The presence of potentially toxic elements and compounds in foodstuffs is of intense public interest, and so food producers as well as regulators require rapid, reliable screening methods to accurately determine the levels of such contaminants in food and drink. In the case of arsenic (As), concentration levels in foods may be increased through the historical use of As-containing agrochemicals ...

The sap sucking insects (Hemiptera), which include aphids, whiteflies, plant bugs and stink bugs, have emerged as major agricultural pests. The Hemiptera cause direct damage by feeding on crops, and in some cases indirect damage by transmission of plant viruses. Current management relies almost exclusively on application of classical chemical insecticides. While the development of transgenic cr...

The spread of commercial growing of transgenic crops has been very rapid, with such crops being grown on 44.2 million ha in 13 countries in 2000. Most currently grown transgenic plants are either herbicide or insect resistant, but research into other possibilities is intense. There are potentially significant environmental effects of this technology, as well as sharply conflicting claims about ...

Introduction There are many analytical challenges encountered with the extraction and quantification of pesticide residues in difficult sample matrices such as tuber crops, like yam (Dioscorea spp.), taro (Colocasia esculenta) and sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.). In our experience, a workflow solution based on extraction using the accelerated solvent extraction technique, followed by determin...

Purpose The purpose of the present study are to analyze the temporal and spatial trends of the pesticide use on almond crops and assess their associated risk to soil, surface water, and air, and to investigate the impacts of pesticide risk on biodiversity. Materials and methods California Pesticide Use Report database was used to determine the organophosphate (OP) and pyrethroid use trends in t...

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is a pesticide widely used in Colombia´s agriculture, including crops, farm animals and pets, despite it has been banned for use the European Union United States. Studies demonstrate that even low blood levels of CPF -which do not inhibit acetylcholinesterase- can lead to child developmental neurological disorders such as smaller head circumference brain alterations, psychomo...

In the recent past, pesticide related issues have been extensively highlighted in the media including research journals and attracted wider debate and sharp focus among the interested groups in India. Indiscriminate and excessive application of synthetic pesticides damaged not only the environment and agriculture but also have entered into the food chain thereby affecting health and development...

Pesticide use in Latin America is increasing and is expected to rench 83.97 billion by the year 2000. in spite of growing aWUfcness of humun health hazards and environmental degradlltion. Reasons for higher demand include humnn population growth, mpid urbanization, and shifts llwny from traditional small-scalc farms lownrd more extensive enterprises characl.cri?cd by mechanization, monoculturc....

BACKGROUND Chlorothalonil is a broad spectrum, non-systemic fungicide widely used to control diseases affecting over 50 fruit, vegetable, and agricultural crops. Despite its extensive use for over 30 years, little is known about the potential human carcinogenicity associated with the routine application of chlorothalonil. Rodent studies have shown evidence of renal tubular carcinomas and adenom...

In the evaluation of the risk of pesticide leaching to groundwater, the soil surface is usually assumed to be level, although important crops like potato are grown on ridges. A fraction of the water from rainfall and sprinkler irrigation may flow along the soil surface from the ridges to the furrows, thus bringing about an extra load of water and pesticide on the furrow soil. A survey of the li...