Agriculture activities have increased the concentration of pesticides and metals in the environment. The excessive use of pesticides can generate an environmental impact and contribute to the development of human diseases. This study aimed to determine the presence of pesticides and metals in water samples collected in the Brazilian rural area in two different periods (before and after pesticide application) and to evaluate the alternative bioassays Lactuca sativa, Allium cepa, and Caenorhabditis elegans to monitoring toxicity in human drinking water samples. Eight sites in the rural area were selected and water samples were collected in two different periods of the year (before and after pesticide application). The presence of the pesticides was determinated by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and metals by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The potential toxicity of the water samples was performed with three different alternatives in vivo models (L. sativa, A. cepa, and C. elegans). Fifty-seven pesticides were analyzed and, according to the results, the most found ones were clomazone, atrazine, tebuconazole, metconazole, pyrimethanil, and carbofuran-3-hydroxide, which is a metabolic degradation product of insecticide carbofuran. The most detected metals were Cu, Cr, Mg, Fe, and Mn. The assays with L. sativa and A. cepa showed alterations in the period after pesticide application, while C. elegans presented changes in both periods compared to the same collection sites. These results indicate that bioassays, especially C. elegans, could be complementary and useful tools for monitoring the toxicity in drinking water samples.

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Introduction The handling of antineoplastic drugs should follow strict supervision and safety rules to minimize the occupational exposure risks to professionals involved. The external surface contamination of drug vials is recognized as a health risk. So, our goal was to determine if there is residual contamination on the vials and containers surface of the antineoplastic drugs doxorubicin (DOX) and cyclophosphamide (CP). Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted. Samples were collected using a uniform sampling procedure on the inner surfaces of the packages/boxes and the outer surfaces of the vials. The analyzes were executed by high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Results A total of 209 samples were analyzed, 66 of CP and 143 of DOX. CP levels were detected in nine samples (13.63%), three were below the lower limit of quantification (LLQ) and the other six had contamination levels ranging from 1.24 to 28.04 ng/filter. DOX levels were detected in 36 samples (25.17%), two were below the LLQ and the others had levels between 1.32 and 664.84 ng/filter. The majority of samples with residual contamination were in vials (80.0%), however, boxes also showed contamination. Conclusions The results revealed the presence of residual contamination in the vials and packages of CP and DOX drugs. Although the residues found in each sample are small, special care should be taken in the handling and disposal of the antineoplastic drugs. The use of personal protective equipment is fundamental while handling the vials and packaging of cytotoxic drugs.

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