Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are widely detected in aquatic environments. However, recent studies on the environmental occurrence of currently used PPCPs in Japan are limited. In this study, a nationwide monitoring initiative focusing on PPCPs was undertaken to investigate the occurrence and fate of PPCPs in aquatic environments in Japan. A total of 700 samples were collected and analyzed from 2018 to 2022. Ninety-one PPCPs were detected in the analyzed samples. Three PPCPs (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide [DEET], salicylic acid, and crotamiton) were detected at particularly high frequencies, with a prevalence exceeding 99% of analyzed samples. Seasonal variations were observed for several PPCPs across multiple rivers, with concentrations generally increasing during fall/winter and decreasing during spring/summer (except DEET) throughout the sampling period. The detection frequencies and concentrations were higher in PPCPs with higher domestic prescription amounts. Some PPCPs, such as acetylsalicylic acid, exhibited low frequencies and concentrations despite high domestic prescription amounts, suggesting transformation into metabolites or degradates in the aquatic environment. The contribution of sewage treatment plant effluent to the PPCP concentrations in the environment was estimated by examining the correlation between each PPCP and sucralose concentration. Sewage effluents appeared to be a significant contributor to the majority of target PPCPs; however, DEET and certain other PPCPs may originate from alternate sources. This study is the first to provide a comprehensive assessment of the occurrence and fate of PPCPs in Japan's aquatic environment. Future research should assess the environmental and human health risks of these PPCPs and identify the occurrence of their metabolites or degradates in the aquatic environment.
BACKGROUND:Few published studies are reported for reproductive and neurobehavioral toxicity of combined exposure to neonicotinoid insecticides and synergists in mammals. This study aimed to evaluate the reproductive and neurobehavioral effects of combined dinotefuran (DIN) and piperonyl butoxide (PBO) in an F1-generation toxicity study in mice. METHODS:DIN and PBO were given in the diet to provide levels of 0% (control), PBO 0.03%, DIN 0.012% + PBO 0.03%, and DIN 0.024% + PBO 0.03% from 5 weeks of age of the F0 generation to 11 weeks of age of the F1 generation in mice. Selected reproductive and neurobehavioral parameters were measured in the F1 generation. RESULTS:For exploratory behavior in the F0 generation, the number of horizontal activities increased with a statistically significant dose-related response in adult males. For exploratory behavior in the F1 generation, the total distance, movement time, average speed, and average time of movement increased with statistically significant dose-related responses in adult males. In the spontaneous behavior of males in the F1 generation, the parallel lines during the control and treatment groups indicated significant distances in the total distance, average speed, and average time of movement. CONCLUSIONS:The dose levels of DIN with PBO in the present study affected exploratory and spontaneous behavior at lower dose levels than those observed in previous studies with the single administration of DIN and PBO. Therefore, the dose level of PBO (0.03%, approximately 44-116 mg/kg body weight/day) is estimated to have a synergistic effect on DIN exposure.
Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) may produce an enterotoxin termed EAEC heat-stable enterotoxin 1 (EAST1), which is encoded by the astA gene. E. coli strains harboring astA but without virulence markers specific for other diarrheagenic E. coli pathotypes (EAST1EC), have been isolated from patients with diarrhea in foodborne outbreaks in Japan. Various nucleotide variants of astA have been reported, some of which are incomplete and non-functional. However, the astA variants carried by strains isolated from foodborne outbreaks have not yet been fully characterized. Therefore, we identified astA variants among various astA-harboring bacterial strains including EAST1EC isolated from 12 foodborne outbreaks. The majority of foodborne outbreak strains harbored multiple copies of intact astA variants, although EAST1EC from other origins harbored one of intact astA or incomplete and non-functional variants. To detect only intact astA-harboring E. coli in food, we designed a duplex real-time PCR targeting astA and 16S rRNA gene as an internal control (astArtPCR). The specificity of astArtPCR assay was tested along with four other PCR assays, and only the astArtPCR assay specifically detected intact astA variants. The astArtPCR when used in combination with enrichment had a detection limit of <2.6 log CFU/mL in food-enriched cultures. Overall, all E. coli strains harboring intact astA variants were positive for both astA and internal control with astArtPCR. The astArtPCR would be a useful tool for identifying the food related to foodborne outbreaks of EAST1EC and food surveillance.
BACKGROUND:Few published studies have reported on the reproductive and neurobehavioral toxicity of combined exposure to neonicotinoid insecticides and synergists in mammals. This study aimed to evaluate the reproductive and neurobehavioral effects of a combined treatment with dinotefuran (DIN) and piperonyl butoxide (PBO) in an F1-generation toxicity study in mice. METHODS:DIN and PBO were given in the diet to provide levels of 0% (control), DIN 0.005% + PBO 0.03%, DIN 0.01% + PBO 0.03%, and DIN 0.02% + PBO 0.03% from 5 weeks of age of the F0 generation to 11 weeks of age of the F1 generation in mice. Selected reproductive and neurobehavioral parameters were measured in the F1 generation. RESULTS:For behavioral development during the lactation period, surface righting on PND 4 and olfactory orientation route on PND 14 indicated a significantly high score in the DIN 0.02% + PBO 0.03% group in male offspring. In female offspring, olfactory orientation route and time on PND 14 indicated a significantly high score in the DIN 0.02% + PBO 0.03% group. For exploratory behavior in the F1-generation offspring, several variables indicated significant effects in male and female offspring. In the spontaneous behavior of males in the F1 generation, the parallel lines among the control and treatment groups indicated significant distances in total distance, movement time, and number of rearing. CONCLUSIONS:The dose levels of DIN with PBO in the present study produced several adverse effects on neurobehavioral parameters in F1 generation mice at lower dose levels than DIN alone.
Benzoic acid (BA),widely used as a food preservative, occurs naturally in various natural foods. Therefore, distinguishing between added and naturally occurring BA is essential in the administrative testing of food preservatives. To elucidate the naturally derived BA levels, we analyzed 180 samples, including fruits, nuts, vegetables, beans, and mushrooms, using steam distillation and dialysis. The distillation method successfully detected BA in 60 samples, with concentrations ranging from 2.3 to 471.2 μg/g. Particularly high levels were detected in cranberry and red perilla. In contrast, the dialysis method could not detect BA in 21 fruit samples with low BA concentrations and detected only trace amounts of BA in four samples. These findings indicated that BA might be generated in fruit samples during the distillation process. This study provides valuable reference data for administrative assessments when determining whether BA detected in food is naturally derived or added as a preservative.
