MOSCOW, 20 Apr. An accurate and fast method for analyzing the suitability of commercial pesticides for agriculture was created by SibFU scientists together with colleagues from the Institute of Biophysics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. According to them, the development makes it possible to analyze the toxicity of a commercial drug as a whole, and not just its active substance. The results are published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
Pesticides are now widely used in agriculture to increase crop yields and control pests. According to scientists, in recent decades there has been an active search for new substances of this type that would be safer for humans and wildlife.
However, as experts explained, testing of new formulations for toxicity is carried out without accounting for additional compounds that complement the active substance in the commercial formula of a particular pesticide. Such additives can dramatically increase the biological activity and danger of the pesticide for living organisms, the scientists emphasized.
A team of researchers from the Siberian Federal University (SFU) has developed a new method for assessing the toxicity of commercial pesticides, allowing you to quickly determine the level of suitability of chemicals for use in agriculture. According to the scientists, the methodology they have developed fully takes into account the influence of additives on the properties of the drug and will be extremely useful in the work of state regulatory bodies.
“Due to the complexity and diversity of molecular processes in living organisms, different formulations of pesticides can affect enzyme systems, physiological processes, or the balance of key biomolecules in the body. They can trigger a whole cascade of effects that lead to serious damage to health,” explained one of the authors. Elena Yesimbekova, Associate Professor of Siberian Federal University.
The new technique is based on the analysis of enzyme reactions to pesticides. Enzymes are the most important molecules in living organisms, accelerating all biochemical reactions and having a high sensitivity to toxins.
«Enzymes react subtly to any changes in their environment, the presence of suppressing factors immediately disrupts their work. A wide variety of enzymes with different properties and the ability to reproduce enzymatic reactions in the laboratory makes them an excellent material for developing test systems in ecotoxicological analysis,» Yessimbekova said. 
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According to the creators, the proposed method is complex, as it allows a comprehensive analysis of the drug in one procedure. The developed test system can be used in the future to assess the safety of any chemical compositions used in everyday life and industry, the scientists noted. 20-44-242001 and the Krasnoyarsk Regional Fund for the Support of Scientific and Scientific and Technical Activities.
SibFU is a member of the Priority 2030 program. The SibFU strategic project «Gastronomic R&D-Park» within the framework of the program implements the strategy of growing plants for the restaurant business and improving food culture in the region.