Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology最新文献

{"title":"Integrated Study of Polyethylene Microplastic Degradation and Its Interaction with the Insecticide Imidacloprid: Chronic Toxicity to Daphnia similis","authors":"Maria Eduarda Kiihl,&nbsp;Thandy Junio da Silva Pinto,&nbsp;Mariana Amaral Dias,&nbsp;Cassiana Carolina Montagner,&nbsp;Evaldo Luiz Gaeta Espíndola,&nbsp;David Silva Alexandre","doi":"10.1007/s00244-026-01213-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00244-026-01213-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The presence of microplastics (MPs) in freshwater environments represents a growing environmental concern due to their persistence and ability to interact with contaminants such as pesticides. This study evaluated the influence of photodegradation on the toxicity of polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs), alone and combined with the pesticide Imidacloprid (IMI), on the cladoceran <i>Daphnia similis</i>. Microparticles of polyethylene were aged under UV-C radiation for 94 days and subsequently characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Surface analysis indicated polymer degradation through cracks and cavities, and increased surface roughness, while FTIR analyses showed polymer oxidation. Ecotoxicological results revealed that pristine MPs significantly reduced survival by 90% at 80 mg L⁻¹, while photodegraded MPs caused more pronounced sublethal effects, particularly on reproduction, with a 69.8% reduction in neonates at 140 mg L⁻¹. When associated with IMI, significant reductions in reproduction were observed, with a decrease of up to 75.7% in the number of neonates. However, the presence of IMI attenuated the toxicity of PE-MPs, evidencing an antagonistic interaction between the contaminants, particularly at concentrations of 80 and 140 mg L⁻¹ of pristine PE-MPs. Taken together, these results demonstrate that the interactions between MPs and pesticides, as well as the state of particle degradation, significantly modulate ecotoxicological effects, posing a potential risk to the ecological integrity of aquatic ecosystems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8377,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","volume":"91 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13538188/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148878719","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mercury Distribution in the Host–Parasite System of the Common Toad (Bufo bufo) Across Contrasting Habitats","authors":"Tímea Brázová,&nbsp;Eva Čisovská Bazsalovicsová,&nbsp;Ľudmila Juhásová,&nbsp;Yaroslav Syrota,&nbsp;Jozef Hančuľák,&nbsp;Michaela Hajdu","doi":"10.1007/s00244-026-01214-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00244-026-01214-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The present study investigates how host–parasite interactions influence mercury (Hg) distribution in the common toad (<i>Bufo bufo</i>) under contrasting environmental conditions. Using road-killed specimens as an ethical sampling source, Hg concentrations were quantified in multiple host tissues (muscle, liver, kidneys, lungs, and skin) and associated parasitic nematodes from two sites in eastern Slovakia with different contamination levels. In both populations, Hg accumulation followed a tissue-specific pattern, with the highest concentrations occurring in detoxification organs, particularly the kidneys and liver. Bayesian regression models revealed that habitat was the primary driver of Hg burdens, whereas biological factors, including sex and body condition factor, had no significant effect on host Hg concentrations. Parasitological analyses showed markedly higher infection levels at the contaminated site, with nematode prevalence reaching 100%, and females harbouring significantly higher parasite abundances than males. Morphometric analysis based on 14 measured traits revealed no differences between populations, suggesting that chronic Hg exposure did not induce detectable morphological divergence. Although parasite abundance was not a strong predictor of host Hg levels, bioconcentration factors indicated a concentration-dependent host–parasite interaction: under high environmental exposure, host detoxification organs accumulated more Hg than parasites, whereas at lower contamination levels, nematodes sequestered Hg more efficiently than host tissues. These findings emphasize that integrating host–parasite dynamics into ecotoxicological frameworks is essential for a comprehensive assessment of the biological fate of Hg in amphibian populations.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8377,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","volume":"91 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148838286","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Occurrence and Spatial Distribution of Pesticide Residues in Tropical Agricultural Soils of Northwestern Mexico","authors":"Francisco Alberto Verdín-Betancourt,&nbsp;Carlos Alberto Romero-Bañuelos,&nbsp;Aurora Elizabeth Rojas-García,&nbsp;Yael Yvette Bernal-Hernández,&nbsp;Briscia Socorro Barrón-Vivanco,&nbsp;Cyndia Azucena González-Arias,&nbsp;Miguel Alfonso Ruiz-Arias,&nbsp;Guadalupe Ponce-Vélez,&nbsp;José Francisco Herrera-Moreno,&nbsp;Pedro de Jesús Bastidas-Bastidas,&nbsp;Néstor Ponce-Ruíz,&nbsp;Irma Martha Medina-Díaz","doi":"10.1007/s00244-026-01211-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00244-026-01211-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Pesticide contamination in tropical agricultural soils represents a growing concern due to its impacts on environmental integrity and human health, particularly in transition zones where intensive agricultural converges with coastal wetlands. This study aimed to identify and quantify pesticide residues in soils from northwestern Mexico. Forty-eight composite soil samples were collected within a ≈ 30,000 ha polygon surrounding the study area in the municipality of Santiago Ixcuintla, one of the most agriculturally productive regions of the country. Sampling sites were preselected using remote sensing and geographic information systems. Pesticide extraction was performed using a modified QuEChERS method, and compounds were analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS and GC-TQ-MS/IT-MS. Of the 73 validated pesticides, 26 active ingredients (31.5%) were detected, including 19 insecticides, six fungicides, and one herbicide. Organochlorine compounds were the most frequently detected, with p,p′-DDE present in 97.9% of samples and chlorpyrifos in 87.0%. Total pesticide concentrations (ΣPesticides) ranged from 10.3 to 1491 ng/g. The highest concentrations were observed at sites 27, 36, and 43, exceeding the European Union’s soil limit (0.1 mg/kg). Spatial analysis revealed a heterogeneous distribution, with elevated concentrations associated with active agricultural areas and runoff pathways toward coastal wetlands. The predominance of chlorinated and aromatic pesticides indicates environmental persistence and bioaccumulation potential. These findings highlight the vulnerability of habitats adjacent to intensive agriculture and suggest that soils may function as contaminant reservoirs and secondary sources through dust resuspension or water transport. Improved understanding of pesticide degradation is essential for soil management strategies globally.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8377,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","volume":"91 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148782899","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Developmental Differences in the Organ-Specific Distribution of Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb in Free-Ranging Wild Boar (Sus scrofa)","authors":"Kei Okuda,&nbsp;Kazuto Nomura,&nbsp;Hiroko Ishiniwa,&nbsp;Akihisa Hata","doi":"10.1007/s00244-026-01210-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00244-026-01210-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Wild boar (<i>Sus scrofa</i>) have been used as sentinel species for monitoring environmental metal contamination; however, developmental variation in internal metal distribution remains poorly understood in free-ranging wildlife. Here, we investigated organ-specific distribution patterns of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) by explicitly comparing fetal and non-fetal wild boar collected in western Japan. A total of 13 individuals, including eight fetuses from two pregnant females, the two pregnant females, one adult male, and two juveniles, were analyzed. Metal concentrations were determined in muscle, heart, liver, kidney, and femur using ICP-MS, and relative organ distributions were evaluated using non-metric multidimensional scaling and permutational multivariate analysis of variance. Developmental differences were apparent for Cu, Cd, and Pb, whereas Zn exhibited stable distribution patterns across stages, suggesting maintained physiological regulation. Fetal individuals showed pronounced hepatic enrichment of Cu, reflecting active placental transport and developmental hepatic storage. In contrast, Cd displayed renal dominance exclusively in non-fetal individuals, indicating postnatal accumulation, while Pb showed relatively greater femoral contributions in non-fetal individuals despite low absolute concentrations. Together, these results suggest that multi-organ distribution patterns provide useful insight into developmental metal partitioning beyond absolute concentration data and highlight the importance of incorporating developmental context into ecotoxicological assessments of free-ranging wildlife under natural exposure conditions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8377,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","volume":"91 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148719132","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of the Capacity of Eleven Plant Species to Accumulate Potential Toxic Elements and Macronutrients in a Lead-Zinc Mining Area for the Purpose of Remediating Contaminated Soils","authors":"Parisa Moradkhani,&nbsp;Mohsen Jalali","doi":"10.1007/s00244-026-01207-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00244-026-01207-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The presence of potential toxic elements (PTEs) in water, soil, and plant resources poses a significant risk to human health. A field investigation on the content of PTEs and macronutrients in soils and 11 dominant plants (roots and shoots) from Ahangaran, a Pb–Zn mine in western Iran was carried out. The bioconcentration factors (BCF) for roots and shoots (BCF root, BCF shoot) based on both total and available PTEs and macronutrients in soils and translocation factors (TF) of 11 plant species were calculated. The average contents of total soil Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were 198, 124, 86, 38, and 5 times higher than their corresponding background values, respectively. The high and variable contents of P, K, Ca, and Mg, with lower Na, were observed across the plant species. Potential toxic elements like Pb, and Zn have high mobility indices in the soils, meaning these PTEs are more likely to be taken up by plants, potentially causing toxicity. Simultaneous presence of elevated levels of Pb, Fe, and Cd characterizes the contamination profile of the plants at the study locations. When various BCF values based on available PTEs in soils were taken into account, <i>Stachys inflata</i> and <i>Senecio gallicus</i> consistently function as effective phytostabilizers, exhibiting higher root accumulation than shoot accumulation and TF below 1 for all PTEs except <i>Stachys inflata</i> for Zn, making them the most reliable candidates for PTEs retention in roots. Conversely, <i>Phlomis olivieri</i>, <i>Euphorbia szovitsii</i>, and particularly <i>Achillea millefolium</i> consistently perform as phytoextractors across all six PTEs, displaying TF above 1 and high shoot bioconcentration factors, with <i>Achillea millefolium</i> showing exceptional TF (up to 3.03 for Fe). The native plant species identified in this study offer practical applicability for large-scale phytoremediation in similar semi-arid mining environments, enabling evidence-based selection of stabilizers for long-term PTEs containment and accumulators for active PTEs removal.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8377,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","volume":"91 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148719131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tissue weight-specific microplastics in the pearl oyster Pinctada maxima Jameson, 1901 to assess tourism-related pollutions in the Southeast Asia (Indonesia)","authors":"Nestiyanto Hadi,&nbsp;Andrio Adiwibowo","doi":"10.1007/s00244-026-01209-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00244-026-01209-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The habitats of the pearl oyster (<i>Pinctada maxima</i> Jameson, 1901) are facing competition from anthropogenic activities, particularly tourism, which is prevalent in the Southeast Asian region. This situation poses a threat to <i>P. maxima</i>, as such activities can lead to the emission of microplastics, a subject that has been little studied. This study aimed to investigate microplastic contamination in the tissues of <i>P. maxima</i> found in popular tourist destinations around Lombok Island, Indonesia. The tissues evaluated included the gills, mantle, digestive tract, muscle, and gonads. The result confirms that the tourist areas have smaller <i>P. maxima</i> individuals in terms of tissue weight and shell size and higher levels of microplastics compared to those from pristine areas. In both tourist and pristine areas, the microplastic concentrations in tissues followed this order: gills &gt; digestive tract &gt; gonads &gt; mantle &gt; muscle. Specifically, the gills of <i>P. maxima</i> in tourism areas had an average concentration of 12.09 particles/g ww, whereas those from pristine sites had 5.23 particles/g ww. The presence of microplastic in the mantle tissue in spite of the quantity indicates the reduced ability of oysters to remove inorganic particles due to the accumulation of microplastics. The predominant shapes of microplastics were granules/pellets, followed by films and fibers, while the most common colors were black and green. This study highlights the negative impact of marine tourism on marine resources. Additionally, it provides guidance on which tissues should be avoided and removed to ensure the safe consumption of oysters.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8377,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","volume":"91 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148590187","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of a Methodology for Analyzing Microplastics in Sewage Treatment Plants","authors":"Ivanilson da Silva de Aquino,&nbsp;Otilie Eichler Vercillo,&nbsp;Wellington Marcos da Silva,&nbsp;Alisson Mendes Rodrigues,&nbsp;Ariuska Karla Barbosa Amorim","doi":"10.1007/s00244-026-01208-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00244-026-01208-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Global pollution by MPs has become an emerging concern, and recent studies have focused on analyzing their presence in wastewater treatment systems. One of the main challenges in this field is the absence of standardized methods, reference materials, and comparative data. This study aimed to develop, optimize, and validate a methodological framework for the extraction and identification of MPs in wastewater matrices. Reference MPs were produced from the polymers such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS). To evaluate the integrity of these MPs after digestion, five Fenton reagent protocols were tested, and the carbonyl index was applied. For density-based separation, sodium chloride (NaCl) and zinc chloride (ZnCl₂) solutions at different concentrations were used in a density separation device. The MPs obtained presented irregular fragments ranging from 0.1 to 3.0 mm. FTIR analysis performed before and after Fenton digestion showed no significant spectral deviations. The optimal Fenton conditions involved temperatures between 40 and 60 °C and 2 h of reaction time. ZnCl₂ provided the best performance for particle recovery, ensuring high separation efficiency. The optimized methodology was subsequently validated using raw wastewater and dewatered sewage sludge collected from a full-scale WWTP. The validation demonstrated effective organic matter removal, successful recovery of spiked MPs, and reliable identification of native MPs present in the environmental samples. Overall, the proposed methodology proved to be a robust and reliable approach for the extraction and characterization of MPs in complex wastewater matrices, providing methodological support for future monitoring programs and contributing to the development of standardized protocols for MPs analysis.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8377,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","volume":"91 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13388355/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148534902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Combined Effects of Copper Exposure and Hypoxia on Zebrafish Behaviour","authors":"Brendan Lavery,&nbsp;Chris M. Wood,&nbsp;Lauren Zink","doi":"10.1007/s00244-026-01203-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00244-026-01203-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Copper (Cu) and hypoxia are two environmentally relevant stressors that are increasing globally due to natural and anthropogenic influences. While the effects of each stressor have been looked at individually in previous work, the present study aimed to understand their combined effect on the behaviour of adult zebrafish (<i>Danio rerio</i>). As a model species, the behavioural ethogram of zebrafish is well-described, allowing for a suite of behaviours to be quantified, utilizing analysis software and by visual observation. In this study, we assessed behaviours associated with movement (velocity and distance metrics), resting, oxygen-seeking, and sociality following a mechanical stimulus. We compared the behaviour of fish after a 96-h exposure to sublethal Cu (45 µg/L) to those not exposed to Cu, with both groups being tested under normoxic (&gt; 90% oxygen saturation [&gt; 7.44 mg/L O₂]) and hypoxic (&lt; 30% oxygen saturation [&lt; 2.48 mg/L O₂]) conditions. Hypoxia influenced behaviours associated with movement (average velocity, darting, total distance travelled, maximum velocity). Exposure to Cu affected bottom-resting and air-seeking behaviours. Cu and hypoxia independently impacted two indices of sociality (shoal area and proximity) in a similar fashion. Many of the effects of hypoxia were dampened by Cu, whereas effects of hypoxia on responses to Cu were variable. This study highlights the value of using both high-throughput automated software and visual observation to reveal subtle interactive effects of Cu and hypoxia on key behaviours.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8377,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","volume":"91 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148418202","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Large-Scale Monitoring and Risk Assessment of Metal Contamination from Urban Areas in the Amazon River Basin","authors":"Alexeia Barufatti,&nbsp;Andrea V. Waichman,&nbsp;Rhaul de Oliveira,&nbsp;Isabel López-Heras,&nbsp;Marco Vighi,&nbsp;Andreu Rico","doi":"10.1007/s00244-026-01206-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00244-026-01206-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In this study we provide a comprehensive assessment of metal contamination in the Amazon River and its main tributaries, with a focus on urban contamination hotspots. A monitoring campaign was conducted across 40 sampling sites, analysing water concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Pb, Ni, and Zn. Metal concentrations were evaluated against national and international water quality standards and compared between urbanized and less impacted regions to delineate pollution patterns. Additionally, an ecological risk assessment was conducted for individual metals and for metal mixtures using Species Sensitivity Distributions (SSDs). The results of this study show that Fe levels in the Amazon River were exceptionally high, with potential implications for aquatic species distribution across the basin. Exceedances of water quality standards were identified for four metals (Fe, Pb, Mn, Cu), with metal enrichment observed particularly in Manaus, Macapá, and Belém. Acute multi-substance potentially affected fraction (msPAF) of species in the Amazon River and its tributaries indicated insignificant risks, while chronic values ranged from 3% to 33%. In urban areas, acute msPAF values were generally low, with the exception of two samples taken in Manaus that exhibited values of 11% and 16%. Chronic riskvalues, however, were consistently high in these urban locations, reaching up to 72% of species potentially affected and reflecting sustained ecotoxicological stress. Cu, Zn and Mn were identified as the primary contributors to chronic toxicity, with Cu and Zn dominating in Manaus, and Mn in Macapá. These findings underscore the need for stricter industrial discharge regulations and improved wastewater treatment systems to preserve Amazonian freshwater ecosystems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8377,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","volume":"91 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00244-026-01206-4.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148374278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pesticide Poisoning in Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus from Tamil Nadu: A Continuing Threat to India’s National Bird","authors":"Kanthan Nambirajan,&nbsp;Subramanian Muralidharan,&nbsp;Sharma Kamalanathan,&nbsp;Karhikeyan Prakasham,&nbsp;Venkatachalam Kirubhanandhini,&nbsp;A. Kaja Maideen,&nbsp;Jeevitha E.,&nbsp;Krishnamoorthy Ashokan,&nbsp;Gokul Sriman,&nbsp;Vijay Ganesh Kumar,&nbsp;Kalaiarasu Lakshminarayanan,&nbsp;Gayathri Venkatramanan,&nbsp;Ritika Singh Chauhan","doi":"10.1007/s00244-026-01204-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00244-026-01204-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Pesticide poisoning poses a continuing threat to wildlife, particularly avian species such as the Indian Peafowl <i>Pavo cristatus</i>, which holds ecological and cultural significance in India. Despite increasing reports of mass mortalities of the National bird across the country, confirmed and reported, cases of pesticide poisoning remain limited. In this study, eight mass mortality incidents involving death of 121 Indian Peafowls were investigated in Tamil Nadu between 2019 and 2021. Five separate tissue samples from each of 41 individuals were analysed for the presence of 45 pesticides using Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). In all cases, monocrotophos a highly toxic organophosphate pesticide was consistently detected in both tissue and bait samples at concentrations far exceeding known avian toxicity thresholds, indicating it as the cause of mortality. Concentration pattern was in the order; crop content (339.0 mg/Kg) &gt; gut content (83.5 mg/Kg) &gt; liver (1.59 mg/Kg) &gt; kidney (1.00 mg/Kg) &gt; muscle (0.45 mg/Kg). High concentration of monocrotophos were highest in crop and gut contents, suggesting oral ingestion through baited food grains recently. Additionally, flubendiamide, profenophos and carbendazim were also detected in one incident each, representing the first report of these pesticide residues in wild birds globally. These findings provide definitive toxicological evidence of pesticide-induced mortality in Indian Peafowls, reinforcing earlier suspicions from news and field reports. The study highlights the widespread possible misuse of the regulated pesticide and the urgent need for coordinated monitoring, stricter regulation, and community-level awareness to mitigate poisoning risks to non-target wildlife species in the country.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8377,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","volume":"91 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148374318","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}