Paraquat effects

Table 22.4 Paraquat Effects on Selected Species of Birds...

Most of them are generally classified as poisons. Exceptions to this rule are known. A notable one is 4-dimethyl aminopyridine (DMAP) (24), which is widely used in industry as a superior acylation catalyst (27). Quaternary salts of pyridines are usually toxic, and in particular paraquat (20) exposure can have fatal consequences. Some chloropyridines, especially polychlorinated ones, should be handled with extra care because of their potential mutagenic effects. Vinylpyridines are corrosive to the skin, and can act as a sensitizer for some susceptible individuals. Niacin (27), niacinamide (26), and some pyridinecarbaldehydes can cause skin flushing. 

Some Physico-chemical Interactions of Paraquat with Soil Organic Materials and Model Compounds. I. Effects of Temperature, Time and Absorbate Degradation on Paraquat Adsorption, I. G. Bums, M. H. B. Hayes, and M. Stacey, Weed Res., 13 (1973) 67 -78. 

Baldwin, R.C., Pasi, A., MacGregor, T.J. and Hine, C.H. (1975). The rates of radical formation fixjm the dipyridylium herbicides paraquat, diquat and morfemquat in homc nates of rat lung, kidney and liver an inhibitory effect of carbon monoxide. Tox. Appl. Pharmacol. 32, 298-304. 

Study 2. The effects of wheat, oats, barley and rye mulches on three broadleaf weed species and crabgrass (Digitaria spp.) are shown in Table VI. Weed control data for the corn test at Kinston are not presented because of poor cover crop kill by the paraquat treatment. 

It has been shown in many studies that protective effects of carotenoids can be observed only at small carotenoid concentrations, whereas at high concentrations carotenoids exert pro-oxidant effects via propagation of free radical damage (Chucair et al., 2007 Lowe et al., 1999 Palozza, 1998, 2001 Young and Lowe, 2001). For example, supplementation of rat retinal photoreceptors with small concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin reduces apoptosis in photoreceptors, preserves mitochondrial potential, and prevents cytochrome c release from mitochondria subjected to oxidative stress induced by paraquat or hydrogen peroxide (Chucair et al., 2007). However, this protective effect has been observed only at low concentrations of xanthophylls, of 0.14 and 0.17 pM for lutein and zeaxanthin, respectively. Higher concentrations of carotenoids have led to deleterious effects (Chucair et al., 2007). 

The redox potential diagram in eq. 1 illustrates that the effect of optical excitation is to create an excited state which has enhanced properties both as an oxidant and reductant, compared to the ground state. The results of a number of experiments have illustrated that it is possible for the excited state to undergo either oxidative or reductive electron transfer quenching (2). An example of oxidative electron transfer quenching is shown in eq. 2 where the oxidant is the alkyl pyridinium ion, paraquat (3). 

Effects of paraquat on selected species of aquatic plants and animals... 

In bacteria (Escherichia coli), paraquat is concentrated, reduced to the monocation radical, and combines with molecular oxygen to produce the superoxide radical within the cell. Copper and iron are essential mediators in bactericidal effects. The cytoplasmic membrane is the target organelle in paraquat toxicity to E. coli, and extent of damage correlates positively with levels of these metals (Kohen and Chevion 1988). 

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