On the issue of hygienic safety of new complex fertilizers with trace elements

Introduction. Currently, the most popular in agricultural production are complex chlorine-free mineral fertilizers with trace elements. The inclusion of trace elements in fertilizers improves plant nutrition, optimizes the effect of fertilizers. At the same time, trace elements are added to the fertilizer in the form of salts, in ionic form, most often, sulfates belonging to substances of hazard class 1–2, which can affect the toxicity of fertilizers and the safety of their production and use. To prevent a possible negative impact on human health and the environment for production, sale and use, it is necessary to conduct toxicological studies included in the state registration procedure.

The aim of the study is to study the nature of the toxic effect on the body of laboratory animals (rats, rabbits, guinea pigs) of new complex chlorine-free mineral fertilizers with trace elements.

Material and methods. Samples of liquid agrochemicals (preparations No. 1, No. 4, No. 5) and solid (preparations No. 2, No. 3) with different nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content and different composition of trace elements in the form of salts were taken for research. The experimental work was performed on 90 nonlinear, sexually mature white male rats weighing 200–220 g, 30 purebred male rabbits weighing 3000–3500 g and 90 male guinea pigs weighing 350–400 g. During the work, existing methodological approaches and recommendations were used, including generally accepted informative methods of toxicological and statistical studies.

Results. Based on the conducted studies, the parameters of acute oral and dermal toxicity, irritating effect on the skin and mucous membranes of the eyes, sensitizing effect of 5 samples of complex chlorine-free mineral fertilizers with trace elements were established. For all studied drugs, acute oral toxicity (LD₅₀) > 5000 mg/kg body weight, acute dermal toxicity (LD₅₀) > 2500 mg/kg body weight, mild irritating effect on the skin of rats (the average group-wide total score of the severity of the skin-irritating effect was 0.7 points for drugs No. 1, No. 4, No. 5 and 0.5 points for drugs No. 2 and No. 3), mild irritating effect on the mucous membranes rabbit eye shells (the average cumulative score of the severity of the irritating effect of samples of liquid fertilizers No. 1, No. 4, No. 5 was 1–3 points, solid fertilizers No. 2, No. 3 — 1–2 points), the absence of a sensitizing effect in guinea pigs within the standard research protocol (reactions of specific leukocyte lysis (RSLL) showed negative skin tests in guinea pigs of all experimental groups; the relative percentage of lysis did not exceed 10%).

Research limitation. The definition of the hazard class was revealed in the study of the acute toxic effect of new complex chlorine-free mineral fertilizers with trace elements on the body of laboratory animals.

Conclusion. Generalization of all the obtained results of experimental toxicological studies of complex chlorine-free nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizers with trace elements from the point of view of hygienic safety allows them to be classified as moderately dangerous substances (hazard class — 3).

Compliance with ethical standards. The study does not require the submission of the conclusion of the Biomedical ethics committee or other documents.

Author contribution:
Rusakov V.N. — research concept and design, text writing, editing;
Rumyantseva L.A. — material processing, editing;
Mikhailov I.G. — research concept and design, material processing, text writing, editing;
Vetrova O.V. — statistical analysis, editing;
Istomin A.V. — concept and design research, editing.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare the absence of obvious and potential conflicts of interest in connection with the publication of this article.

Funding. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: June 28, 2022 / Accepted: January 2023 / Published: February 30, 2023