4种农药对意大利蜜蜂的毒力测定

利用摄入法测定联苯菊酯、溴氰菊酯、双甲脒和氟胺氰菊酯对意大利蜜蜂工蜂的毒性。结果表明,4种农药对意大利蜜蜂工蜂的LC50分别为16.263、62.900、302.784、1001.755mg/L。     

几种杀菌剂对芦荟黑斑病菌室内活性测定

通过供试的7种药剂对芦荟黑斑病菌体外抑制作用测试结果表明,所有药剂对其孢子萌发都有不同程度的抑制作用,其中异菌脲、咪鲜胺、嘧霉胺的抑制效果要优于氟硅唑、代森锰锌、百菌清、苯醚甲环唑;7种药剂对芦荟黑斑病菌菌丝体的抑制作用测定结果显示,所有药剂对菌丝生长都有显著的抑制作用,其中咪鲜胺锰络合物可湿性粉剂对菌丝体抑制效果最好,抑菌率达84.24%;异菌脲、氟硅唑、苯醚甲环唑次之。     

新化合物ZJ2242对几种鳞翅目害虫的杀虫活性

室内生测结果表明,ZJ2242对粘虫、小菜蛾和斜纹夜蛾等鳞翅目害虫表现出良好的杀虫活性,综合毒力LC50分别为2.08、59.89和16.84mg/L。毒作用方式测定表明,ZJ2242对粘虫胃毒作用明显(胃毒毒力LC50为5.03mg/L),而触杀作用很低。田间试验表明,ZJ2242对小菜蛾、斜纹夜蛾具有较好的防治作用,100～200mg/L处理7d的防效均在80%以上。     

Determination of the biodegradable fraction of dissolved organic matter in waters

Two bioassay procedures are proposed for determining biodegradable dissolved organic carbon (BDOC) in waters. Both involves sterile filtration of the sample, reinoculation with a natural assemblage of bacteria from the same origin as the sample, and incubation for at least 10 days in the dark at 20°C. In the first procedure, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is followed, until a plateau is reached and the difference between initial and final DOC is taken as a measure of BDOC. In the second procedure, bacterial biomass and mortality rate are followed and the integrated flux of mortality during the incubation period is calculated and divided by the growth yield to give an estimate of BDOC. Both procedures provide closely concordant results.An example of application to the study of ozonation and biological activated carbon filtration in drinking water treatment is presented.     

Volatile organic compounds emitted by filamentous fungi isolated from flooded homes after Hurricane Sandy show toxicity in a Drosophila bioassay

Superstorm Sandy provided an opportunity to study filamentous fungi (molds) associated with winter storm damage. We collected 36 morphologically distinct fungal isolates from flooded buildings. By combining traditional morphological and cultural characters with an analysis of ITS sequences (the fungal DNA barcode), we identified 24 fungal species that belong to eight genera: Penicillium (11 species), Fusarium (four species), Aspergillus (three species), Trichoderma (two species), and one species each of Metarhizium, Mucor, Pestalotiopsis, and Umbelopsis. Then, we used a Drosophila larval assay to assess possible toxicity of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by these molds. When cultured in a shared atmosphere with growing cultures of molds isolated after Hurricane Sandy, larval toxicity ranged from 15 to 80%. VOCs from Aspergillus niger 129B were the most toxic yielding 80% mortality to Drosophila after 12 days. The VOCs from Trichoderma longibrachiatum 117, Mucor racemosus 138a, and Metarhizium anisopliae 124 were relatively non‐toxigenic. A preliminary analysis of VOCs was conducted using solid‐phase microextraction‐gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry from two of the most toxic, two of the least toxic, and two species of intermediate toxicity. The more toxic molds produced higher concentrations of 1‐octen‐3‐ol, 3‐octanone, 3‐octanol, 2‐octen‐1‐ol, and 2‐nonanone; while the less toxic molds produced more 3‐methyl‐1‐butanol and 2‐methyl‐1‐propanol, or an overall lower amount of volatiles. Our data support the hypothesis that at certain concentrations, some VOCs emitted by indoor molds are toxigenic.     

Alkaline cooking (nixtamalisation) and the reduction in the in vivo toxicity of fumonisin-contaminated corn in a rat feeding bioassay

Nixtamalisation is a widely used food processing method in which whole kernel corn is cooked and steeped in alkaline water. It reduces the amount of fumonisin B1 (FB₁) that can be detected after cooking. However, the fate of FB₁ during nixtamalisation is not fully understood and potentially toxic reaction products, including matrix-associated “masked” FB₁ forms that are not detected by routine analytical methods might remain in nixtamalised corn. To assess how nixtamalisation of whole kernel corn affects fumonisin toxicity, male rats were fed diets containing low, mid or high levels of uncooked (LU, MU, HU) or alkaline cooked (LC, MC, HC) FB₁-contaminated corn for 3 weeks. The control diet contained uncontaminated corn only. Apoptotic kidney lesions of the type caused by FB₁ were not found in the LC or MC groups. Lesions in the group fed HC were minimal and less severe than those found in the rats fed LU, MU or HU. Furthermore, significantly increased sphinganine and sphingosine concentrations indicative of FB₁ exposure were found in the kidneys of the rats given LU, MU or HU. Concentrations were also elevated, but to a lesser extent, in rats fed HC, whereas sphinganine and sphingosine concentrations in rats given LC or MC did not differ from the control group. FB₁ concentrations in the LC (0.08?mg?kg^?1), MC (0.13?mg?kg^?1) and HC (0.37?mg?kg^?1) diets were markedly reduced compared with their LU (1.8?mg?kg^?1), MU (3.5?mg?kg^?1) and HU (4.2?mg?kg^?1) counterparts as determined by HPLC (n?= 1 analysis/diet). Taken together, the findings show that nixtamalisation is an effective cooking method for reducing the potential toxicity of FB₁ contaminated corn.     

Assessment of PCDD/F,PCB, OCP and BPA dietary exposure of non-breast-fed European infants

The aim of this study is to obtain data on the exposure of non-breast-fed infants to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), organochlorine pesticides (OCP), and bisphenol A (BPA) and its chlorinated derivatives through consumption of commercial infant foods with largest shares of the market in 22 European Union countries. The E-Screen bioassay was employed to assess the oestrogenicity of the baby foods and the ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) induction was measured to determine the levels of PCDD/F and PCB. Consequently, the highest total effective xenoestrogen burden (TEXB) of 73.60?pM?Eeq?g^?1 was found in the soy-based formula and the EROD bioassay was always below the limit of quantification (LOQ) (3.5?pg?g^?1). Overall, the estimated dietary exposure to BPA via commercial baby foods was lower than the tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 50?µg?kg^?1 body weight (bw). Furthermore, the findings indicated that the dietary exposure of 0–9-month-old infants through the products investigated here does not exceed the maximum TDI of 4?pg WHO-TEQ (toxic equivalents)?kg^?1 bw. However, exposure to more than 2?pg WHO-TEQ?kg^?1?bw?day^?1 might occur for 0–4-month-old infants consuming ‘starting’ hypoallergenic formula. Moreover, analysis of OCP indicated that the dietary exposure of non-breast-fed infants was not harmful. Considering the importance of early development and the vulnerability of infants and children, it is essential to determine their dietary exposure to contaminants in order to decide which efforts of risk reduction should receive highest priority.     

Electrophysiological and Behavioral Responses of a Cuban Population of the Sweet Potato Weevil to its Sex Pheromone

The sex pheromone of feral sweet potato weevils Cylas formicarius elegantulus from Cuba was found, via solid-phase microextraction analysis, to be identical to (Z)-3-dodecenyl (E)-2-butenoate, a previously reported compound. Females emitted 20 pg pheromone d⁻¹. In scanning electron microscopy studies carried out on the male antenna, we identified several types of sensilla: sensilla trichoidea of type 1 (ST1) as long hairs (100–150 μm), sensilla trichoidea of type 2 as short hairs (50–60 μm), sensilla basiconica of type 1 as thick pegs (20–25 μm), sensilla basiconica of type 2 as curved pegs (10–15 μm), and sensilla basiconica of type 3 as thin and straight short pegs (15–20 μm). The same types were observed in female antennae but ST1 were far less abundant than in males. Sensilla chaetica were also found on the flagellum subsegments in both sexes. In electrophysiological tests, the crotonate function in the pheromone structure proved to be critical for activity since regular depolarizations (0.6–0.8 mV) were obtained with puffs on 1 μg of the attractant, but not with puffs of the formate, acetate, propionate, or butyrate analogue of the pheromone. In a double dual-choice olfactometer, males showed maximum activity between the 4th and the 8th hr of scotophase at a dose of 50–1000 ng of pheromone. In field tests, a correlation between the contents of the Z,E isomer in the pheromone formulation with activity was noticed, and baits containing this isomer of stereomeric purity >94% showed the highest attractivity. The presence of 5% of the Z,Z isomer in the lure did not induce any synergistic or inhibitory effect, and the alcohol precursor of the pheromone was inactive. The results show that use of a stereomerically pure pheromone may not be necessary in pest control strategies.     

A Feeding Stimulant for Manduca sexta from Solanum surattenses

The acceptance of Solanum surattenses as a host plant for the larvae of Manduca sexta was explained by the presence of feeding stimulants in foliage. Bioassay-guided fractionation of plant extracts resulted in the isolation of a highly active compound (1), which was identified as a furostan derivative {26-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(25R)-furosta-5-ene-3-β-yl-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1″-2′)-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1′″-3″)-O-β-d-glucopyranoside}. This compound has the same steroidal core substructure as that in a stimulant (indioside D) previously identified from potato foliage. However, the sugar substituents attached to the core are different.     

Identification of olfactory cues used in host-plant finding by diamondback moth,Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)

Olfactory attraction of female diamondback moths (Plutella xylostella) to odors of intact and homogenized host plants, as well as individual compounds characteristic of host plants, were investigated by behavioral and electrophysiological methods. Moths were attracted to odors ofBrassica juncea andB. napus seedlings in a Y-tube bioassay. Solvent fractions of homogenizedB. juncea leaves were attractive to moths whether or not isothiocyanates (IC) were present. Moths were attracted in Y-tube bioassays and to field traps baited with individual ICs. Volatiles fromB. juncea andB. napus elicited an electroantennogram (EAG) response and were attractive in the Y-tube bioassay. Allyl IC was shown to be the attractive component in homogenized plant volatiles but was found to be virtually absent from intact plant volatiles. Gas chromatographic fractionation of intact plant volatiles revealed a terpene-containing fraction to be most attractive to the moths. We were unable to isolate individual attractive compounds from this fraction. Our results suggest that certain elements of this fraction, possibly in combination, are important olfactory cues for host-plant finding by the diamondback moth with mustard oils playing an important and possibly synergistic role, particularly when plants are damaged.