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Salivary concentrations of atrazine reflect free atrazine plasma levels in rats.

The protein binding of atrazine in plasma and its effect on salivary excretion of atrazine was determined in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The degree of protein binding of atrazine was determined at 3 steady-state plasma concentrations, 50, 150, and 250 microg/L, using an ultrafiltration technique. In total, 48 arterial blood samples were collected from 18 rats; 38 of 48 blood samples had their time-matched whole saliva samples. The average protein binding of atrazine ranged from 18% to 37%; however, it was not significantly different across the 3 steady-state plasma concentrations nor among the individual rats. Overall, 26% of atrazine was bound to plasma proteins and not available for transport from blood into saliva. Protein binding of atrazine in plasma was not correlated with total atrazine plasma concentration nor with free atrazine plasma concentration, which indicates that the protein-bound fraction of atrazine is independent of plasma concentration within the range measured in this study (30-400 microg/L). The average saliva/plasma (S/P) concentration ratio of atrazine increased from 0.7 using total atrazine plasma concentration to 0.94 (S/fP) when free atrazine plasma concentrations calculated as 26% of protein binding was used. Salivary concentration was highly correlated with free atrazine plasma concentration. The results suggest that salivary concentration of atrazine not only reflects its total plasma level but accurately measures the portion of atrazine (free atrazine) in plasma, which may be of toxicological significance.

Animals↗

Field-scale remediation of atrazine-contaminated soil using recombinant Escherichia coli expressing atrazine chlorohydrolase.

We performed the first field-scale atrazine remediation study in the United States using chemically killed, recombinant organisms. This field study compared biostimulation methods for enhancing atrazine degradation with a novel bioaugmentation protocol using a killed and stabilized whole-cell suspension of recombinant Escherichia coli engineered to overproduce atrazine chlorohyrolase, AtzA. AtzA dechlorinates atrazine, producing non-toxic and non-phytotoxic hydroxyatrazine. Soil contaminated by an accidental spill of atrazine (up to 29,000 p.p.m.) supported significant populations of indigenous microorganisms capable of atrazine catabolism. Laboratory experiments indicated that supplementing soil with carbon inhibited atrazine biodegradation, but inorganic phosphate stimulated atrazine biodegradation. A subsequent field-scale study consisting of nine (0.75m3) treatment plots was designed to test four treatment protocols in triplicate. Control plots contained moistened soil; biostimulation plots received 300p.p.m. phosphate; bioaugmentation plots received 0.5% (w/w) killed, recombinant E. coli cells encapsulating AtzA; and combination plots received phosphate plus the enzyme-containing cells. After 8 weeks, atrazine levels declined 52% in plots containing killed recombinant E. coli cells, and 77% in combination plots. In contrast, atrazine levels in control and biostimulation plots did not decline significantly. These data indicate that genetically engineered bacteria overexpressing catabolic genes significantly increased degradation in this soil heavily contaminated with atrazine.

Atrazine↗

Infiltration and adsorption of dissolved atrazine and atrazine metabolites in buffalograss filter strips.

Vegetated filter strips (VFS) potentially reduce the off-site movement of herbicides from adjacent agricultural fields by increasing herbicide mass infiltrated (Minf) and mass adsorbed (Mas) compared with bare field soil. However, there are conflicting reports in the literature concerning the contribution of Mas to the VFS herbicide trapping efficiency (TE). Moreover, no study has evaluated TE among atrazine (6-chloro-N-ethyl-N'-isopropyl-[1,3,5]triazine-2,4-diamine) and atrazine metabolites. This study was conducted to compare TE, Minf, and Mas among atrazine, diaminoatrazine (DA, 6-chloro[1,3,5]triazine-2,4-diamine), deisopropylatrazine (DIA, 6-chloro-N-ethyl-[1,3,5]triazine-2,4-diamine), desethylatrazine (DEA, 6-chloro-N-isopropyl-[1,3,5]triazine-2,4-diamine), and hydroxyatrazine (HA, 6-hydroxy-N-ethyl-N'-isopropyl-[1,3,5]triazine-2,4-diamine) in a buffalograss VFS. Runoff was applied as a point source upslope of a 1- x 3-m microwatershed plot at a rate of 750 L h(-1). The point source was fortified at 0.1 microg mL(-1) atrazine, DA, DIA, DEA, and HA. After crossing the length of the plot, water samples were collected at 5-min intervals. Water samples were extracted by solid phase extraction and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) photodiode array detection. During the 60-min simulation, TE was significantly greater for atrazine (22.2%) compared with atrazine metabolites (19.0%). Approximately 67 and 33% of the TE was attributed to Minf and Mas, respectively. These results demonstrate that herbicide adsorption to the VFS grass, grass thatch, and/or soil surface is an important retention mechanism, especially under saturated conditions. Values for Mas were significantly higher for atrazine compared with atrazine's metabolites. The Mas data indicate that atrazine was preferentially retained by the VFS grass, grass thatch, and/or soil surface compared with atrazine's metabolites.

Adsorption↗

Rapid atrazine mineralisation in soil slurry and moist soil by inoculation of an atrazine-degrading Pseudomonas sp. strain.

The evaluation of pesticide-mineralising microorganisms to clean-up contaminated soils was studied with the widely applied and easily detectable compound atrazine, which is rapidly mineralised by several microorganisms including the Pseudomonas sp. strain Yaya 6. The rate of atrazine removal was proportional to the water content of the soil and the amount of bacteria added to the soil. In soil slurry, 6 mg atrazine kg soil-1 was eliminated within 1 day after application of 0.3 g dry weight inoculant biomass kg soil-1 and within 5 days when 0.003 g kg soil-1 was used. In partially saturated soil (60% of the maximal water-holding capacity) 15 mg atrazine kg soil-1 was used. In unsaturated soil, about 60% [U-ring-14C] atrazine was converted to 14CO2 within 14 days. Atrazine was very efficiently removed by the inoculant biomass, not only in soil that was freshly contaminated but also in soil aged with atrazine for up to 260 days. The bacteria exposed to atrazine in unsaturated sterile soil were still active after starvation period of 240 days: 15 mg newly added atrazine kg soil-1 was eliminated within 5 days.

Atrazine↗

Residues of atrazine and N-deethylated atrazine in water from five agricultural watersheds in Québec.

Atrazine (2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-s-triazine) and N-deethylated atrazine (2-chloro-4-amino-6-isopropylamino-s-triazine) were monitored (1974 and 1975) in five rivers which drained agricultural areas in the Yamaska river basin of Québec. Water samples were collected frequently from April to December each year from sites near the outflow of each river. The water samples were extracted with benzene, chloroform, or ethyl acetate and the extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography using a Hall electrolytic conductivity detector and an alkali-flame detector. Atrazine and N-deethylated atrazine residues ranged in concentration from 0.01 to 26.6 microgram/L and less than 0.01 to 1.34 microgram/L, respectively, over the monitoring period. The highest levels of atrazine were observed in July each year and they coincided with the herbicide spraying season in this region and with occasional heavy rainfall events. Discharges (kg/yr) of atrazine from the five rivers were related to corn-growing area in each watershed. Losses of atrazine ranged from 0.1 to 2.9% of the atrazine that was estimated to have been applied in each watershed.

Atrazine↗

Bioremediation of atrazine-contaminated soil by repeated applications of atrazine-degrading bacteria.

Bioaugmentation has previously been unreliable for the in situ clean-up of contaminated soils because of problems with poor survival and the rapid decline in activity of the bacterial inoculum. In an attempt to solve these problems, a 500-l batch fermenter was investigated for its ability to deliver inoculum repeatedly to contaminated soils via irrigation lines. In a field experiment, mesocosms were filled with 350 kg soil containing 100 mg kg-1 atrazine, and inoculated one, four or eight times with an atrazine-degrading bacterial consortium that was produced in the fermenter. After 12 weeks, no significant degradation of atrazine had occurred in soil that was inoculated only once; whereas, mesocosms inoculated four and eight times mineralized 38% and 72% of the atrazine respectively. Similar results were obtained in a laboratory experiment using soil contaminated with 100 mg kg-1 [14C]atrazine. After 35 days, soil that was inoculated once with 10(8) cfu ml-1 of the consortium or with the atrazine-degrading bacterium, Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP, mineralized 17% and 35% of the atrazine respectively. In comparison, microcosms inoculated every 3 days with the consortium or with Pseudomonas sp. (ADP) mineralized 64% or 90% of the atrazine over this same period. Results of these experiments suggest that repeated inoculation from an automated fermenter may provide a strategy for bioaugmentation of contaminated soil with xenobiotic-degrading bacteria.

Atrazine↗

Influence of microbial inoculation (Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP), the enzyme atrazine chlorohydrolase, and vegetation on the degradation of atrazine and metolachlor in soil.

The concentrations of atrazine in the freshly added soils and the soils that had been incubated for 50 days significantly decreased 1 day after the addition of the enzyme atrazine chlorohydrolase or the soil bacterium Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP as compared with those in the uninoculated soils. Atrazine chlorohydrolase or ADP had no effect on the degradation of metolachlor. The half-lives of atrazine in the freshly added soils and in the aged soils after the treatment with atrazine chlorohydrolase or ADP markedly decreased as compared with those in the uninoculated soils. The half-lives of metolachlor in the aged soils were much longer than those of freshly added metolachlor. The percentage atrazine degraded in the freshly treated soils was much higher than that in the aged soils. This indicates that aging significantly decreased the bioavailability of atrazine. Vegetation significantly decreased the concentration of metolachlor. However, vegetation showed no effect on the degradation of atrazine.

Acetamides↗

Monitoring of atrazine treatment on soil bacterial, fungal and atrazine-degrading communities by quantitative competitive PCR.

We report the development of quantitative competitive (QC) PCR assays for quantifying the 16S, 18S ribosomal and atzC genes in nucleic acids directly extracted from soil. QC-PCR assays were standardised, calibrated and evaluated with an experimental study aiming to evaluate the impact of atrazine application on soil microflora. Comparison of QC-PCR 16S and 18S results with those of soil microbial biomass showed that, following atrazine application, the microbial biomass was not affected and that the amount of 16S rDNA gene representing 'bacteria' increased transitorily, while the amount of 18S rDNA gene representing fungi decreased in soil. In addition, comparison of atzC QC-PCR results with those of atrazine mineralisation revealed that, in response to atrazine treatment, the amount of atzC gene increased transitorily in soil pre-treated with atrazine, suggesting that accelerated atrazine biodegradation in soil could be due to a transient increase in the size of the atrazine mineralising community.

Atrazine↗

Evaluation of DNA damage induced by atrazine and atrazine-based herbicide in human lymphocytes in vitro using a comet and DNA diffusion assay.

Atrazine is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world. When applied, it is not used as a pure active ingredient but in the form of commercial formulations. Besides atrazine, these formulations contain other substances that might represent a risk to human health due to their mutual interactions. We evaluated the genotoxicity, apoptosis and necrosis induction of atrazine as an active ingredient, the commercial formulation Gesaprim, and a Gesaprim adjuvant mixture without atrazine by comet and DNA diffusion assay, respectively. Human lymphocytes were treated for 0.5, 1, 3, 5, and 8 h with 0.047 microg/ml, 0.47 microg/ml, 4.7 microg/ml of substances tested both in the presence and in the absence of an exogenous metabolic activator. Atrazine did not appear to be genotoxic or to be capable of inducing apoptosis or necrosis. Unlike atrazine, Gesaprime and the adjuvant mixture increased DNA damage in lymphocytes. After 5 h of treatment, it also increased the number of apoptotic cells. Metabolic activation additionally enhanced the DNA-damaging potential of Gesaprim and the adjuvant mixture but did not affect atrazine genotoxicity. Thus, both assay endpoints differed significantly for the active ingredient and formulation. To evaluate the potential health risk of simultaneous exposure to adjuvants and an active ingredient, further efforts using a biomonitoring approach should be made.

Animals↗

Substrate specificity of atrazine chlorohydrolase and atrazine-catabolizing bacteria.

Bacterial atrazine catabolism is initiated by the enzyme atrazine chlorohydrolase (AtzA) in Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP. Other triazine herbicides are metabolized by bacteria, but the enzymological basis of this is unclear. Here we begin to address this by investigating the catalytic activity of AtzA by using substrate analogs. Purified AtzA from Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP catalyzed the hydrolysis of an atrazine analog that was substituted at the chlorine substituent by fluorine. AtzA did not catalyze the hydrolysis of atrazine analogs containing the pseudohalide azido, methoxy, and cyano groups or thiomethyl and amino groups. Atrazine analogs with a chlorine substituent at carbon 2 and N-alkyl groups, ranging in size from methyl to t-butyl, all underwent dechlorination by AtzA. AtzA catalyzed hydrolytic dechlorination when one nitrogen substituent was alkylated and the other was a free amino group. However, when both amino groups were unalkylated, no reaction occurred. Cell extracts were prepared from five strains capable of atrazine dechlorination and known to contain atzA or closely homologous gene sequences: Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP, Rhizobium strain PATR, Alcaligenes strain SG1, Agrobacterium radiobacter J14a, and Ralstonia picketti D. All showed identical substrate specificity to purified AtzA from Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP. Cell extracts from Clavibacter michiganensis ATZ1, which also contains a gene homologous to atzA, were able to transform atrazine analogs containing pseudohalide and thiomethyl groups, in addition to the substrates used by AtzA from Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP. This suggests that either (i) another enzyme(s) is present which confers the broader substrate range or (ii) the AtzA itself has a broader substrate range.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Atrazine-selective polymers prepared by molecular imprinting of trialkylmelamines as dummy template species of atrazine

Synthetic polymer receptors selective for atrazine have been prepared by molecular imprinting using trialkylmelamines as template molecules in place of atrazine. Trialkylmelamines were shown to be useful as templates for introducing affinity for atrazine into ethylene glycol dimethacrylate-methacrylic acid copolymers. The polymers showed the selective binding capacity for triazine herbicides including atrazine, whereas agrochemicals in other categories were not adsorbed to the imprinted polymers. The group selectivity demonstrated was comparable with that of the original atrazine imprinted polymers. Use of the nonagrochemical template molecules as a substitution to atrazine has made it possible to synthesize herbicide-receptor polymers free from troubles caused by analyte contaminants, which are desired for analytical applications.

Journal Article↗

Atrazine in plasma and tissue following atrazine-aminotriazole-ethylene glycol-formaldehyde poisoning.

A high performance liquid chromatography method has been used to study the plasma kinetics of atrazine in a human fatality after ingestion of a herbicide mix containing atrazine, aminotriazole, ethylene glycol and formaldehyde. A hemodialysis was performed in an effort to eliminate these toxic substances. The mean atrazine clearance over 4 h was 250 mL/min and the dialysance of atrazine was calculated as 76%. On autopsy, the kidney showed the highest concentration of atrazine (97.62 micrograms/g-1 wet tissue) with lesser concentrations in the lung, small intestine and liver, and the lowest concentration in the heart.

Adult↗

Antigen--antibody interactions in the reverse micellar system: quenching of the fluorescence of fluorescein-labeled atrazine by antibodies against atrazine.

This work presents a new method for performing homogeneous fluoroimmunoassay in apolar organic media, quenching fluoroimmunoassay (QFIA). This method is based on utilization of the reverse micellar system of Aerosol OT (AOT) in n-octane as a medium for the analysis of compounds with low water solubility. It is shown using the system for determination of a hydrophobic pesticide atrazine as an example. The conjugate of atrazine with fluorescein (FA) serves as a label for fluorescence detection of antigen-antibody interaction in the reverse micellar system. The fluorescence quantum yield of this compound drastically depends on the micro-environment of the label in the reverse micelle system. Specifically, the binding of this conjugate with the antibodies solubilized in the reverse micelles results in fluorescence quenching. We found that quenching efficiency depends on the properties of the reverse micellar system (surfactant concentration, hydration degree w0, w0 = [water]/[surfactant], etc.). The optimal conditions for quenching of FA fluorescence by antibodies in reverse micelles of AOT in n-octane are low surfactant concentration and hydration degree, allowing one to get large reversed micelles (w0 = 15-20) capable of retaining solubilized antibodies. Addition of free atrazine results in displacement of the conjugate and restoration of its fluorescence. The sensitivity of the analysis to atrazine is only 10 times less than that of the commonly used method of homogeneous immunoassay, polarization fluoroimmunoassay, in aqueous solution using the same antibodies and conjugate. The advantage of QFIA in reverse micelles is that the analyte can be added when dissolved in nonpolar organic solvent.

Animals↗

Interaction of the herbicide atrazine with model membranes. II: Effect of atrazine on fusion of phospholipid vesicles.

The effect of atrazine on Ca2+ induced fusion of cardiolipin(CL) and phosphatidylserine (PS) vesicles is studied by Tb3+/dipicolinic acid fluorescence and turbidity measurements. The interaction of herbicide with CL and PS membranes is studied by DPH fluorescence polarization. At low concentrations the pesticide partially inhibits fusion, especially in CL vesicles. Higher concentrations of atrazine decrease inhibition of fusion in CL, while fusion is slightly increased in PS. The Ca2(+)-induced increase of turbidity is not affected by atrazine in both PS and CL aggregation experiments. DPH polarization measurements show a perturbation only of the membrane hydrophobic core of PS, in presence of Ca2+. It is hypothesized that this biphasic effect shown by low and high atrazine concentrations on Ca2(+)-induced fusion of vesicles is due to a different localization of the pesticide in the membrane.

Atrazine↗

Urinary atrazine metabolites as indicators for rat and human exposure to atrazine.

Rats were given atrazine (2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine) in drinking water for 1 or 3 weeks at 0.1 (0.45 mM), 0.2 (0.9 mM) or 0.5 g/l (2.3 mM) concentrations of the commercial agent. They excreted at both time points as the principal metabolite 2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-amino-s-trazine in a dose-dependent fashion. The same urine test was applied on 6 railway men engaged in the weeding operation of railway lines with known atrazine exposure measured with hygienic techniques in their breathing zone. The spectrum of their atrazine metabolites was comprised of fully N-dealkylated atrazine and 2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-amino-s-triazine. The sum of the two urinary metabolites reflected quantitatively the exposure.

Administration, Oral↗

Refined crystal structures of reaction centres from Rhodopseudomonas viridis in complexes with the herbicide atrazine and two chiral atrazine derivatives also lead to a new model of the bound carotenoid.

In a reaction of central importance to the energetics of photosynthetic bacteria, light-induced electron transfer in the reaction centre (RC) is coupled with the uptake of protons from the cytoplasm at the binding site of the secondary quinone (QB). It has been established by X-ray crystallography that the triazine herbicide terbutryn binds to the QB site. However, the exact description of protein-triazine interactions has had to await the refinement of higher-resolution structures. In addition, there is also interest in the role of chirality in the activity of herbicides. Here, we report the structural characterisation of triazine binding by crystallographic refinement of complexes of the RC either with the triazine inhibitor atrazine (Protein Data Bank (PDB) entry 5PRC) or with the chiral atrazine derivatives, DG-420314 (S(-) enantiomer, PDB entry 6PRC) or DG-420315 (R(+) enantiomer, PDB entry 7PRC). Due to the high quality of the data collected, it has been possible to describe the exact nature of triazine binding and its effect on the structure of the protein at high-resolution limits of 2.35 A (5PRC), 2.30 A (6PRC), and 2.65 A (7PRC), respectively. In addition to two previously implied hydrogen bonds, a third hydrogen bond, binding the distal side of the inhibitors to the protein, and four additional hydrogen bonds mediated by two tightly bound water molecules on the proximal side of the inhibitors, are apparent. Based on the high quality data collected on the RC complexes of the two chiral atrazine derivatives, unequivocal assignment of the structure at the chiral centres was possible, even though the differences in structures of the substituents are small. The structures provide explanations for the relative binding affinities of the two chiral compounds. Although it was not an explicit goal of this work, the new data were of sufficient quality to improve the original model also regarding the structure of the bound carotenoid 1,2-dihydroneurosporene. A carotenoid model with a cis double bond at the 15,15' position fits the electron density better than the original model with a 13,14-cis double bond.

Atrazine↗

A comparative study of effects of atrazine on xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes in fish and insect, and of the in vitro phase II atrazine metabolism in some fish, insects, mammals and one plant species.

1. Atrazine (3 daily i.p. doses of 0.20 mg/kg or 10 ppb in the water for 14 days) did not change the xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme activities (XME) towards the substrates aldrin epoxidase (AE), NADPH-cytochrome c reductase (NCCR), 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD), 1-chloro-2,4-dinitro-benzene (CDNB) and 1,2-dichloro-4-nitrobenzene (DCNB) in trout liver (Oncorhynchus mykiss) compared to the controls. 2. Various treatment regimens of atrazine in a semisynthetic diet changed the XME activities towards AE, NCCR, CDNB and DCNB in the cabbage moth (Mamestra brassica L.) soft tissues and midgut compared to the controls. 3. A life-long cabbage diet induced the XME activity towards CDNB in the cabbage moth soft tissues and midgut, whereas no differences in the activities towards AE, NCCR and DCNB were observed compared to controls on a semi-synthetic diet. 4. The cabbage moth GSTs bound poorly to a glutathione (GSH)-linked epoxy-activated Sepharose 6-B; however, based on the CDNB activity recovered by a GSH elution, there were no differences in the molecular weights of the partly purified subunits (27, 26 and 25 kDa) or the pIs (5.4, 4.8, and 4.1) of the molecules in the soft tissues or midguts from respectively atrazine treated and control cabbage moth.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗