High-performance organized media-enhanced spectrofluorimetric determination of pirimiphos-methyl in maize.

A novel method for the determination of pirimiphos-methyl (PMM) in maize grains by fluorescence spectroscopy and three-way calibration was developed. The formation of supramolecular complexes and their effect on the luminescence properties of PMM were studied. A solvent extraction step followed by solid phase extraction for sample clean-up was optimized. A chemometric approach consisting in PARAFAC as second-order data processing tool and piecewise direct standardization (PDS) for reducing the complexity of the calibration process was developed to overcome the matrix effect. This strategy allowed dealing with the matrix effect while reducing the number of samples to be processed and, consequently, the solvent consumption and the total analysis time. Finally, three-way calibration was applied to predict the PMM concentration in unknown samples. The mean recovery was 115% and the limits of detection and quantitation were in the order of the parts per trillion, i.e. 6 and 20 ng g-1, respectively.

Evaluation of risk assessment guideline levels for the chemical warfare agents mustard, GB, and VX.

The U.S. Army has estimated acute lethality guideline levels for inhalation of the chemical warfare agents mustard, GB, and VX. These levels are expressed as dosages measured in milligram-minutes per cubic meter (mg-min/m(3)). The National Advisory Council has also proposed acute emergency guideline levels (AEGLs) for the agents. The AEGLs are threshold exposure limits for the general public for mild effects, serious adverse effects, and lethality. They are expressed as air concentrations (in units of mg/m(3)) and are applicable to emergency exposure periods ranging from 10 min to 8 h. The report discusses strengths and deficiencies in the levels, important parameters (i.e., exposure time, breathing rate) that need to be explicitly addressed in deriving the guideline levels, and possible impacts that could result from using AEGLs instead of guideline dosages in future assessments.

[Standardization of miral levels in the soil]. / Normirovanie soderzhaniia mirala v pochve.

On the basis of results of studies on experimental substantiation of MAC for miral in soil it has been found out, that the sub-threshold miral amounts according to the water-migrational, air-migrational, translocational and general sanitary indices of harmfulness equal 0.03, 3, 0.03 and 0.15 mg/kg respectively. Therefore, water-migrational and translocational indices are the limiting indices of harmfulness for miral. 0.03 mg per 1 kg of absolutely dry soil is recommended for miral MAC according to the acting substance.

Efficiency and safety of methidathion applied as a pour-on systemic insecticide for control of cattle lice.

Methidathion applied to cattle as a pour-on insecticide for control of lice (predominantly Linognathus vituli, but also Haematopinus eurysternus and Damalinia bovis) caused a reduction in the lice population of approximately 98% to 99% in laboratory trials at the minimum recommended dose of 4 mg/kg and a 98.8% to 100% efficiency was achieved in field trials. In a comparative efficiency trial in the laboratory methidathion at 3.5 to 5 mg/kg reduced the lice population by 98.8% to 99%, fenthion by 98.5% at 4.5 mg/kg and famphur by 99.7% at 16.5 mg/kg. Methidathion was tolerated by calves aged 15 to 20 weeks at dose rates up to 40 mg/kg indicating an approximate 7 fold safety margin, but 1 of 4 calves treated at 50 mg/kg died following treatment. Treatment with fenthion at 50 mg/kg, 7.4 times the average recommended rate, famphur at 75 mg/kg, 3 times the average rate and chlorpyrifos at 85 mg/kg, 5 times average rate, caused reductions in whole blood cholinesterase activity of 52%, 27% and 47% respectively which were similar to the reductions in cholinesterase activity found in calves treated with methidathion at similar levels above the recommended commercial dose rates. It was found that 2 day old calves were more sensitive to treatment with methidathion than calves 9 or 16 days old. A further 11,900 cattle of varying age, breed and sex were treated with methidathion under field conditions at the recommended rate of 4 to 8 mg/kg, and 534 cattle were treated at 24 mg/kg without any signs of toxicity.