Glyphosate-based Pesticides Research Articles

Melatonin attenuates affective disorders and cognitive deficits induced by perinatal exposure to a glyphosate-based herbicide via antioxidant pathway in adult male and female rats.

The massive use of herbicides, particularly glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs), raises several worries, notably their neurotoxic effects. Several studies have explored the consequences of developmental exposure. Our work aims to determine the impact of maternal exposure to GBH on behavioral disorders and memory deficits, as well as the involvement of oxidative stress in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. In addition, our study explores the neuroprotective properties of melatonin in male and female offspring. Pregnant Wistar rats were injected with GBH 75 mg/kg during gestation and lactation. After weaning, the offspring were treated with melatonin (4mg/kg) from postnatal days 30-58. Our results show that GBH increases anxiety-like behavior levels in offspring, as well as depression-like behavior. GBH also impairs working memory in progeny. While markers of oxidative stress show a disturbance in lipid peroxidation and catalase activity, with a more pronounced effect in females, on the other hand, melatonin considerably attenuated the neurotoxic impact observed in the offspring, with higher efficacy in females. The oxidative stress results confirm the antioxidant power of melatonin to counteract the damaging effects of exposure to environmental contaminants such as glyphosate-based pesticides. It will then be interesting to further our work to fully understand the sex-dependent effect of melatonin.

Behavioral and Biochemical Effects of Glyphosate-Based Herbicide Roundup on Unionid Mussels: Are Mussels Good Indicators of Water Pollution with Glyphosate-Based Pesticides?

The behavioral (filtration activity) and biochemical (oxidative stress) effects of Roundup 360 Plus (active substance glyphosate) herbicide on two species of unionid mussels, Unio tumidus (Philipsson, 1788) and Anodonta anatina (L.), were evaluated at concentrations ranging from 15 to 1500 μg L−1 of glyphosate for five days. During all experiments, we did not record the mortality of the studied mussel species. Exposure to Roundup herbicide induced dose-dependent filtration disruptions in both U. tumidus and A. anatina. Exposure of the mussels to a low and environmentally relevant concentration 15 µg glyphosate L−1 resulted in a slight (<20%) and temporary decrease in mean valve dilation. Exposure of the mussels to Roundup at relatively high concentrations caused drastic and prolonged shell closure and a reduction in the mussel shell opening rate. Exposure of both mussel species to herbicide resulted in oxidative stress; an increase in superoxide dismutase enzymatic activity was detected. The most significant increase in SOD activity was observed after the exposure to the highest Roundup concentration. However, no correlation between the Roundup concentration and enzymatic activity was found. The use of unionid mussels to detect environmentally relevant concentrations of Roundup, as a part of biological early warning system for pollution, is limited, but they can serve to detect the incidental pollution of aquatic ecosystems with high concentrations of this herbicide.

Ameliorative effect of licorice extract against the detrimental effect of glyphosate-based pesticide: Toxicity and health

This study sheds the light on the potential of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) root aqueous extract as a cornerstone for mitigating and detoxifying the residues of the widely used agricultural Glyphosate-based pesticides (GBPs). This study examined the GBPs toxic effects on kidney, liver, thyroid functions, and apoptosis using 50 adult male albino rats. All rats were divided into 5 groups, with 10 each. Control: served as untreated rats. GBP: rats were treated with 1 mL glyphosate solution 24 % orally for three weeks. The glyphosate-treated rats were gavaged with licorice root aqueous extractsolution (100, 200, and 300 mg/mLdistilled water, respectively) daily for three weeks. Licorice root aqueous extract solution (300 mg/mL distilled water) yielded notable reductions in liver, kidney enzymes, albumin, and AFP levels within the serum. Immunological tests, including immunohistochemical evaluations of caspase-3 and TNF-α expressions revealed a dose-dependent attenuation of apoptosis and inflammation with licorice intervention. This will provide a valuable perspective for agricultural practices future and paving the way for a more sustainable approach for using GBPs in animal agriculture industries.

Danger is just a click away–A survey on online shopping for glyphosate-based pesticides for gardening/horticulture

The vertiginous growth of consumers' preference for making purchases over the internet has been accompanied by the possibility of obtaining almost any type of product, with little perception of the inherent risks of this practice. In Brazil, although legislation has determined for more than a decade which concentrations and presentations of pesticides can be marketed, the lack of information and knowledge still prevails among the general public. The present study aimed to analyze information provided on glyphosate-based products marketed on Brazilian websites to determine possible factors that influence consumers' decision-making process. For this purpose, a form was prepared to collect information concerning positive and negative aspects of the products, mentions of risks, prices and quality assessments. Our results showed the presence of very few guidelines regarding human health risks (n = 3) or accident risks (n = 1) arising from the misuse of chemical agents on the websites but at the same time a greater concern to show the efficacy (n = 19), mode (n = 26) and dose of application (n = 23). Such findings allow us to affirm that there is still a great void of knowledge concerning risks of these chemical agents, which has been perpetrated by the apparent negligence of companies in providing such information and of the public authorities in supervising this activity. It is important that inspection measures are taken with regard to the quality and safety of the information disclosed in these media, improving consumers' perception of the risks of the practice both for their personal health and for the environment.

A Human Biomonitoring Study Assessing Glyphosate and Aminomethylphosphonic Acid (AMPA) Exposures among Farm and Non-Farm Families.

Glyphosate-based pesticides are the highest-volume used herbicides worldwide. International concerns regarding the potential human adverse effects of glyphosate exposures have heightened since IARC classified glyphosate as probably carcinogenic to humans. Human biomonitoring (HBM) studies have identified ubiquitous exposure to glyphosate and its main breakdown product, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), from environmental exposures. The IMAGE research project aimed to investigate farm and non-farm families' exposure to glyphosate while aligning with the Human Biomonitoring for Europe (HBM4EU) initiative. The study recruited non-farm and farm families (who use glyphosate on their farms). Each family member provided a urine sample that was analysed using gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, with a limit of quantification of 0.05 µg/L for glyphosate and AMPA. In addition to general information on background exposures in farm and non-farm families, we investigated relationships in exposure between families and family members. We recruited 68 families, including 54 non-farm and 14 farm families (180 vs. 45 individuals). Some pesticide users (n = 14, all male farmers) had slightly elevated AMPA levels compared to other adult participants but, overall, we observed no significant differences between farm and non-farm families. The main metabolite, AMPA, was quantifiable in twice as many samples as glyphosate (61% vs. 32%), with a maximum concentration of 7.24 µg/L vs. 3.21 µg/L. Compared to previous studies, exposure levels were relatively low and far below current health-based guidance values (3% or less for glyphosate and AMPA). Study results suggest potential exposures from residential co-exposures or living with a pesticide user. This is the first study internationally to investigate glyphosate and AMPA across family members (farm and non-farm). We found comparably low glyphosate and AMPA exposures among these families. These results enhance our understanding of glyphosate exposures for different demographic groups and contribute to the scientific knowledge on exposures required for regulatory risk assessments and the re-evaluation of glyphosate in 2022 by the European Commission.

Assessment of the influence of pesticides based on glyphosate on the health of agricultural producers

Introduction. The results of a hygienic risk assessment of the use of pesticides based on glyphosate in agricultural production are presented. The study of the pathogenetic mechanisms of action on the body of widely used glyphosate-containing herbicides and the search for markers of health conditions that change under the influence of these drugs are of increasing interest for the early diagnosis of pathological processes and the prevention of occupational and occupational diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the health effects of glyphosate-based pesticides on the health of operators in an agricultural environment. Materials and methods. The clinical material for the study was the plasma and erythrocytes of the peripheral blood of operators in contact with glyphosate-containing pesticides. As a control group, 20 clinically healthy individuals of the same age group, who had no contact with the studied pesticides, were selected. There were assessed leading indices of general clinical and biochemical blood tests and markers of endogenous intoxication and oxidative stress. Results. There were established acceptable risk of exposure to pesticides on workers, subject to compliance with technological regulations and safety requirements. Minor deviations of indicators of general and biochemical blood tests were revealed. A statistically significant increase in the total level of carbonyl derivatives compared to control was obtained among operators who had more substantial contact with glyphosate-containing pesticides. Conclusion. Working conditions when using preparations in the form of aqueous solutions containing glyphosate, using ground-based spraying of steam fields with a consumption rate of 8 l / ha, subject to compliance with regulations and safety measures, comply with hygienic requirements. The established statistically significant changes in the blood parameters of the operators in comparison with the control group indicate the presence of a risk to the health for workers in contact with glyphosate-containing pesticides and indicates the need for additional biochemical studies during periodic medical examinations of agricultural workers for the early detection of deviations in the health state caused by exposure to pesticides, including those containing glyphosate.

Oxidative carbonilation of liver tissue proteins under the influence of pesticide based on glyphosate in a subchronic experiment

Introduction. Currently, the pathogenetic mechanisms of the action on the body of widely used glyphosate-based herbicides and the search for the markers of the health status that changes under the influence of these herbicides remain open for study and discussion. Carbonyl derivatives of proteins can be used as the markers of oxidative stress caused by the herbicidal composition of the isopropylamine salt of glyphosate. The purpose of this study was to assess the severity of oxidative carbonylation of liver tissue proteins under the influence of a glyphosate-based pesticide in a subchronic experiment. Material and methods. The material for the study was subcellular fractions of liver tissue homogenates obtained from 90 Wistar rats, which were administered solutions of glyphosate isopropylamine salt at doses of 280 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg per os for 3 months. The severity of oxidative carbonylation of proteins was determined by the method of R.L. Levine modified by E.E. Dubinina. Results. Statistically significant changes in the content of products of oxidative damage to proteins at various stages of the experiment in the study groups were obtained compared with the control group due to a significant increase in the products of oxidative damage to proteins in subcellular fractions of liver tissue. Conclusion. The changes in carbonyl stress indices and the decrease in the reserve-adaptive potential indicate the depletion of antioxidant protection in the liver cells. A statistically significant increase in secondary markers of carbonyl stress after 1 month from the start of seeding of animals compared with the control with a slight increase in this index after 3 months may indicate the launch of adaptation mechanisms, including the induction of proteolytic utilization of oxidized proteins or additional protein synthesis.

When scientists become detectives: investigating systematic tree poisoning in a protected cove

The systematic killing of trees is usually aimed at eradicating pests or alien plant species susceptible to harm existing natural ecosystems. In some cases, trees may become the subject of dispute between neighbors, which sometimes ends in tree death after months or years of dispute. In this paper, we analyze a case of clandestine tree killing and look into ways through which evidence left by delinquents can be analyzed a posteriori with state-of-the-art approaches. The investigation presented here looks at a series of old-growth trees that were supposedly poisoned inside a protected, nineteenth century grove in Switzerland. After the sudden, unexplained death of several old Black poplar (Populus nigra) trees along the main alley in fall 2015 and their subsequent removal, the dying of five additional, neighboring Sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) and English walnut (Juglans regia) trees in 2016 promptly triggered a suite of criminal investigations at the property. During an initial inspection, a large number of boreholes was found in the root plates of the dying trees. We present findings obtained from tree-ring, wood anatomical and dendrogeochemical investigations performed on root, stem and leave material from the assumedly poisoned trees and show that massive amounts of chemical elements – supposedly in the form organic pesticides with high Al, As, Fe, Cr, Ni contents, aluminum phosphides or glyphosate-based pesticides – were injected into 36 boreholes drilled into the roots around September 2016. Results obtained in this study are currently used in criminal investigations, and are a nice example of how scientific detectives can help their “real World” colleagues in identifying delinquents.

Evaluating Glyphosate Exposure Routes and Their Contribution to Total Body Burden: A Study Among Amenity Horticulturalists.

To evaluate determinants of dermal and inadvertent ingestion exposure and assess their contribution to total body burden among amenity horticultural users using glyphosate-based pesticide products. A dermal and inadvertent ingestion exposure assessment was completed alongside a biomonitoring study among amenity horticultural workers. Linear mixed effect regression models were elaborated to evaluate determinants of exposure and their contribution to total body burden. A total of 343 wipe and glove samples were collected from 20 workers across 29 work tasks. Geometric mean (GM) glyphosate concentrations of 0.01, 0.04 and 0.05 µg cm-2 were obtained on wipes from the workers' perioral region and left and right hands, respectively. For disposable and reusable gloves, respectively, GM glyphosate concentrations of 0.43 and 7.99 µg cm-2 were detected. The combined hand and perioral region glyphosate concentrations explained 40% of the variance in the urinary (µg l-1) biomonitoring data. To the author's knowledge, this is the first study to have investigated both dermal and inadvertent exposure to glyphosate and their contribution to total body burden. Data show the dermal exposure is the prominent route of exposure in comparison to inadvertent ingestion but inadvertent ingestion may contribute to overall body burden. The study also identified potential exposure to non-pesticide users in the workplace and para-occupational exposures.

Disruption of the hatching dynamics of zooplankton egg banks due to glyphosate application

Hatching rhythms of eggs banks are important processes because they favor species co-existence and promote resilience of ecosystems after natural disturbances. Anthropogenic stressors can disrupt such natural hatching dynamics. This work examines the effects of concentrations ranging from 1 to 8 mg l−1 of a commercial glyphosate-based formulation (Sulfosato Touchdown®) on the hatching dynamics of zooplankton dormant stages, present in the sediment of a natural lake. Sediment samples were collected from the surface sediment (<10 cm deep) of an isolated shallow lake free from pesticide pollution. An ex situ emergence assessment method was carried out and four treatments plus one control (without pesticide) were performed with three replicate each. Zooplankton hatching from the resting stages was monitored during 30 days. In total, 30 zooplankton taxa were recognized. The species diversity decreased significantly at concentration above 2.7 mg l−1 glyphosate. The proportion of cladocerans within hatchling organisms decreased, while that of rotifers Bdelloidea increased in all treatments with glyphosate. Time of the first hatching (TFH), time of maximum hatching (TMH) and the frequency of hatchings (FH) of most zooplankton species were also altered. In conclusion, the application of a glyphosate-based pesticide selectively affected the hatching dynamic of zooplankton egg banks, which suggest that these resting structures are highly sensitive to the toxicity of the pesticide.

Regulatory Science and Social Movements: The Trial Against the Use of Pesticides in Argentina

INTRODUCTIONIn 1996, Argentina pioneered the adoption of genetically modified (GM) soy, and other varieties of GM seeds - corn, cotton - soon followed. The genetic manipulation made the seeds resistant to the herbicide Roundup, based on the chemical glyphosate. As a broadspectrum, non-selective weed killer, glyphosate inhibits an enzyme in plants that does not exist in human and animal cells, killing all plant life except the crop. As a result GM soy seeds could be grown without any need to plow. The adoption of GM seeds in Argentina was surprisingly fast and widespread, and it marked a turning point (Vara 2005). Since then, the agricultural sector has embarked on a pathway of change in which intensive, high input commodity crop production has become dominant. Today Argentina is the third world producer of GM soy, after the US and Brazil; and is the world leader in soy oil (45% of the global market), and soy flour (43%) production. GM soy represents 25% of Argentine exports. Since 1996 the number of hectares under cultivation of GM crops has increased exponentially in Argentina, along with the growth of the use of glyphosate-based herbicides (REDUAS - Medicos de Pueblos Fumigados 2002).While agrarian productivity levels increased; rural populations started to report an increase in the incidence of certain pathologies which they associated to the use of glyphosate. Simultaneously, a growing number of independent studies from various countries have revealed links between pesticide exposure and the reported illnesses: cancer, reproductive health ailments, including miscarriages, birth defects, infertility, delayed pregnancies (Antoniou and Fagan 2012, Arbuckle, Lin, and Mery 2001, Axelrad, Howard, and McLean 2003, Benachour and Seralini 2009, Dallegrave et al. 2003, Hardell, Eriksson, and Nordstrom 2002, Marc, Mulner-Lorillon, and Belle 2004, Marc et al. 2005, Marc, Belle, et al. 2004, McDuffie et al. 2001, Paganelli et al. 2010, Richard et al. 2005, De Roos et al. 2005, Seralini et al. 2012, Dallegrave et al., 2003).However, the claims of those groups were almost entirely ignored by Argentina's regulatory, health and science and technology systems. In fact, all of these systems have played a key role in facilitating agricultural intensification, and further agro-biotechnological development. By the time that GM soy was approved (1996), glyphosate was already used for other purposes. Approved by the National Service of Sanitation and Food Quality (SENASA) in 1977, it was revalidated in 1992 as a product of low toxicity, implying no risk adopting a special classification of the World Health Organization which only considers lethal damage at acute levels of exposure (defined by the methodology DL 50)1. Based on this classification, no restrictions to the commercialization or use of glyphosate were determined in Argentina. The toxicological classification by SENASA never changed and no epidemiological or toxicological studies were conducted by the Ministry of Health in order to assess the non-lethal effects of glyphosate at chronical exposure reported by rural populations and social movements.Even if protests were dissipated without impacting national regulations, some promoted new protective measures that restricted the use of glyphosate-based pesticides at the local level. Even if at the national level there was no change, some progress has been made at the local level2. A set of regulations to fill the gaps in the national regulatory framework have been enacted by municipal and provincial legislators (Vara, Piaz, and Arancibia 2012). These new laws and ordinances have established pesticide-free zones around populated areas and restricted ground and aerial spraying of pesticides including glyphosate based herbicides. However, the enforcement of the new laws and ordinances has proved very difficult, as the surveillance capacity of the police is almost nonexistent and penalties for infractions are hard to implement. …

Glyphosate in German adults - Time trend (2001 to 2015) of human exposure to a widely used herbicide.

The broadband herbicide glyphosate (N-[phosphonomethyl]-glycine) and its main metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) were analyzed by GC-MS-MS in 24h-urine samples cryo-archived by the German Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB). Samples collected in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 were chosen for this retrospective analysis. All urine samples had been provided by 20 to 29 years old individuals living in Greifswald, a city in north-eastern Germany. Out of the 399 analyzed urine samples, 127 (=31.8%) contained glyphosate concentrations at or above the limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.1μg/L. For AMPA this was the case for 160 (=40.1%) samples. The fraction of glyphosate levels at or above LOQ peaked in 2012 (57.5%) and 2013 (56.4%) after having discontinuously increased from 10.0% in 2001. Quantification rates were lower again in 2014 and 2015 with 32.5% and 40.0%, respectively. The overall trend for quantifiable AMPA levels was similar. Glyphosate and AMPA concentrations in urine were statistically significantly correlated (spearman rank correlation coefficient=0.506, p≤0.001). Urinary glyphosate and AMPA levels tended to be higher in males. The possible reduction in exposure since 2013 indicated by ESB data may be due to changes in glyphosate application in agricultural practice. The ESB will continue monitoring internal exposures to glyphosate and AMPA for following up the time trend, elucidating inter-individual differences, and contributing to the ongoing debate on the further regulation of glyphosate-based pesticides.

Glyphosate and adverse pregnancy outcomes, a systematic review of observational studies.

BackgroundA study in frog and chicken embryos, and reports of a high incidence of birth defects in regions of intensive GM-soy planting have raised concerns on the teratogenic potential of glyphosate-based herbicides. These public concerns prompted us to conduct a systematic review of the epidemiological studies testing hypotheses of associations between glyphosate exposure and adverse pregnancy outcomes including birth defects.MethodsA systematic and comprehensive literature search was performed in MEDLINE, TOXLINE, Bireme-BVS and SCOPUS databases using different combinations of exposure and outcome terms. A case–control study on the association between pesticides and congenital malformations in areas of extensive GM soy crops in South America, and reports on the occurrence of birth defects in these regions were reviewed as well.ResultsThe search found ten studies testing associations between glyphosate and birth defects, abortions, pre-term deliveries, small for gestational date births, childhood diseases or altered sex ratios. Two additional studies examined changes of time-to-pregnancy in glyphosate-exposed populations. Except for an excess of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - ADHD (OR = 3.6, 1.3-9.6) among children born to glyphosate appliers, no significant associations between this herbicide and adverse pregnancy outcomes were described. Evidence that in South American regions of intensive GM-soy planting incidence of birth defects is high remains elusive.ConclusionsCurrent epidemiological evidence, albeit limited to a few studies using non-quantitative and indirect estimates and dichotomous analysis of exposures, does not lend support to public concerns that glyphosate-based pesticides might pose developmental risks to the unborn child. Nonetheless, owing to methodological limitations of existing analytical observational studies, and particularly to a lack of a direct measurement (urine and/or blood levels), or an indirect estimation of exposure that has proven valid, these negative findings cannot be taken as definitive evidence that GLY, at current levels of occupational and environmental exposures, brings no risk for human development and reproduction.

Side-Effects of Glyphosate to the Parasitoid Telenomus remus Nixon (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae).

The aim of this study was to compare the side-effects of glyphosate to the parasitoid Telenomus remus Nixon (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) when parasitoids were exposed to this chemical at the pupal (inside host eggs) and adult stages. Bioassays were conducted under laboratory conditions according to the International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC) standard methods for testing side-effects of pesticides to egg parasitoids. Different glyphosate-based pesticides (Roundup Original®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup Transorb®, Roundup WG®, and Zapp Qi®) were tested at the same acid equivalent concentration. Treatments were classified following the IOBC toxicity categories as (1) harmless, (2) slightly harmful, (3) moderately harmful, and (4) harmful. When tested against T. remus adults, Roundup Original®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup Transorb®, and Roundup WG® reduced parasitism 2days after parasitoid emergence, being classified as slightly harmful. Differently, when tested against T. remus pupae, all tested glyphosate-based products did not differ in their lethal effect and therefore did not reduce T. remus adult emergence or parasitism capacity, being classified as harmless. However, differences on sublethal toxicity were found. Parasitism of individuals emerging from parasitized eggs sprayed at the pupal stage of T. remus with Zapp Qi® was lower compared to control, but parasitism was still higher than 66%, and therefore, Zapp Qi® was still classified as harmless. In conclusion, all tested glyphosate-based products can be used in agriculture without negative impact to T. remus as none was classified as harmful or moderately harmful to this parasitoid when exposure occurred at the pupal or adult stages.

A glyphosate-based herbicide induces necrosis and apoptosis in mature rat testicular cells in vitro, and testosterone decrease at lower levels

The major herbicide used worldwide, Roundup, is a glyphosate-based pesticide with adjuvants. Glyphosate, its active ingredient in plants and its main metabolite (AMPA) are among the first contaminants of surface waters. Roundup is being used increasingly in particular on genetically modified plants grown for food and feed that contain its residues. Here we tested glyphosate and its formulation on mature rat fresh testicular cells from 1 to 10000ppm, thus from the range in some human urine and in environment to agricultural levels. We show that from 1 to 48h of Roundup exposure Leydig cells are damaged. Within 24–48h this formulation is also toxic on the other cells, mainly by necrosis, by contrast to glyphosate alone which is essentially toxic on Sertoli cells. Later, it also induces apoptosis at higher doses in germ cells and in Sertoli/germ cells co-cultures. At lower non toxic concentrations of Roundup and glyphosate (1ppm), the main endocrine disruption is a testosterone decrease by 35%. The pesticide has thus an endocrine impact at very low environmental doses, but only a high contamination appears to provoke an acute rat testicular toxicity. This does not anticipate the chronic toxicity which is insufficiently tested, and only with glyphosate in regulatory tests.

Glyphosate Results Revisited: De Roos et al. Respond

Glyphosate Results Revisited: De Roos et al. Respond

A glyphosate-based pesticide impinges on transcription

Widely spread chemicals used for human benefits may exert adverse effects on health or the environment, the identification of which are a major challenge. The early development of the sea urchin constitutes an appropriate model for the identification of undesirable cellular and molecular targets of pollutants. The widespread glyphosate-based pesticide affected sea urchin development by impeding the hatching process at millimolar range concentration of glyphosate. Glyphosate, the active herbicide ingredient of Roundup, by itself delayed hatching as judged from the comparable effect of different commercial glyphosate-based pesticides and from the effect of pure glyphosate addition to a threshold concentration of Roundup. The surfactant polyoxyethylene amine (POEA), the major component of commercial Roundup, was found to be highly toxic to the embryos when tested alone and therefore could contribute to the inhibition of hatching. Hatching, a landmark of early development, is a transcription-dependent process. Correlatively, the herbicide inhibited the global transcription, which follows fertilization at the 16-cell stage. Transcription inhibition was dose-dependent in the millimolar glyphosate range concentration. A 1257-bp fragment of the hatching enzyme transcript from Sphaerechinus granularis was cloned and sequenced; its transcription was delayed by 2 h in the pesticide-treated embryos. Because transcription is a fundamental basic biological process, the pesticide may be of health concern by inhalation near herbicide spraying at a concentration 25 times the adverse transcription concentration in the sprayed microdroplets.

Glyphosate-based pesticides affect cell cycle regulation

Cell-cycle dysregulation is a hallmark of tumor cells and human cancers. Failure in the cell-cycle checkpoints leads to genomic instability and subsequent development of cancers from the initial affected cell. A worldwide used product Roundup 3plus, based on glyphosate as the active herbicide, was suggested to be of human health concern since it induced cell cycle dysfunction as judged from analysis of the first cell division of sea urchin embryos, a recognized model for cell cycle studies. Several glyphosate-based pesticides from different manufacturers were assayed in comparison with Roundup 3plus for their ability to interfere with the cell cycle regulation. All the tested products, Amega, Cargly, Cosmic, and Roundup Biovert induced cell cycle dysfunction. The threshold concentration for induction of cell cycle dysfunction was evaluated for each product and suggests high risk by inhalation for people in the vicinity of the pesticide handling sprayed at 500 to 4000 times higher dose than the cell-cycle adverse concentration.