenoxy acid (PAA) and chloroacetanilide (ANH) herbicides were detected at lower frequencies. Spatiotemporal variation was significantly different among OPHs, ANHs, and PAAs, with geographic and crop-related patterns most evident for CUHs rather than OPHs. Structural equation model, redundancy, and boosted regression tree analyses indicated environmental compartment properties (pH, organic matter, and Fe/Al oxides), crop type, and wet/dry climate were important drivers of spatiotemporal patterns. Fugacity ratios indicated multiphase partitioning and transport of CUHs differed in rice and vegetable planting periods. A new assessment framework based on species-sensitive distributions and environmental compartment weight index indicated unacceptable risks of CUHs (risk quotient >1 in >50 % of sites), with most risks from OPHs (10.5 % to 98.0 %) and butachlor, acetochlor, and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Risk hot spots were identified as the soil, the central region, and the vegetable planting period, potentially threatening nontarget organisms (e.g., Lemna minor, Glomus intraradices, and Apis mellifera). This study provides a new risk assessment framework and demonstrates the domination of OPHs in CUH contamination and risks in the tropics, thus helping guide policymakers and stakeholders on herbicide management.

Recent technologies for glyphosate removal from aqueous environment: A critical review

The growing demand for food has led to an increase in the use of herbicides and pesticides over the years. One of the most widely used herbicides is glyphosate (GLY). It has been used extensively since 1974 for weed control and is currently classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a Group 2A substance, probably carcinogenic to humans. The industry and academia have some disagreements regarding GLY toxicity in humans and its effects on the environment. Even though this herbicide is not mentioned in the WHO water guidelines, some countries have decided to set maximum acceptable concentrations in tap water, while others have decided to ban its use in crop production completely. Researchers around the world have employed different technologies to remove or degrade GLY, mostly at the laboratory scale. Water treatment plants combine different technologies to remove it alongside other water pollutants, in some cases achieving acceptable removal efficiencies. Certainly, there are many challenges in upscaling purification technologies due to the costs and lack of factual information about their adverse effects. This review presents different technologies that have been used to remove GLY from water since 2012 to date, its detection and removal methods, challenges, and future perspectives.

Evaluation of health risk of glyphosate pesticide intake via surface and subsurface water consumption: A deterministic and probabilistic approach

As the usage of pesticides for both agricultural and non-agricultural uses increases, it is more important than ever to employ probabilistic methods rather than deterministic ones to calculate the danger to human health. The current work demonstrates the application of deterministic and probabilistic approaches to assess the human health risk related to glyphosate during the consumption of surface and groundwater by different population groups. To that aim, the concentration of glyphosate pesticide in the surface and groundwater was measured and human health risk for three population groups including children, teens, and adults was evaluated. Overall, the probabilistic approach via Monte Carlo simulation showed a valid result for the estimation of human health risk and determination of dominant input parameters.•The health risk of glyphosate exposure during water consumption for various population groups were evaluated using deterministic and probabilistic methods.•The modeling is performed by Crystal Ball (11.1.2.4) software, as open access software, and requires a limited number of inputs.•The probabilistic method could reliably assess the risks of glyphosate by considering the variability and uncertainty in input variables.

Maternal impacts of pre-conceptional glyphosate exposure

Maternal glyphosate (GLY) impacts remain unclear despite associations between urinary GLY and birth outcomes. Whether maternal pre-conceptional GLY exposure would have phenotypic and molecular impacts in the dam and offspring was tested. Female C57BL6 mice (6 wk) were exposed to saline (CT; n = 20) or GLY (2 mg/kg; n = 20) per os five d per week for 20 wk. Females were housed with males and on gestation day (GD) 14, divided into: CT non-pregnant (CNP), CT pregnant (CP), GLY non-pregnant (GNP), GLY pregnant (GP). Another cohort (CT; n = 10 or GLY; n = 10) completed three pregnancy rounds and pregnancy index (PI), number of pups per litter and pups surviving to postnatal day (PND) 5 calculated. The PI in GLY mice was higher in breeding rounds 1 and 2, but lower in round 3. Pregnancy increased (P ≤ 0.1) GD14 liver and ovary weight. Spleen weight was increased (P < 0.05) in GP relative to GNP mice. No offspring phenotypic impacts were observed. Approximately six months after cessation of exposure, secondary follicle number was reduced (P < 0.05) by pre-conceptional GLY exposure. The ovarian proteome analyzed by LC-MS/MS was altered (P < 0.05) by pregnancy (49 increased, 43 decreased) and GLY exposure (non-pregnant: 75 increased, 22 decreased, pregnant: 27 increased, 29 decreased; aged dams: 60 increased, 98 decreased) with several histone proteins being altered. These findings support ovarian transient and persistent impacts of GLY exposure and identify pathways as potential modes of action.

Fate of glyphosate and its metabolite AminoMethylPhosponic acid (AMPA) from point source through wastewater sludge and advanced treatment

The fate of glyphosate and its metabolite AminoMethylPhosponic acid (AMPA) was followed at the catchment of the Sûre river, mainly characterized by small population density and small and medium-sized wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). A high concentration of AMPA was found in water samples collected in inlet from different wastewater streams, the industry being the main contributor, while glyphosate resulted mainly in domestic origin. The two molecules were also monitored in the anaerobic digestion as in the supernatant produced after centrifugation (reject water). A total of 0.0713 and 2.24 g/d of glyphosate and AMPA respectively were regularly returned to the activated sludge tank (AST) indicating a 20% impact of the sludge management line on the global wastewater mass balance. Finally, the use of Constructed Wetlands (CWs) in Vertical Flow (VF) configuration was tested as a suitable technology to retain both glyphosate and AMPA (90 and up to 50% elimination respectively) and minimize their discharge into surface water.