Toxicological effects and recovery of the corneal epithelium in Cyprinus carpio communis Linn. exposed to monocrotophos: an scanning electron microscope study

This study was conducted based on the evidence of fish habitats in North India being affected by organophosphate pesticides draining from agricultural fields into bodies of water, especially during the rainy season. Various tissues of fish such as scales, gills ovaries, kidney, and liver have been studied from the toxicological point of view, but the toxicological effects of aquatic pollutants on fish cornea have not been investigated to date. We conducted comparative toxicological studies on the cornea of Cyprinus carpio communis using two sublethal (0.038 and 0.126 ppm) concentrations of monocrotophos pesticide for 30 days. Corneas from all the groups were evaluated by a scanning electron microscope. The fish exposed to the monocrotophos pesticide developed corneal necrosis due to the formation of crystalloid‐like structures, thinning and shrinkage of microridges on the corneal epithelium. After 30 days, fish from the monocrotophos‐treated tank were transferred to normal environmental conditions. After 60 days under natural condition, epithelial cells did not fully recover. In conclusion, exposure to monocrotophos induces irreversible changes in the cornea of C. carpio communis. As fish and mammalian visual systems share many similarities, the reported finding may offer useful insights for further toxicological and ophthalmological studies in humans.     

Cross‐resistance between azinphos‐methyl and acetamiprid in populations of codling moth,Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), from Washington State

BACKGROUND: Codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), has been intensely managed with the organophosphate insecticide azinphos‐methyl for 50 years, and populations have developed resistance. New management programs have been developed and implemented that rely more heavily on other classes of insecticides. A prerequisite for developing effective resistance management strategies for these compounds is to establish their current levels of effectiveness. Adult and neonate larval assays were conducted to assess the response of field‐collected codling moth populations from apple in Washington State. RESULTS: Male codling moth populations exhibited a range of responses to a discriminating concentration of azinphos‐methyl in a survey of 20 populations. Populations from certified organic orchards were more susceptible than those from conventional orchards. Mean fecundity was inversely related to azinphos‐methyl tolerance. Male responses to azinphos‐methyl and acetamiprid varied significantly among populations and were correlated. The residual effectiveness of field applications of both insecticides varied significantly against neonate larvae. Neonate bioassays with insecticide‐dipped fruit found significant differences among populations with azinphos‐methyl, acetamiprid, methoxyfenozide and spinosad, but not with esfenvalerate. CONCLUSION: These results support a concern that alternation of insecticides with different modes of action may not be a sufficient strategy to avoid the evolution of broad‐spectrum insecticide resistance by codling moth. Published 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Long-term impacts of an organophosphate-based regime of pesticides on field and field-edge Collembola communities

During a 6-year study, effects of two contrasting regimes of pesticide use on pitfall and suction catches of Collembola were monitored in an arable field under a rotation of grass and winter wheat. Current farm practice (CFP) represented conventional fungicide and herbicide use plus applications of organophosphorus (OP) insecticides, whereas reduced input approach (RIA) utilised minimum inputs of fungicides and herbicides and excluded any use of insecticides. Compared with RIA, the CFP regime caused a substantial decline in the abundance and diversity of Collembola in the field, including the local disappearance of one species, without recovery during the study. At the field edge, which was protected during OP applications by a 6-m unsprayed buffer zone, effects of the CFP regime were less severe, and were not persistent in the long term. Some Collembola species occurred only in field-edge samples. Pitfall and suction sampling yielded remarkably similar patterns of catches, indicating that pitfall trapping may be appropriate for detecting long-term changes in collembolan abundance caused by intensive agricultural management practices.     

鱼类肝脏酯酶的同工酶构成及其对磷酸三苯酯和马拉氧磷的敏感性

用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳法分离了麦穗鱼 (Pseudorasbora p arva)、金鱼 (Carassius auratus)、尼罗罗非鱼 (Tilapja nilotica)、食蚊鱼 (Gambusia affinis)、虹鳟 (Salmo gairdneri)等五种鱼的肝脏酯酶的同工酶 ,以乙酸α-萘酯为底物测定了它们的活性。在麦穗鱼、金鱼、尼罗罗非鱼体内发现两条酶带 ,在食蚊鱼和虹鳟体内发现一条酶带。离体抑制率实验表明 ,五种鱼肝脏内均含有对磷酸三苯酶敏感的酶带 ,而对马拉氧磷敏感的酶带只存在于麦穗鱼、金鱼、尼罗罗非鱼体内。酯酶同工酶分布型的意义及与马拉硫磷选择毒性的关系在本文中进行了讨论。     

Avian whole‐brain spheroid cultures: applications in pesticide toxicity

The adult hen is the species of choice when assessing the potential of organophosphate compounds (OPs) to evoke OP‐induced delayed neuropathy (OPIDN). OPIDN has been shown to depend on the irreversible covalent binding of certain OPs to the enzyme neuropathy target esterase (NTE). Levels of this enzyme in human brain are similar to those in avian species. We have previously shown that the hen embryo whole brain spheroids are histotypically similar to adult brain and express measurable levels of acetylcholine esterase (AChE) and NTE, the key enzymes in mechanisms of OP toxicity. Single‐cell suspensions were prepared from meninges‐free 7 day in ovo hen brains. Cells were grown in serum‐free media and incubated on an orbital shaker at 37 °C in 5% carbon dioxide humidified air. Spheroids can be maintained long‐term in culture and allow the effects of repeated dose and recovery studies to be conducted. Hen embryo brain spheroids were exposed to varying concentrations of tri‐o‐cresyl phosphate, leptophos and its metabolite leptophos oxon at day 14 in vitro and the effects on the activity of AChE and NTE measured. Whilst current legislation regarding toxicity testing of OPs requires the use of animals, our in vitro model provides a potential pre‐screen for novel chemical entities and commercial OP mixture variants. Such an approach should refine and reduce the number of animals used in development of new materials. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

Insecticide resistance in house flies from caged‐layer poultry facilities

The frequency of resistance of eight strains of house flies, Musca domestica L., collected from caged‐layer poultry facilities across New York state, to nine insecticides (dimethoate, tetrachlorvinphos, permethrin, cyfluthrin, pyrethrins, methomyl, fipronil, spinosad and cyromazine) was measured relative to a laboratory susceptible strain. Percentage survival was evaluated at five diagnostic concentrations: susceptible strain LC₉₉, 3 × LC₉₉, 10 × LC₉₉, 30 × LC₉₉ and 100 × LC₉₉. The highest levels of resistance were noted for tetrachlorvinphos, permethrin and cyfluthrin. There was substantial variation in the levels of resistance to the different insecticides from one facility to another, independent of their geographical location. There was very little cross‐resistance detected in these populations to either fipronil or spinosad. Overall, there was a good correlation between insecticide use histories and the levels of resistance. The apparent isolation of fly populations within poultry facilities suggests that there are good opportunities for the implementation of successful resistance management strategies at these facilities. Differences between these results and those of a resistance survey on New York dairy farms in 1987 are discussed. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

Patterns of resistance to organophosphate insecticides in field populations of Helicoverpa armigera in Pakistan

The pattern of organophosphate resistance in field populations of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) was monitored in Pakistan from 1994 through 1997 using an IRAC leaf-dip method. Generally, moderate to high resistance was found to an orthophosphorate, monocrotophos and to a dithiophosphorate, ethion. Resistance to the commonly used thiophosphorates, chlorpyrifos and profenofos, was very low during 1994 and 1995 but showed an upward trend during 1996 and 1997. Resistance factors to the other thiophosphorates such as quinalphos, parathion-methyl, methamidophos and triazophos remained very low. Baseline lethal concentrations for ethion, methamidophos and triazophos were at least four to five times higher than those for the other organophosphates tested, suggesting their low intrinsic efficacy against H armigera. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

块茎类植物酯酶对有机磷农药残留的检测

采用酶抑制法,选用五种块茎土豆、红薯、茨菇、芋头、莲藕提取植物酯酶,测定了总酯酶活力和比活力大小,结果显示土豆、茨菇、莲藕的酯酶活力分别高达8.462 3、8.743 7、7.491 0,显著高于其他几种。探索其检测有机磷农药的最佳条件,对5种有机磷农药进行了敏感性试验,并测定3种植物酯酶对这5种有机磷农药的最低检测限(LOD)。3种植物酯酶对受试的5种有机磷农药均有良好的敏感性,且最低检测限远低于国家规定的最大残留限量(MRL)。因此,这几种酶可作为有机磷农药残留检测用酶。     

Acetylcholinesterase point mutations in European strains of Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) resistant to organophosphates

BACKROUND: In Tetranychus urticae Koch, acetylcholinesterase insensitivity is often involved in organophosphate (OP) and carbamate (CARB) resistance. By combining toxicological, biochemical and molecular data from three reference laboratory and three OP selected strains (OP strains), the AChE1 mutations associated with resistance in T. urticae were characterised. RESULTS: The resistance ratios of the OP strains varied from 9 to 43 for pirimiphos‐methyl, from 78 to 586 for chlorpyrifos, from 8 to 333 for methomyl and from 137 to 4164 for dimethoate. The insecticide concentration needed to inhibit 50% of the AChE1 activity was, in the OP strains, at least 2.7, 55, 58 and 31 times higher for the OP pirimiphos‐methyl, chlorpyrifos oxon, paraoxon and omethoate respectively, and 87 times higher for the CARB carbaryl. By comparing the AChE1 sequence, four amino acid substitutions were detected in the OP strains: (1) F331W (Torpedo numbering) in all the three OP strains; (2) T280A found in the three OP strains but not in all clones; (3) G328A, found in two OP strains; (4) A201S found in only one OP strain. CONCLUSIONS: Four AChE1 mutations were found in resistant strains of T. urticae, and three of them, F331W, G328A and A201S, are possibly involved in resistance to OP and CARB insecticides. Among them, F331W is probably the most important and the most common in T. urticae. It can be easily detected by the diagnostic PCR‐RLFP assay developed in this study. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry