title: Structure, bioactivity and implications for environmental remediation of complexes comprising the fungicide hexaconazole bound to copper.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In agricultural areas excessive amounts of toxic heavy metals are a growing threat to the environment and human health. Measures should be taken to minimise the risk of adverse health effects. Hence, we investigated the possibilities of hexaconazole (a commercial fungicidal) as a dual-function ligand that has heavy metal ions chelating and fungicidal activities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Metal chelation and fungicidal activities were studied by UV, elemental analysis, IR, thermogravimetric study and biological assays. Results showed that hexaconazole had selective binding capability with Cu(2+) over other ions such as Zn(2+), Cd(2+), Mn(2+), Fe(2+) and Co(2+). Soil leaching experiments showed that soil type had a limited effect on heavy-metal adsorption by hexaconazole; with decreasing pH, a notable rise of leaching effect was observed, which reached 22%. In addition, this complex exhibit better fungicidal activity against Blumeria graminis than the same dose of hexaconazole.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that hexaconazole had notable capabilities to chelate heavy metals as well as excellent fungicidal activity as a metal chelator. Given the mutual influence between pesticides and heavy metals in adsorption-desorption processes, these phenomena must be taken into account if they are to be applied rationally.
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310029, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jin-Hao
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Sheng-Hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Lu-Lu
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.forename: Jing-Li
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Cheng-Xia
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Guo-Nian
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008024:Ligands; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D014230:Triazoles / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002614:Chelating Agents; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D008024:Ligands; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D012987:Soil; D014230:Triazoles; D003300:Copper; C409722:hexaconazole
keywords: chelator; fungicidal activity; heavy metal; hexaconazole