Uptake kinetics and subcellular distribution of three classes of typical pesticides in rice plants

Food safety problems caused by pesticide residues have always been a concern for many people. In this study, we investigated the uptake, translocation and subcellular distribution of neonicotinoid insecticides, triazole fungicides, and sulfonylurea herbicides in rice plants ( Oryza sativa L.). The time-dependent uptake kinetics of the three categories of pesticides with different molecular structures fit a first-order one-compartment kinetic model. The neonicotinoids (log K ow −0.66–0.8) were mainly concentrated in the leaves, and the triazoles (log K ow 3.72–4.4) were mainly concentrated in the roots. Neonicotinoid pesticides in the roots were preferentially transported across the membrane through the symplastic pathway; triazole pesticides except for triadimefon and myclobutanil preferentially passed through the symplastic pathway; and sulfonylurea pesticides (log K ow 0.034–2.89) were first transported upward through the apoplastic pathway. In the roots, neonicotinoids, triazoles, and sulfonylurea herbicides were mainly concentrated in the soluble fractions, cell wall and apoplast fractions, respectively. In addition, there was a high positive correlation between the subcellular distribution of pesticides in the roots, stems and leaves. Molecular weight and log K ow jointly affected the enrichment of triazole pesticides in the roots, stems and leaves and the transfer from stems to leaves, while water solubility and log K ow commonly affected neonicotinoids. There was a correlation between pesticide absorption and the molecular structures of pesticides. To develop pesticides with strong uptake and transport capabilities, it is necessary to consider that the electronegativity of some atoms is stronger, the sum of the topological indices of heteroatoms can be large, and the van der Waals volume increases accordingly.