L’utilisation croissante de pesticides dans l'agriculture peut entraîner de graves risques pour la santé humaine. En effet, des résidus de pesticides peuvent être retrouvés à l’état de trace dans de nombreux produits de grande consommation. Leur identification et leur analyse quantitative à l’état de trace dans des échantillons complexes, tel que les huiles végétales, constituent un défi analytique majeur. Malgré le potentiel élevé de méthodes analytiques comme la chromatographie en phase liquide couplée à la spectrométrie de masse (LC-MS/MS), l’introduction d’une étape d’extraction et de purification des extraits avant l’analyse chromatographique s’avère nécessaire. Afin d'augmenter la sélectivité de cette étape de traitement de l'échantillon, la synthèse des supports à empreintes moléculaires générant un mécanisme de reconnaissance moléculaire a été envisagé. Cette étude se concentre sur une famille de pesticides, les organophosphorés (OP), qui présentent des disparités structurales importantes et une gamme de polarité assez large (log P compris entre 0,7 et 4,7). Deux approches ont été envisagées pour la synthèse de ces supports imprimés. La première approche consiste à réaliser une polymérisation par voie radicalaire en utilisant des monomères organiques dans des solvants organiques peu polaires pour obtenir des polymères à empreintes moléculaires (MIP). La seconde approche consiste à produire les supports par voie sol-gel via l’hydrolyse puis la condensation d'organosilanes dans un milieu polaire pour produire des silices imprimées (MIS). Pour les deux approches, différentes conditions de synthèse ont été criblées en utilisant différentes molécules empreintes, monomères et solvants. La sélectivité des polymères imprimés résultants a d'abord été évaluée en étudiant les profils de rétention des OP en milieu pur. Les interactions non-spécifiques ont été évaluées en étudiant parallèlement la rétention des OP sur des supports non-imprimés (NIP/NIS) qui ont été synthétisés dans les mêmes conditions que les MIP/MIS mais sans introduire la molécule empreinte. Il est apparu que les supports MIP/MIS présentaient une complémentarité en termes d'extraction sélective des OP visés : les OP les plus polaires ont été extraits sélectivement par le MIS alors que les OP modérément polaires ont été extraits sélectivement par le MIP. La capacité de ces supports a été évaluée et se révèle adaptée à l'analyse des OP à l’état de traces dans des huiles végétales. Après avoir vérifié la répétabilité de la procédure d'extraction et des synthèses, les performances de ces supports ont été étudiées dans des milieux réels. / The increasing use of pesticides in agriculture causes serious health risks to humans. These pesticides may possibly be found in vegetable oils used as cosmetic ingredients. Their identification and reliable quantitative analysis at trace levels constitute a challenge for the safe use of such oils despite the high potential of analytical methods such as liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Their determination at low concentration levels in complex oil samples requires an extraction and a purification step. In order to increase the selectivity of the sample treatment step, the synthesis of imprinted sorbents can be considered. This study focusses on a group of pesticides, the organophosphorus (OPs) that present some structural disparity and belong to a wide range of polarity (log P values between 0.7 and 4.7). To produce imprinted sorbents, a first approach of synthesis consists in the radical polymerization of organic monomers in moderately polar organic solvents to obtain molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). The second one, the Sol-Gel approach, consists in the hydrolysis and then condensation of organosilanes in a polar medium to produce molecularly imprinted silicas (MIS). For both approaches, different conditions of synthesis were screened using different template molecules, monomers and solvents. The selectivity of the resulting imprinting polymers was first evaluated by studying the extraction profiles of OPs in pure media on MIP and MIS. The non-specific interactions were estimated by studying in parallel the retention of OPs on non-imprinted polymers synthesized in the same conditions as imprinted sorbents but in the absence of the template molecule. Both sorbents MIP/MIS present a complementarity in terms of selective extraction of the target OPs: polar OPs were extracted selectively using the MIS while moderately polar OPs were selectively extracted by the MIP. The capacity of these supports was evaluated and was consistent with the analysis of OPs at trace levels in real oil samples. After studying the repeatability of the extraction procedure and of the reliability of the syntheses, the performances of these supports were studied in real media. For this, MIP/MIS were applied to the selective extraction of OPs from different vegetable oils (almond, olive and sunflower oil) and similar results were obtained for the three different oils. Their potential in terms of ability to remove matrix interfering compounds were higher than those of the conventional method based on the use of C18 silica. The estimated limits of quantifications were lower than the Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) established by EU Regulation 396/2005 for these compounds in oils.

Em razão dos problemas causados pelos insetos nos armazéns, no Brasil tem-se usado principalmente substâncias químicas para controlar essas pragas, porém, com relativo sucesso na solução do problema. Em fase disso, alguns aspectos sobre a proteção de grãos armazenados foram estudados, entre eles: 1) o efeito do volume de pulverização no teor de umidade dos grãos, 2) a estabilidade de inseticidas durante o processamento de amostras, 3) a influência da formulação concentrado emulsionável nas propriedades físicas do líquido, características do spray e depósito de inseticidas, 4) os resíduos de inseticidas nos grãos e em alguns de seus produtos processados e 5) a eficácia de inseticidas no controle de Sitophilus oryzae (L.), Sitophilus zeamais Motsch. e Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabr.). Para o tratamento dos grãos foi utilizado o bico hidráulico de jato duplo, modelo, TJ-60 8002EVS. O sistema de aplicação foi calibrado de modo a se obter tratamento dos grãos na concentração teórica de 10 e/ou 0,5 mg.kg-1 de fenitrotion e esfenvalerato, respectivamente. Os experimentos de eficácia foram instalados aos 15 dias, 30 dias e, a partir desta em intervalos mensais até 12 meses após o tratamento dos grãos, ou até que não houvesse mais mortalidade nas parcelas. Nos experimentos de resíduo, amostras de grãos foram coletadas ao zero, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240 e 360 dias após o tratamento e as amostras dos produtos processados foram obtidos na mesma data. A umidade dos grãos após a pulverização dos volumes de água estudados teve pequeno acréscimo quando comparado com o teor inicial. Os grãos processados junto com gelo seco proporcionaram a maior porcentagem de recuperação dos inseticidas. Houve grande influência da formulação concentrado emulsinável nas propriedades físicas do líquido, características do spray e depósito dos inseticidas nos grãos. Os resíduos de fenitrotion e esfenvalerato em grãos de trigo concentraram-se preferencialmente no farelo e em menores quantidades na farinha. A taxa de degradação do esfenvalerato foi independente do tipo de grão. O resíduo de fenitrotion no período de carência de 120 dias foi superior ao Limite Máximo de Resíduo (LMR) permitido pela legislação brasileira, e esta se mostra inadequada na regulamentação de ambos os inseticidas. O esfenvalerato foi ineficiente no controle das espécies estudadas; já o fenitrotion foi eficiente no controle de S. oryzae e S. zeamais. A linhagem SR de R. dominica foi mais resistente do que a linhagem CG aos inseticidas testados. As CL50s estimadas concordaram parcialmente com os resultados obtidos nos testes de eficácia. De forma geral, a mortalidade de S. oryzae decresceu mais rapidamente do que a mortalidade de S. zeamais. Houve maior mortalidade das duas espécies de Sitophilus em grãos de trigo do que em grãos de milho. Foi constatado efeito sinergista da mistura fenitrotion + esfenvalerato no controle das duas linhagens de R. dominica. Na ausência de inseticidas S. oryzae apresentou progênie mais numerosa no trigo em relação àquela no milho; já S. zeamais apresentou número similar de progênie nos dois tipos de grãos. Na testemunha, a linhagem CG de R. dominica apresentou progênies mais elevadas do que a linhagem SR, sendo que ocorreu o inverso quando da aplicação dos inseticidas. / Because of the problems caused by insects in storehouses, chemicals have been chiefly used in Brazil to control these pests. However, success in solving problems with pests has been limited. In view of this, some aspects about stored grain protection were studied, among which are the following: 1) spray volume effect on grain moisture content, 2) stability of insecticides during sample processing, 3) influence of the emulsifiable concentrate formulation on the physical properties of the liquid, spray characteristics, and deposition of insecticides, 4) insecticide residues in grain and some of their processed products, and 5) effectiveness of insecticides in the control of Sitophilus oryzae (L.), Sitophilus zeamaiszeamais Motsch., and Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabr.). Grain treatment was accomplished by using a twin jet, model TJ-60 8002EVS hydraulic nozzle. The application system was calibrated to provide grain treatment at theoretical concentrations of 10 and/or 0.5 mg kg-1 fenitrothion and esfenvalerate, respectively. The effectiveness experiments were installed at 15 days, 30 days and at monthly intervals thereafter for 12 months after treating the grains, or until mortality ceased in the plots. In the residue experiments, grain samples were collected at zero, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, and 360 days after treatment, and processed product samples were obtained on the same dates. After spraying the water volumes planned in the study, only a small increase in grain moisture was observed when compared with the initial content. Grains processed together with dry ice provided the greatest insecticide recovery percentages. The emulsifiable concentrate formulation had a great influence on the physical properties of the liquid, spray characteristics, and deposition of insecticides on the grain. The fenitrothion and esfenvalerate residues in wheat grain were concentrated preferentially in the meal and at smaller amounts in the flour. The rate of esfenvalerate degradation did not depend on grain type. During a withholding period of 120 days, the fenitrothion residue was higher than the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) allowed by Brazilian law, which has been demonstrated to be unsuitable for the regulation of both insecticides. Esfenvalerate was ineffective in controlling the species studied; fenitrothion, however, was effective for the control of S. oryzae and S. zeamais. The SR line of R. dominica was more resistant to the insecticides tested than the CG line. The estimated LC50 values agreed in part with the results obtained in the effectiveness tests. In general, S. oryzae mortality decreased more rapidly than S. zeamais mortality. There was greater mortality of both Sitophilus species on wheat grain than on corn grain. A synergistic effect was verified for the fenitrothion + esfenvalerate mixture in controlling both R. dominica lines. In the absence of insecticides, S. oryzae showed a more numerous offspring on wheat in relation to corn; S. zeamais. however, showed a similar number of offspring on both types of grain. In the control, the R. dominica CG line showed higher numbers of offspring than the SR line, and the contrary was verified when insecticides were applied.

Les travaux présentés dans ce manuscrit concernent le développement d‘une approche originale permettant la détermination de plusieurs composés (principalement aflatoxines et pesticides organophosphorés), à l‘aide de biocapteurs électrochimiques basés sur l‘inhibition de l‘acétylcholinestérase. Dans un premier temps, un nouveau biocapteur potentiométrique utilisant des transistors à effet de champ sensibles au pH (pH-FETs) comme transducteurs a été développé pour la détermination de l‘aflatoxine B1 (AFB1) et différent paramètres d‘élaboration et de fonctionnement du biocapteur ont été optimisés. Le biocapteur proposé est caractérisé par une stabilité opérationnelle élevée and bonne reproductibilité du signal en cours d‘utilisation et de stockage. Le biocapteur a ensuite été évalué pour l‘analyse d‘échantillons réels (blé, sésame, noix et pois) et une simulation mathématique de la réponse du biocapteur potentiométrique à l‘AFB1 a été proposée pour la première fois et validée. Dans un deuxième temps, un biocapteur conductimétrique utilisant des microélectrodes interdigitées en or a été développé. La sensibilité de ce biocapteur aux aflatoxines ainsi qu‘à d‘autres classes de substances toxiques, tels que les pesticides organophosphorés, les métaux lourds, les glycoalkaloïdes, et les surfactants, a été déterminée. Une nouvelle procédure originale, permettant la détermination sélective de toxines multiclasses par application successive de solutions de réactivation visant spécifiquement des inhibiteurs irréversibles ou réversibles, a été finalement proposée. En utilisant cette méthode, il a été montré que les biocapteurs enzymatiques pouvaient être appliqués à l‘analyse des aflatoxines et des pesticides organophosphorés, ainsi qu‘à la détermination de la toxicité globale des échantillons / Investigations reported in this manuscript are focused on the development of an original approach for the detection of several toxic compounds, mainly aflatoxins and organophosphorus pesticides, using acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-based inhibitory electrochemical biosensors. In a first step, a new potentiometric biosensor using pH Sensitive Field-Effect Transistors (pH-FETs) as transducers was investigated for aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) determination and different elaboration and working parameters were optimized. The proposed biosensor was characterized by high operational stability and reproducibility of the signal during the work as well as during the storage. The biosensor was further evaluated for real samples analysis (wheat, sesame, walnuts and peas) and a mathematical simulation of the potentiometric biosensor response to aflatoxin B1 was proposed for the first time and validated. In a second step, a conductometric biosensor using interdigitated gold microelectrodes was developed. The sensitivity of the biosensor to aflatoxins and other classes of toxic substances, such as organophosphorus pesticides, heavy metals ions, glycoalkaloids, and surfactants, was determined. A new and original procedure, enabling the selective determination of multiclass toxins by applying successive reactivation solutions targeting either irreversible or reversible inhibitors, was finally proposed. Using this method, the electrochemical enzyme inhibitory biosensors could be applied to the analysis of aflatoxins and organophosphorus pesticides, as well as for the determination of total toxicity of the samples

Advances in computing capabilities have facilitated the application of quantum mechanical methods to increasingly larger and more complex chemical systems, including weakly interacting and biologically relevant species. One such ab initio-based composite methodology, the correlation consistent composite approach (ccCA), has been shown to be reliable for the prediction of enthalpies of formation and reaction energies of main group species in the gas phase to within 1 kcal mol-1, on average, of well-established experiment, without dependence on experimental parameterization or empirical corrections. In this collection of work, ccCA has been utilized to determine the proton affinities of deoxyribonucleosides within an ONIOM framework (ONIOM-ccCA) and to predict accurate enthalpies of formation for organophosphorus compounds. Despite the complexity of these systems, ccCA is shown to result in enthalpies of formation to within ~2 kcal mol-1 of experiment and predict reliable reaction energies for systems with little to no experimental data. New applications for the ccCA method have also been introduced, expanding the utility of ccCA to solvated systems and complexes with significant noncovalent interactions. By incorporating the SMD solvation model into the ccCA formulation, the Solv-ccCA method is able to predict the pKa values of nitrogen systems to within 0.7 pKa unit (less than 1.0 kcal mol-1), overall. A hydrogen bonding constant has also been developed for use with weakly interacting dimers and small cluster compounds, resulting in ccCA interaction energies for water clusters and dimers of the S66 set to within 1.0 kcal mol-1 of well-established theoretical values.

No description available.

Effects of developmental exposure to chlorpyrifos (CPS) or methyl parathion (MPS) on visuospatial, adaptive fear response, and passive avoidance memory and the signaling mechanisms responsible for these neurocognitive changes were investigated. Using an incremental low dose regimen, rat pups were orally gavaged daily with either corn oil (vehicle), CPS, or MPS from postnatal day 1 (PND1) -PND21. Cholinesterase activity was significantly inhibited with the highest dosages of CPS and MPS for up to 19 days after the last dosages. OP exposure impaired working and reference memory in males whereas in the females, enhancement occurred following CPS exposure. In addition, the adaptive fear response and passive avoidance retention memory was impaired in males whereas differential changes occurred in females. Accordingly, the behavioral deficits observed in males were persistent whereas the enhancement in females was transient. Males were more sensitive to OPs than females in that the medium and high dosages of CPS and MPS produced greater effects in females whereas all dosages of both compounds produced effects in males. Training in the radial arm maze significantly increased protein kinase C gamma (PKC ) expression and activity in the hippocampal membrane fraction of control rats whereas exposure to OPs exhibited a significant decrease in PKC and PKC immunoreactivity in both untrained and trained rats. However, MPS exposed females exhibited a significant increase in PKC expression in the cytosolic fraction but this was not related to improved memory. Reduction of membrane PKC expression and activity and cytosolic PKC expression and activity seemed to be related to visuospatial learning and memory deficits in exposed males but not exposed females. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene expression in the hippocampus was significantly increased (60%) in trained control males as compared to untrained control males. In contrast, trained and untrained females exhibited similar levels of BDNF gene expression. However, exposure of both sexes to either CPS or MPS significantly reduced the expression of BDNF in trained rats. In summary, these data indicate that OP exposure induced gender-specific changes in working memory formation and altered PKC isozyme levels/activity and BDNF expression.

No description available.

No description available.

A declining population of ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) was studied at Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge (TLNWR) from the summer of 1990 through the spring of 1993. Pheasant densities/50 ha at TLNWR in 1989, 1991, and 1992 were considerably lower (16.86, 8.49, and 6.81) than the >62 density seen in the mid-1950s. Mean body weight of hen pheasants at TLNWR was significantly lower than hens at nearby Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge (LKNWR) which was not intensively farmed. Mean tarsal lengths of hens at TLNWR were also significantly shorter than hens at LKNWR, suggesting reduced skeletal growth and potential nutritional problems. The lack of adequate cover was responsible for poor early nest success at TLNWR. Later in the season, spring planted crops provided adequate cover to conceal nesting hens; however, only 0.21 young in 1991 and 0.02 young in 1992 were produced per radio-equipped hen. These rates are extremely low compared to rates required to maintain a stable population. Most adult mortality occurred during the spring and early summer months at TLNWR before crops provided adequate cover, and long before pesticide applications. The main predator of the pheasants was the golden eagle (Aquila chrvsaetos). Of special concern at TLNWR was pheasant and other wildlife exposure to anticholinesterase (antiChE) insecticides used on agricultural croplands at the refuge. Direct toxicity of antiChE compounds (in this case methamidophos) killed 2 young pheasants, but no adult radio-equipped hens died as a direct result of insecticide intoxication. This finding was of particular interest because 15% of the adult pheasants collected in and around potato fields had 55% brain ChE inhibition. The extent of the effects of insecticide exposure on the survivorship of pheasant young was uncertain as they were not radio-equipped. The overriding factor impacting the pheasant population at TLNWR and to a lesser extent LKNWR was poor habitat, especially in the spring when most mortality occurred. The poor habitat also resulted in extremely low recruitment (up to 1 September). Nearly all adult mortality and most of the low recruitment occurred before the insecticide spray season. The population was nearly extirpated during the severe winter of 1992-93. / Graduation date: 1995

La synthèse enzymatique de terpénoides chez les mammifères provient de la voie mevalonique. Récemment une voie différente a été découverte et s'est révélée être prépondérante pour de nombreux organismes comme les plantes et bactéries. L'identification d'un inhibiteur de cette cascade enzymatique permettrait le développement d'une nouvelle famille d'herbicide. Les caractéristiques de la 1-déoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate réductoisomérase (DXR) font de cette enzyme très spécifique une cible pour la synthèse de nouveaux composés. La Fosmidomycine ainsi que son analogue acétylé le plus proche, FR-900098 restent des références pour l'inhibition de la DXR. Dans ce contexte, l'ensemble des molécules décrites dans la littérature en tant qu'inhibiteurs a été classé en fonction des modifications apportées sur le substrat naturel ou la Fosmidomycine. A partir de l'ensemble de ces informations, cinq familles ont été synthétisées pour trouver un nouveau motif complexant. Pour deux d'entre elles, le squelette de base contient un acide phosphonique et un acide phosphinique sur lequel a été introduit la diversité moléculaire grâce aux réactions de Pudovik et de couplage pallado-catalysé. Les autres motifs complexant originaux sont constitués d'une fonction carbonyle et d'un hétérocycle en α ou β. Après optimisation de la synthèse des précurseurs, la diversité a été introduite à l'aide, par exemple, d'une réaction de trois composantes permettant la préparation d'hétérocycle. Enfin, deux modifications ont été faites sur le bras espaceur : l'introduction d'atomes de fluor pour modifier les propriétés physicochimiques ou d'un atome d'azote, point d'attache de nouveaux groupements. / The non-mevalonate pathway is widely found in higher plants and in many eubacteria, including pathogenic ones, but not in mammals. Identifying a non-mevalonate pathway inhibitor would greatly contribute to the search for new herbicides. The unique properties of 1-Deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase make it remarkable and rational target for drug design. The phosphonohydroxamic acid Fosmidomycin, which acts through inhibition of DXR, is a natural compound produced in the fermentation of Streptomyces and still remains, with its N-acetyl homologue FR900098, one of the most active compounds. First of all, the enzyme and all the potential inhibitors tested in literature were classified in order to understand the global quest for therapeutically useful compounds. In this context, we designed and synthesized five different families of Fosmidomycin analogues containing a new chelating unit. Two targets molecules families bearing a phosphinophonic acid as common core were imagined. Divergent approach allowed the introduction of the chemical diversity thank to powerful pallado-catalyzed coupling reaction. The other families containing carbonyl group and heterocycle in α‐ and β‐position were regarded as highly potent complexing units. Chemical diversity was introduced mainly at the end of the synthesis. For one of them convergent ring formation using three-components reaction was developed. Finally two modifications of the Fosmidomycin linker were performed by the introduction of fluorine atoms on the parent structure as well as the replacement of a carbon by a nitrogen atom in order to create a new point of modifications.