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Screening and Risk Monitoring of Chemical Pollutants in Agricultural Products

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A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Product Quality and Safety".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 March 2023) | Viewed by 9724

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Jing Qiu

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Guest Editor

Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology for Agro-products, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Interests: risk screening; risk monitoring; risk assessment; metabolomics; lipomics; zebrafish; chemical pollutants; pesticide; veterinary drug; agricultural products
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Chunlin Fan

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Co-Guest Editor

Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine Beijing 100123, China
Interests: screening; detection; pesticide; agricultural products; food safety; risk monitoring; inspection and quarantine

Prof. Dr. Dajin Yang

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Co-Guest Editor

Division I for Risk Surveillance, National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing 100022, China
Interests: surveillance for food safety; research of analysis method for contaminants in food; analysis of situation for food safety

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The quality and safety of agricultural products are extremely vital to people’s livelihood. The presence of chemical pollutants in agro-products have been of great concern around the world since some of them can cause great damage to human health. Chemical pollution residues in agricultural products mainly originate from the use of pesticides, veterinary drugs, and prohibited additives or occur as a result of the natural pollution of mycotoxins or are produced as endogenous harmful substances during agricultural production and processing. There are strict regulations on the maximum concentration levels of various chemical residues in agricultural products in many countries or authority organizations such as the Codex Alimentarius Commission. Thus, screening and risk monitoring of chemical pollutants in agricultural products plays a significant role in controlling food safety and guaranteeing the consumer health. In recent years, rapid developments in techniques for screening chemical pollutants in agricultural products have been made regarding aspects of novel sample pretreatment materials, efficient sample pretreatment techniques, multi-residue detection, and powerful analytical methods based on some new and higher sensitive instruments, including MS/MS, QTOF-MS, and orbitrap-MS, among others.

This Special Issue will focus on technical advances in the screening and monitoring of chemical pollutants in agricultural products. The targets are various pollutants, including pesticides, veterinary drugs, additives, mycotoxins, environmental pollutants, and endogenous harmful substances For this Special Issue, we welcome all types of articles, including original research articles and reviews.

Prof. Dr. Jing Qiu
Prof. Dr. Chunlin Fan
Prof. Dr. Dajin Yang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

screening
risk monitoring
residual analysis
chemical pollutants
pesticide
veterinary drug
mycotoxin
agricultural product
sample preparation
mass spectrometry

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 2408 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thioredoxin Is a New Target for the Phytotoxicity of Small Lactone Mycotoxins, Patulin and Penicillic Acid on Maize Seedlings

by Ahmed A. Ismaiel and Jutta Papenbrock

Agriculture 2023, 13(5), 950; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agriculture13050950 - 26 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1181

Abstract

The phytotoxic mechanisms of patulin (PAT) and penicillic acid (PA) have not been identified unambiguously. This study aims to clarify their effects on thioredoxins (Trxs). Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), PAT and PA were isolated by solvent extraction and chromatographic techniques from the cultures of Aspergillus flavus Z2 (LC171449), Penicillium vulpinum CM1 and Aspergillus ochraceus EMCC516, respectively. The three mycotoxins showed phytotoxicity to the germination of maize seeds, which was manifested by inhibiting radicle and coleoptile emergence, in addition to their toxic effects on fresh weights and root and shoot lengths. The phytotoxicity of AFB1 and PAT was greater than that of PA. Due to the central roles exhibited by plant Trxs in cellular metabolic activities, they were tested as target proteins for PAT and PA using AFB1 as positive control. In vivo studies showed that the mycotoxins significantly reduced Trx activity measured in the roots and shoots of maize seedlings. PAT showed greater Trx-inhibiting activity than PA and AFB1. In vitro studies of the mycotoxins on Trx y1 (from Arabidopsis thaliana) and thioredoxin reductase (Tr, from rat liver) activities confirm the results of in vivo studies. The inactivation of Trx with PAT and PA was reduced in the presence of glutathione (GSH). Data obtained suggest that lactone mycotoxins are more highly reactive with simple low-molecular-weight thiols (like GSH) than with complex ones (like Trx). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Screening and Risk Monitoring of Chemical Pollutants in Agricultural Products)

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12 pages, 2134 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Content of Heavy Metals in the Lichens of Winter Reindeer Pastures of the Timan and Bolshezemelskaya Tundras

by Marija Menshakova, Miłosz Huber, Ramziya Gainanova, Valeriia Surovets, Nina Moiseeva, Anastasiia Nizikova and Marina Mashinets

Agriculture 2022, 12(10), 1560; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agriculture12101560 - 27 Sep 2022

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Abstract

This article is devoted to the study of the contents of zinc, cadmium, copper, and lead in lichen in the pastures of reindeer studs in the Timan and Bolshezemelskaya tundras. These areas are located in the Arctic part of Russia, to the west of the Polar Urals. These are areas where carbonate and sandstone rocks of the Permian–Mesozoic age dominate under the soil cover, as well as older deposits located in the western part of the research area (dated to the Cambrian–Devonian period). In these rocks, there is mineralization with metals, including copper. Research carried out in 2018 showed that in the surface layer of lichens, the concentration of metals was assessed differently in the upper, middle, and lower parts of the hill. On this basis, it was possible to identify clean and contaminated pastures. The high copper content in some pastures can be explained by the migration of metal ions from the parent rock. Due to the similar ionic radius of copper and the higher electrocativity in relation to zinc, the metal was probably displaced in the lichen. The observed concentrations can cause high levels of metals in the tissues and organs of deer. A high content of metals in lichens was found in samples collected near industrial enterprises, as well as at a considerable distance from them. At the same time, lichens at some locations near boiler houses or oil rigs are quite pure. In this regard, it has been suggested that the source of pollutants can be either natural factors (copper-bearing sands) or the ingress of metals from a remotely located source. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Screening and Risk Monitoring of Chemical Pollutants in Agricultural Products)

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21 pages, 2769 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Screening of 258 Pesticide Residues in Silage Using Modified QuEChERS with Liquid- and Gas Chromatography-Quadrupole/Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry

by Yujie Xie, Xingqiang Wu, Yanling Song, Yini Sun, Kaixuan Tong, Xiaoxuan Yu, Chunlin Fan and Hui Chen

Agriculture 2022, 12(8), 1231; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agriculture12081231 - 15 Aug 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1606

Abstract

A method for the simultaneous screening of 258 pesticide residues in silage using modified QuEChERS combined with liquid chromatography (LC)- and gas chromatography (GC)- quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (Q-Orbitrap/MS) has been developed. After hydration, the silage was homogenized with a 1% acetic acid–acetonitrile solution, and the extract was purified using C₁₈, PSA, and anhydrous magnesium sulfate. Finally, the sample was detected using LC/GC-Q-Orbitrap/MS, and quantified using an external standard method. The results showed that 258 pesticides had an excellent linear relationship in the range of 0.1–50 μg L⁻¹, and that the coefficients of determination (R²) were more than 0.99. The screening detection limit (SDL) of silage was in the range of 0.5–50 μg kg⁻¹, and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) was in the range of 1–50 μg kg⁻¹. The accuracy and precision of the method were verified at the spiked levels of 1-, 2- and 10-times LOQ, and the recovery of 258 pesticides was in the range of 66.5–119.8%, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of less than 20% (n = 6). This method was simple, rapid, and reliable, and could be applied to screen and quantify multi-pesticide residues in silage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Screening and Risk Monitoring of Chemical Pollutants in Agricultural Products)

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12 pages, 4288 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dissipation Dynamics and Dietary Risk Assessment of Four Fungicides as Preservatives in Pear

by Yongfeng Tang, Kuikui Hu, Xiaomeng Li, Chaogang Liu, Yanhui Xu, Zhaoxian Zhang and Xiangwei Wu

Agriculture 2022, 12(5), 630; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agriculture12050630 - 27 Apr 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1434

Abstract

Fungicides, including thiophanate-methyl, tebuconazole, pyraclostrobin, and difenoconazole, have been widely used as preservatives to control fungal diseases during pear storage. However, the metabolic capability of pear for exogenous compounds decreases at lower storage temperatures, leading to an increase in the risk of exposure to chemical preservatives. In this work, a sensitive and stable ultraperformance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) analytical method was established to investigate the dissipation dynamics and dietary intake risk of four chemical preservatives in pears under different conditions. The mean recoveries of the preservatives in pear samples ranged from 73.2% to 117.1%, with relative standard deviations of 0.5–7.2%. The dissipation half-lives (T_1/2) of thiophanate-methyl, tebuconazole, pyraclostrobin, and difenoconazole in pears were 7.2–21.1 d and 31.6–173.3 d at storage temperatures of 25 °C and 4 °C, respectively. The results of dietary risk evaluation showed that the intake risk of preservatives in commercial pears was acceptable. However, some pears from commercial supermarkets still contained preservatives at amounts that exceeded the maximum residue limit (MRL) set by the Chinese government. This work provides a guideline for the risk evaluation of fruit preservatives on human health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Screening and Risk Monitoring of Chemical Pollutants in Agricultural Products)

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27 pages, 5116 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Trends Analysis of Simultaneously Extracted Metal Copper Sediment Concentrations from a California Agricultural Waterbody including Historical Comparisons with Other Agricultural Waterbodies

by Lenwood W. Hall, Jr. and Ronald D. Anderson

Agriculture 2022, 12(4), 540; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agriculture12040540 - 10 Apr 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1761

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to: (1) assess annual, seasonal and spatial trends in simultaneously extracted metal copper (SEM copper) sediment concentrations in an agricultural California waterbody (Cache Slough) sampled over three years and two seasons (spring and fall); (2) determine the relationship between SEM copper sediment concentrations and precipitation; (3) compare the SEM copper sediment concentrations from Cache Slough with other agricultural streams and (4) compare trends in SEM copper with total copper sediment concentrations previously reported from this waterbody. Sediment samples for SEM copper analysis were collected by boat. Regression analysis, Analysis of Variance, T-test procedure and the Fisher LDS method were used for statistical analysis of data. The results from this study showed that mean seasonal SEM copper sediment concentrations from Cache Slough ranged from 18.6 to 30.1 µg/g dw. SEM copper sediment concentrations were not reported to increase over time in this agricultural waterbody where copper was used as a fungicide, although some spatial differences in SEM copper sediment concentrations were reported. Seasonal analysis showed no significant differences in SEM copper sediment concentrations for both spring and fall for two years, but spring concentrations were statistically higher than fall concentrations for the last year of the study. There were no statistically significant relationships between SEM copper sediment concentrations and precipitation for the three-year period, based on an analysis by year and season. A comparative analysis of total copper and SEM copper from Cache Slough showed that the range of mean seasonal concentrations of SEM copper was much lower, and more sites showed declining trends for SEM copper than for total copper. Increasing trends were not reported at any of the sites for either SEM copper or total copper. A comparison of SEM copper data from Cache Slough was reported to be similar to concentrations reported for other water bodies influenced by agricultural use. Additional multiple year studies in other geographic areas assessing trends in SEM copper sediment concentrations with a comprehensive spatial scale are recommended. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Screening and Risk Monitoring of Chemical Pollutants in Agricultural Products)

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Review

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14 pages, 3174 KiB

Open AccessReview

Historical Review of Simultaneously Extracted Metal Copper Sediment Concentrations in Agricultural and Non-Agricultural Areas

by Lenwood W. Hall, Jr. and Ronald D. Anderson

Agriculture 2022, 12(5), 711; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agriculture12050711 - 18 May 2022

Viewed by 1509

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to: (1) summarize Simultaneously Extracted Metal (SEM) copper sediment concentrations based on a historic review from 54 study areas in 16 different countries with different land use activities and (2) compare SEM copper sediment concentrations from among the four land use categories: all study areas; non-agricultural study areas; agricultural study areas; and reference/control study areas. Based on over 1000 measurements, the mean SEM copper concentrations in non-agricultural area (26.0 μg/g) was higher than the mean concentrations for all sites (20.0 μg/g), agricultural sites (19.8 μg/g), and reference/control sites (3.87 μg/g). The 90th centile for non-agricultural sites (89.0 μg/g) was also higher than all sites (61.9 μg/g), agricultural sites (54.8 μg/g), and reference/control sites (17.1 μg/g). The maximum SEM copper concentration for the non-agricultural sites (902 μg/g) was approximately an order of magnitude higher than the maximum value for the agricultural sites (96.6 μg/g). The various potential sources of SEM copper may be responsible for the higher concentrations in non-agricultural areas, as the primary single anthropogenic source for copper in agricultural areas is likely copper use as a plant protection product (PPP). Future research efforts are recommended to expand the spatial and temporal scale of SEM copper sediment data, address actual SEM copper ecological risk to resident benthic communities with multiple stressor field studies, and compile a historical review of acid volatile sulfide (AVS) data used to determine bioavailable concentrations of SEM copper. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Screening and Risk Monitoring of Chemical Pollutants in Agricultural Products)

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