S-metolachlor is one of the most frequently used herbicides worldwide. However, toxicity studies of this herbicide to aquatic organisms are scarce. In the present study, two experiments were conducted to test the effects of S-metolachlor on common carp, one of the most economically important fish species, with a distribution throughout the world: (1) 96 h acute semi-static toxicity test, aiming to determine LC₅₀; (2) a subchronic semi-static test that lasted 28 days, in which juvenile carp were exposed to 3%, 8%, and 25% of previously determined LC₅₀—0.5 mg·L⁻¹, 1.4 mg·L⁻¹, and 4.1 mg·L⁻¹, respectively. Several biomarkers were employed to assess fish responses to toxicants. Blood biochemistry analysis and nuclear alterations of erythrocytes did not show any difference among experimental groups. Semi-quantitative histopathological analysis revealed mild alterations in the gills and liver, where oedema of secondary epithelium of gills and leukocyte infiltration in liver were significantly higher in fish exposed to 1.4 mg·L⁻¹ and 4.1 mg·L⁻¹. Histopathological indices in liver, as well as the total histopathological index, also showed significantly higher scores in the same groups. Bioconcentration factors of S-metolachlor ranged from 3.2 to 9.4, depending on the experimental group.

This study investigated various protection programs to control the European cherry fruit fly, cherry brown rot, and cherry leaf spot on sour cherries. The effects of acetamiprid, spinetoram, dodine, boscalid, and pyraclostrobin, applied alone and in combination with sucrose, were determined using standard EPPO methods. Pesticide residues in the cherry fruit were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The highest efficacy in controlling the European cherry fruit fly was achieved by applying acetamiprid twice and spinetoram three times during fruit ripening. Successful protection against brown rot was achieved with a single application of boscalid and pyraclostrobin with the addition of sucrose. Dodine in combination with boscalid and pyraclostrobin showed good efficacy in controlling cherry leaf spot, which increased with the addition of sucrose. Residues of spinetoram, boscalid, and pyraclostrobin were below the limit of quantification, while only acetamiprid and dodine residues were detected in the fruit samples, but these were well below the maximum residue levels. This study demonstrates that several alternative protection programs can successfully protect cherries against the European cherry fruit fly and diseases during the critical stage of fruit ripening, with residue levels below the prescribed maximum levels.

The effects of the various protection programs to control the European cherry fruit fly, cherry brown rot and cherry leaf spot on sour cherry were investigated. The effects of acetamiprid, spinetoram, dodine, boscalid and pyraclostrobin, applied alone and in combination with sucrose, were determined using standard EPPO methods. The residues of the applied pesticides were determined in the cherry fruit using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The highest efficiency in controlling the European cherry fruit fly was achieved by applying acetamiprid twice and spinetoram three times during fruit ripening. Successful protection of cherries against brown rot was achieved with a single application of boscalid and pyraclostrobin with the addition of sucrose. Dodine in combination with boscalid and pyraclostrobin had good efficacy in controlling cherry leaf spot, which increased with the addition of sucrose. The residues of spinetoram, boscalid and pyraclostrobin were below the limit of quantification, while only acetamiprid and dodine residues were detected in the fruit samples, but these were well below the maximum residue levels. This study has shown that there are several alternative protection programs that can be used to successfully protect cherries against the European cherry fruit fly and diseases during the critical stage of fruit ripening, with residue levels below the prescribed maximum levels.

We present the first documented case of mass mortality in farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) linked to tefluthrin contamination in a freshwater stream. In June 2013, a twelve-day pollution event occurred in the Rogačica River, Republic of Serbia, resulting in the death of approximately 160,000 trout fingerlings and yearlings, with a total biomass of 4,190 kg. Water samples were analyzed for pesticide residues using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with an Agilent 1260 Infinity LC system (Agilent Technologies, USA) coupled to a 6460 Triple Quad LC/MS mass spectrometer. Water analysis revealed tefluthrin concentrations of 2.04 and 0.52 μg/L, representing 9- to 34-fold exceedances of the reported 96 h LC50 for rainbow trout (0.06 μg/L). The contamination originated from washing pesticide-coated corn seed in a local distillery, representing a previously undocumented source of aquatic pesticide pollution. This case highlights the vulnerability of aquaculture to agricultural pesticides, the particular sensitivity of early life stages of salmonids to pyrethroids, and the need for improved regulatory and biosecurity measures to prevent similar events.

Mefentrifluconazole is a new fungicidal active substance from the isopropanol-azoles, a new sub-class of triazoles. It inhibits sterols biosynthesis and is a very selective fungicide. It is a systemic fungicide with protective, curative, and eradicative activity. Its spectrum includes important pathogens of cereals (Septoria spp., Puccinia spp., Ramularia collocygni, Rhynchosporium secalis). Unlike most triazoles, withdrawn from use in the last 2-3 years, mainly due to reprotoxic and carcinogenic effects, mefentrifluconazole is neither carcinogenic, nor genotoxic or reprotoxic. In adition, it is not acutely toxic, is not irritant to skin or eyes and does not cause specific toxicity to target organs after single or repeated exposure. In contact with the skin, it can cause sensitization, and this is the only toxicological property on the basis of which it is classified and labeled. Acute and chronic dietary exposure of all population groups to this active substance is low, with a large margin of safety. Mefentrifluconazole is not acutely toxic to bees and earthworms. It is very toxic acutely and chronically for aquatic organisms, fish, invertebrates, and algae, while it is toxic for sediment organisms and aquatic macrophytes. The favourable toxicological properties of mefentrifluconazole, and good efficacy in control of important pathogens, recommend this active substance as a good substitute for withdrawn triazoles.