Marwa Farouk Gad

Pesticide residues from agrochemicals pose significant environmental and public health risks due to their persistence and widespread contamination of soil, water, and crops. The persistent challenge of pesticide contamination requires innovative and sustainable treatment strategies to safeguard public health and environmental integrity. Although wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are designed to mitigate these pollutants, their efficiency varies, and certain pesticides persist or transform into more toxic by-products during treatment. Therefore, developing alternative methods for the effective removal of pesticide residues is imperative. This review critically evaluates the potential of adsorption, particularly using green adsorbents, as a sustainable and efficient approach for removing pesticide contaminants from soil and wastewater. Green adsorbents, derived from agricultural and industrial by-products such as sea materials, biomasses, humic acid, spent mushroom substrate, biochar, and cellulose-based adsorbents, offer a cost-effective, abundant, and environmentally friendly solution for soil treatment and water purification. Their high pollutant-binding capacity, selectivity, and affinity make them promising candidates for widespread application in soil and wastewater treatment. Ongoing research focuses on optimizing the scalability and real-world application of these adsorbents for large-scale remediation efforts. In conclusion, addressing the risks posed by pesticide residues necessitates revisiting agricultural practices and wastewater treatment strategies. The integration of green adsorbents offers a sustainable approach to mitigating pesticide contamination, thereby protecting public health and supporting environmental sustainability. This review highlights the importance of adopting green adsorbents as viable alternatives to conventional treatment methods, emphasizing their potential to revolutionize wastewater management and mitigate the adverse impacts of pesticide residues on ecosystems and human well-being.

Synthetic pesticides have adverse effects on both the environment and human health. These chemical compounds can leave residues that contaminate food, water, and soil, thereby posing risks to consumers, workers, and bystanders exposed to pesticides. The primary objective of this study was to determine the levels of pesticide residues in water, fish, and sediment samples collected from various locations in Lake Manzala, Egypt. Additionally, the study aimed to assess the health risks associated with consuming tilapia fish from Lake Manzala, which is known to be contaminated with pesticide residues. Water, sediment, and fish samples were collected from five different locations within Lake Manzala. The samples were analyzed for the presence of pesticide residues, 402 pesticides. For each detected pesticide, the study calculated the Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) and the Hazard Index (HI), considering both individual and combined residues. Results showed that a total of 22 pesticides were detected in water samples, 24 in sediment samples, and 20 in fish samples. The type and concentration of pesticides varied across the sampling locations. Notably, Genka El-Mataria, Bahr El Baqur, and the Old Sea Outlet had the highest pesticide residues. The most common pesticides found in all samples included Cadusafos, Cyprodinil, Thiram, aldicarb-sulfone-NH4+, and cyfluthrin-NH4+. The environmental samples (water, sediment, and fish) contained a total of 42 pesticide residues, spanning different categories: 18 insecticides, 13 herbicides, 9 fungicides, 1 nematicide, and 1 parasitic pesticide. Of the detected residues, 60.71% were from registered pesticides, while 39.29% were from unregistered or discontinued ones. The most prevalent chemical groups were pyrethroids, dinitroaniline, and organophosphorus compounds. The findings of our study indicate that the pesticide concentrations in the fish samples from Lake Manzala were below the acceptable daily intake (ADI) threshold. Furthermore, the health risk index (HI) for each individual pesticide, as well as their combined effect, was lowers than 1 (HI < 1). Consequently, the fish from Lake Manzala are deemed safe for consumption and do not pose any human health hazards related to pesticide exposure.

Pesticides are widely used around the world to increase crop production. They also have negative impacts on animals, humans, and the ecosystem. This is the first report evaluating a novel pomegranate-extract-loaded clove-oil-based nanoemulsion (PELCN) and its potential for reducing oxidative stress and DNA damage, as well as its hepatoprotective effects against imidacloprid (IM) and chlorpyrifos (CPF) toxicity in male rats. The benchmark dose (BMD) approach was also used to study the dose–response toxicity of IM and CPF. IM and CPF were administered daily for 28 days at doses of 14, 28, and 54 mg/kg body weight (bw) of IM and 1, 2, and 4 mg/kg bw of CPF via drinking water. The PELCN was administered orally at a dose of 50 mg/kg bw/day of pomegranate extract, 500 mg/kg bw of the clove oil nanoemulsion, and IM or CPF at high doses in the drinking water. In male rats, IM and CPF caused a reduction in body weight gain and hepatotoxic effects as evidenced by increases in the liver enzymes AST, ALT, and ALP. They caused oxidative damage in the liver of male rats as indicated by the decreased liver activity of the GST, GPX, SOD, and CAT enzymes and decreased serum TAC. IM and CPF produced a significant dose-dependent increase in DNA damage in hepatocyte cells, resulting in moderate to severe liver damage with cells that are more inflammatory and have enlarged sinusoids and compacted nuclei. IM had a higher BMD than CPF for both body and liver weight, suggesting that CPF was more dose-dependently toxic than IM. Albumin was a highly sensitive liver biomarker for IM, while total protein was a biomarker for the CPF-treated rats. GPx was an extremely sensitive biomarker of oxidative stress in the IM treatment, while CAT and GPx were highly sensitive parameters in the CPF-treated rats. Therefore, at comparable doses, CPF has a higher potential to cause liver damage and oxidative stress than IM. The hepatotoxicity of IM and CPF can be mitigated by administering a nanoemulsion containing clove oil and pomegranate extract. The nanoemulsion acts as a protector against the oxidative stress caused by these insecticides, especially at high doses. The nanoemulsion based on clove oil increases the bioavailability and stability of the pomegranate extract, which has antioxidant properties.

Pendimethalin (PND) is a dinitroaniline herbicide widely used to control broadleaf and annual grasses. Although the acute oral toxicity of PND is >5 g/kg b.wt. in humans (LD₅₀ for rats >5000 g/kg b.wt.), it has been classified as a possible human carcinogen. It is still used in agriculture so agricultural workers and their families, as well as consumers, can be exposed to this herbicide. The present study is the first report investigating the dose–response effect using the benchmark dose (BMD) and the adverse effects of exposure to PND at low dose via apoptosis responses linked to the expression of tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), FAS and BAX proteins; oxidative stress; and DNA and liver damage in female rats. The rats were exposed to PND via drinking water at doses equivalent to no‐observed‐adverse‐effect level (NOAEL = 100 mg/kg b.wt.), 200 and 400 mg/kg b.wt. for 28 days. PND caused the overexpression of TNF‐α, FAS and BAX; increased the levels of serum liver biomarkers; and increased oxidative stress in the liver and erythrocytes. Furthermore, it induced DNA and liver damage in a dose‐dependent manner. The BMD showed that serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total antioxidant capacity (78.4 and 30.1 mg/kg b.wt./day, respectively), lipid peroxidation in liver tissue (30.9 mg/kg b.wt./day), catalase in erythrocytes (14.0 mg/kg b.wt./day) and FAS expression in liver tissue (6.89 mg/kg b.wt./day) were highly sensitive biomarkers of PND toxicity. Our findings suggest the generation of reactive oxygen species as a possible mechanism of PND‐induced gene overexpression of tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), FAS and BAX proteins, oxidative stress and DNA and liver damage in female rats.

The mechanism of renal toxicity after exposure to pesticides is not completed known until now. Some scientists suggested that the accumulation of pesticide residues in kidney tissue is one theory for explaining how pesticides alter kidney function and cause cell injury. This study is, therefore, the first one to explain the mechanism of pirimiphos-methyl (PM) induce kidney dysfunction and damage in mice. The ameliorative effect of Origanum majorana leaves extract against renal dysfunction and damage. The effect of pirimiphos-methyl (PM) on gene expression, DNA damage, oxidant/antioxidant status and renal toxicity of male mice were studied. Chemical fingerprint by HPLC and GC/MS of O. majorana leave extract and their ameliorative role was investigated. Mice received PM orally at dose 12.0 mg/kg b. wt. (1/10 LD50) for four weeks with or without plant extracts at dose 150 and 300 mg/kg. b. wt. Phenolic and flavonoid compounds e.g., gallic acid, protocatechuic and cateachin while beta-terpineol (25.71%), gamma-terpineol (15.03%), (-)-spathulenol (10.79%), terpinen-4-ol (10.59%), terpineol (10.08%) and trans-caryophyllene by GC-MS analysis. Pirimiphos methyl increased molecule-1 gene (KIM-1) relative expression and increased percentage of the cell with DNA damage in kidney tissue of mice. It changed antioxidant biomarkers such as glutathione-s-transferees (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) in the kidney. They enhanced the concentration of uric acid and creatinine in serum and caused histopathological alterations in the kidney tissue. Co-administration of plant extract restored serum kidney function and oxidative stress biomarkers within the normal range especially at a high dose of plant extracts. It can be concluded that the mechanism of renal damage induced by PM could be due to the effect on molecule-1 gene (KIM-1) expression and damage DNA in the renal cells. The mechanism of change in kidney function and injure could be due to the imbalance between oxidant/antioxidant status because of producing reactive oxygen species. Administration of O. majorana extract ameliorates KIM-1 gene expiration, reduced DNA damage, and improved kidney function and protect renal cells via their scavenger ability to free radicals. These findings indicated that leave extract of O. majorana could be used as a tea to protect agricultural workers and pesticide sprayers against oxidative damage and kidney injury induced by pesticides.