Determination of DDT and its metabolites in soil, tree bark and earthworm samples near the Budapest chemical works

An abandoned industrial site of the former Budapest Chemical Works (BVM) company has been found to contain 2000-3000 tonnes of leaking industrial waste and dangerous chemicals in corroded barrels on bare ground. The waste lot includes general industrial reagents and intermediates, some 100-200 tonnes of sulphuric acid, several hundred tonnes of 1.2 dichlorobenzene and isopropanol, and numerous other substances falling into toxicity categories from toxic to very toxic or carcinogenic, such as dinitrobenzoic acid, as well as chemical wastes from the pesticide production of the company. BVM used to manufacture numerous pesticide active ingredients, including chlorinated hydrocarbons. Thus, it produced the insecticide DDT in large quantities until the ban of the compound in 1968 and derogated approval for sales until 1974. The premises of the company has been reported previously to be contaminated, therefore, in the scope of our pesticide residue monitoring surveys between 2015 and 2019, we carried out sampling in its immediate vicinity. In our study, soil (8 samples), surface water (2 samples), tree bark (Robinia pseudoacacia, Sambucus nigra, Populus nigra) and common reed (Phragmites australis, (6 samples), as well as earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris; 1 sample) sampled next to BVM were analyzed for DDT and metabolite (~DDT) levels. Exceedingly high ~DDT levels above the accepted limit (0.1 mg/kg) were detected in soil samples: nearly 1.5 mg/kg in one sample and 0.11-0.484 mg/kg in other 5 cases. Among the biological samples (tree bark, common reed and earthworm) 0.184 and 0.190 mg/kg concentrations of ~DDT were determined in a black poplar and in an earthworm sample. These findings indicate that the wellknown persistency problem related to chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides, particularly to DDT remains actual to our days

The effect of the queen's age on the Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) burden of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies

An apiary trial was conducted in 2016 August to October in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County, Nyírmada to evaluate the influence of queen’s age on the Varroa destructor-burden in the treatment colonies. Sixty colonies of bees belonging to the subspecies Apis mellifera carnica pannonica in Hunor loading hives (with 10 frames in the brood chamber/deep super) were used. The colonies were treated with amitraz and the organophosphate pesticide coumaphos active ingredients. The amitraz treatment includes 6 weeks. The coumaphos treatment with Destructor 3.2% can be used for both diagnosis and treatment of Varroasis. For diagnosis, one treatment is sufficient. For control, two treatments at an interval of seven days are required. The colonies were grouped by the age of the queen: 20 colonies with one-year-old, 20 colonies with two-year-old and 20 colonies with three-year-old queen. The mite mortality of different groups was compared. The number of fallen mites was counted at the white bottom boards. The examination of spring growth of honey bee colonies has become necessary due to the judgement of efficiency of closing treatment. The data was recorded seven times between 16th March 2017 and 19th May 2017. Data on fallen mites were subjected to one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Post-Hoc Tukey-test. Statistical analysis was performed using the software of IBM SPSS (version 21.). During the first two weeks after treatments, the number of fallen mites was significantly higher in the older queen’s colonies (Year 2014). The total mite mortality after amitraz treatment in the younger queen’s colonies was lower (P<0.05) compared to the three-year-old queen’s colonies. According to Takács and Oláh (2016) although the mitemortality tendency, after the coumaphos (closing) treatment in colonies which have Year 2014 queen showed the highest rate, considering the mite-burden the colonies belongs to the average infected category. The colonial maintenance ability of three-year-old queen cannot be judged based on the influencing effect on the mite-burden. The importance of the replacement of the queen was judged by the combined effect of several factors. During the spring-growth study (16th March–19th May) was experienced in the three-year-old queen’s colonies the number of brood frames significantly lower compared to the one- and two-year-old queen’s colonies. In the study of 17th April and 19th May each of the three queen-year-groups were varied. Therefore in the beekeeping season at different times were determined the colonial maintenance ability of queens by more factors: efficiency of closing treatment in early spring, the spring-growth of bee colonies, the time of population shift (in current study, this time was identical in each queen-year), honey production (from black locust)

Detailed cytotoxicity assessment of the formulated herbicide roundup classic and its constituents

Cytotoxicity of the globally market-leading herbicide ROUNDUP CLASSIC formulation and its components such as the active ingredient glyphosate and the formulating agent POEA (a mixture of polyethoxylated tallow amines) were investigated on the murine neuroectodermal stem cell-like (NE-4C) and osteoblastic (MC3T3-E1) cell lines. The cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on cell viability and cell cycles were evaluated based on the results of flow cytometry, enzymatic-assays, and alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (Comet) assays, furthermore, the effects on cell morphology and dynamic mass redistribution of cellular contents were assessed with the use of the label-free Epic BenchTop optical biosensor on MC3T3-E1 cells adhered on the surface of the biosensor. Differences in the sensitivity of the investigated cell lines were detected, while the MC3T3-E1 cell line indicated less sensitivity to the effects of the treatments. Furthermore, differences were also observed in the sensitivity of the performed assays. The order of the inhibitory potency of the investigated compounds was as follows: glyphosate IPA salt << ROUNDUP CLASSIC < POEA. The applied Epic technique provides an effective tool for the real-time detection of cytotoxicity

In vivo and in vitro tests for the detection of biochemical and ecotoxicological effects of the herbicide active ingredient glyphosate

Aquatic organisms are outstandingly exposed to water contaminants because of their unavoidable contact with xenobiotics, thus their exposure needs to be routinely monitored. Due to its extensive use, the herbicidal agrochemical active ingredient glyphosate realizes massive exposure, its toxic effects alone and in formulations were evaluated in different in vivo aquatic ecotoxicological tests on various algae species, freshwater biofilm communities, Daphnia magna, and Danio rerio, furthermore the possible cytotoxic, genotoxic, and hormonemodulating effects were evaluated in vitro on different cell lines and test organisms. Significant differences were detected in the individual and combined toxicity of glyphosate and its coformulants presented in the formulations, therefore various additives cannot be classified as unequivocally inactive components. The result of the in vivo testing proved higher toxicity for the formulating agent and the formulation compared to the individual effect of glyphosate, and significant differences in the sensitivity of test species, and the effects on the sexual development of fish were also observed. The performed in vitro assays on cell lines demonstrated the potential cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of glyphosate and its formulations, and some of the effects are the result of the individual toxicity of glyphosate

Modulation of microtubule acetylation by the interplay of TPPP/p25, SIRT2 and new anticancer agents with anti-SIRT2 potency

Abstract The microtubule network exerts multifarious functions controlled by its decoration with various proteins and post-translational modifications. The disordered microtubule associated Tubulin Polymerization Promoting Protein (TPPP/p25) and the NAD+-dependent tubulin deacetylase sirtuin-2 (SIRT2) play key roles in oligodendrocyte differentiation by acting as dominant factors in the organization of myelin proteome. Herein, we show that SIRT2 impedes the TPPP/p25-promoted microtubule assembly independently of NAD+; however, the TPPP/p25-assembled tubulin ultrastructures were resistant against SIRT2 activity. TPPP/p25 counteracts the SIRT2-derived tubulin deacetylation producing enhanced microtubule acetylation. The inhibition of the SIRT2 deacetylase activity by TPPP/p25 is evolved by the assembly of these tubulin binding proteins into a ternary complex, the concentration-dependent formation of which was quantified by experimental-based mathematical modelling. Co-localization of the SIRT2-TPPP/p25 complex on the microtubule network was visualized in HeLa cells by immunofluorescence microscopy using Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation. We also revealed that a new potent SIRT2 inhibitor (MZ242) and its proteolysis targeting chimera (SH1) acting together with TPPP/p25 provoke microtubule hyperacetylation, which is coupled with process elongation only in the case of the degrader SH1. Both the structural and the functional effects manifesting themselves by this deacetylase proteome could lead to the fine-tuning of the regulation of microtubule dynamics and stability

Cytotoxic effects of Roundup Classic and its components on NE-4C and MC3T3-E1 cell lines determined by biochemical and flow cytometric assays

Cytotoxic effects of the market leading broad-spectrum, synthetic herbicide product Roundup Classic, its active ingredient glyphosate (in a form of its isopropylamine (IPA) salt) and its formulating surfactant polyethoxylated tallowamine (POE-15) were determined on two murine cell lines, a neuroectodermal stem cell-like (NE-4C) and a high alkaline phosphatase activity osteoblastic cell line (MC3T3-E1). Cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, effects on cell viability and cell cycles were examined in five flow cytometry tests, the two former of which were compared by the enzymatic-assay and the alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (Comet) assay. All of the tests indicated the NE-4C cells being more sensitive, than the MC3T3-E1 cell line to the treatments with the target compounds. Higher sensitivity differences were detected in the viability test by flow cytometry (7–9-fold), than by the MTT assay (1.5–3-fold); in the genotoxicity test by the Comet assay (3.5–403-fold), than by the DNA-damage test (9.3–158-fold); and in the apoptosis test by the Annexin V dead cell kit (1.1–12.7-fold), than by the Caspase 3/7 kit (1–6.5-fold). Cell cycle assays indicated high count of cells (~70%) in the G0/G1 phase for MC3T3-E1 cells, than in NE-4C cell (~40%) after 24 h. The order of the inhibitory potency of the target substances has unequivocally been POE-15 > Roundup Classic > > glyphosate IPA salt

Increased frequency of temporal acoustic window failure in rheumatoid arthritis: a manifestation of altered bone metabolism?

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