Tanya Fouché

University of South Africa | unisa · Department of Environmental Sciences

Aflatoxin contamination remains one of the most important threats to food safety and human health. Aflatoxins are mainly found in soil, decaying plant material and food storage systems and are particularly abundant during drought stress. Regulations suggest the disposal of aflatoxin-contaminated crops by incorporation into the soil for natural degr...

A major point of concern in ecotoxicology is the effects of pesticides on nontarget organisms. This can impact the ecological role played by certain beneficial species in nature. Regarding neonicotinoid insecticides such as imidacloprid (IMI), several measures, including limited trade, restrictive use, and ban have been implemented in Europe and th...

Aflatoxins are secondary metabolites produced by specific strains of fungi, especially Aspergillus spp. These natural toxins are mainly found in soil, decaying vegetation and food storage systems and are particularly abundant during drought stress. Aflatoxin contamination is one of the most important threats to food safety and human health due to i...

The aim of this study is to establish if aflatoxins have an ecotoxicological effect in soil by investigating if it causes any physical or genotoxic effect to earthworms (Eisenia andrei) under different air temperature and soil moisture conditions.

Advances in soil ecotoxicological risk assessment of chemical stressors

Fumigation is an important crop protection practice employed to control soil pathogens and diseases. Metham sodium and cadusafos are two commonly used soil fumigants for this purpose. However, little information is available on their effects on non-target soil organisms. The aim of the study was to determine the ecotoxicity of these chemical fumiga...

Biofumigation is considered a good alternative to chemical fumigation because it can control crop pathogens and diseases with lower health and environmental risks than chemical fumigants. Glucosinolates are volatile compounds found in most Brassica species, and when hydrolysed, it forms a range of natural toxins including isothiocyanates that act a...

Metal contamination of soil due to industrialization has become an increasingly important problem in South Africa. This study aimed to investigate the potential impact of a copper (CuSO4·5H2O) production company on the soil environment. Bioassays using Eisenia andrei were performed to assess changes in biomass, reproduction and a biomarker, neutral...