Fenpropathrin has been a commonly used insecticide to control agricultural and household insects over a few decades. Up to now, fenpropathrin residue in soil and water has been often determined due to its widespread use, which poses serious threat to environment and aquatic organisms. The potential of fenpropathrin to affect aquatic lives is still poorly understood. In this study, we used zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) embryo as an experimental model system to evaluate the toxicity of fenpropathrin to the development of zebrafish nervous system. Zebrafish embryos were separately exposed to fenpropathrin at the dose of 0.016 mg/L, 0.032 mg/L, 0.064 mg/L, starting at 6 h post-fertilizationhpf (hpf) up to 96 hpf. The results showed that fenpropathrin exposure gives rise to physiological, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental impairments in zebrafish embryos, including enhanced acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, abnormal swimming behavior, karyopyknosis in brain cells, increased intercellular space, and uneven migration of neuron in brain area. In addition, the expressions of genes concerning neurodevelopment and neurotransmitter system were inhibited following fenpropathrin exposure. We also found that fenpropathrin exposure distinctly induced oxidative stress by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and inhibiting the production of antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Expectedly, some apoptosis-associated genes were induced and the apoptosis appeared in the brain and heart cells of zebrafish embryos. Moreover, fenpropathrin exposure also inhibited the expressions of genes in Nrf2 signaling pathway, such as heme oxygenase-1 ( HO-1 ) and SOD . In summary, the results of this study indicate that oxidative stress-triggered apoptosis may be an underlying fundamental of fenpropathrin-induced neurotoxicity in zebrafish embryos.
A novel water-compatible fenitrothion imprinted polymer was prepared on Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) by click chemistry and reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) precipitation polymerization (RAFTPP). The RAFT chain-transfer agent was synthesized on the surface of AuNPs using click chemistry, then an imprinted polymer with hydrophilic polymer brushes was prepared on the RAFT chain-transfer agent modified AuNPs by RAFTPP, mediated by hydrophilic polyethylene glycol macromolecular cochain-transfer agent. The obtained molecularly imprinted material showed improved accessibility to fenitrothion and recognition property in water medium. When the material was immobilized on an ionic liquid functionalized graphene coated glassy carbon electrode for the electrochemical determination of fenitrothion, the resulting electrochemical sensor presented linear response in the range of 0.01−5 μM, with a sensitivity of 6.1 μA/μM mm 2 . The low limit of detection was 8 nM (S/N=3). The sensor was successfully applied to the determination of real samples and the recovery for standard added was 95−108%.