SusChEM: Atmospheric Fates of Neonicotinoids and Their Role in Food Security and Agricultural Sustainability

在这个由化学系环境化学科学项目资助的项目中，加州大学欧文分校的Barbara Finlayson-Pitts教授正在研究新烟碱类（NNs）杀虫剂在暴露于大气中发现的氧化剂时沉积在表面的命运。自第二次世界大战结束以来，合成农药的发展和应用导致了全球粮食产量的增加，其中一组新农药是神经网络。然而，越来越多的证据表明，在农业中发挥关键作用的生态系统的一些有益部分，如蜜蜂活动，受到这些化合物的负面影响。过去有证据表明，其他农药对生态系统产生意想不到的毒性作用，不一定是由于农药本身，而是由于施用农药后形成的氧化产物。因此，了解神经网络的大气反应是至关重要的。本项目旨在分析常见的新烟碱类化合物在大气条件下的反应速度、产物的性质和产率以及反应机理。正在应用的技术包括衰减全反射-傅里叶变换红外光谱法（ATR-FTIR）和漫反射红外傅里叶变换光谱法，以及一些最先进的质谱法。本研究提供了关于对流层表面NNs的大气寿命和命运的关键数据，这对于评估它们对粮食安全和农业可持续性的潜在影响至关重要。这些数据通过暑期教师研讨会、为学生和公民团体举办的实验室之旅以及UCI研究人员对当地学校的访问向公众展示。新一代的学生不仅要接受基础大气化学的培训，还要接受与农药、粮食安全和可持续农业的交叉培训。

In this project funded by the Environmental Chemical Sciences Program of the Division of Chemistry, Professor Barbara Finlayson-Pitts of the University of California Irvine is studying the fates of neonicotinoid (NNs) pesticides deposited on surfaces when exposed to oxidants that are found in the atmosphere. The development and application of synthetic pesticides since the end of WWII has led to increased global food production, with one group of new pesticides being the NNs. However, there is increasing evidence that some beneficial parts of the ecosystem, such as bee activity, that play key roles in agriculture are negatively impacted by these compounds. There is past evidence for other pesticides with unintended toxic effects on ecosystems due not necessarily to the pesticide itself, but rather to the oxidation products formed after the pesticide is applied. Hence understanding the atmospheric reactions of NNs is critical.This project is analyzing how fast common neonicotinoid compounds react under atmospheric conditions, as well as the nature and yields of the products and the reaction mechanisms. Techniques being applied include attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (ATR-FTIR) and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectrometry as well as a number of state-of-the-art mass spectrometry approaches. This research provides key data on the atmospheric lifetimes and fates of the NNs on surfaces in the troposphere, which is critical for assessing their potential impacts on food security and agricultural sustainability. These data are being presented to the public via summer teacher workshops, hosted lab tours for students and citizen groups, and through visits of UCI researchers to local schools. A new generation of students is being trained not only in fundamental atmospheric chemistry but also in its intersection with pesticides, food security and sustainable agriculture.