Seralini paper released by predatory publisher is plagiarized by predatory journal

A 2012 paper co-authored by Gilles Seralini, who has published controversial research showing the dangers of genetically modified foods, has been plagiarized by another researcher.

The 2016 paper, published in the International Journal of Technical Research and Applications, has not been retracted, but the text comparison is fairly obvious.

It’s a case of intra-predatory crime: the International Journal of Technical Research and Applications is on the list of predatory journals compiled by Jeffrey Beall, and the Seralini paper appeared in the Journal of Environmental Protection, which is published by Scientific Research Publishing, which Beall considers to be a predatory publisher.

Here’s the abstract from Seralini’s 2012 paper, “Glyphosate Exposure in a Farmer’s Family:”

We tested the presence of glyphosate in the urines of a farmer who sprayed a glyphosate based herbicide on his land, and in his family, as his children were born with birth defects that could be due to or promoted by pesticides. Glyphosate residues were measured in urines a day before, during, and two days after spraying, by liquid chromatography-linear ion trap mass spectrometry. Glyphosate reached a peak of 9.5 µg/L in the farmer after spraying, and 2 µg/L were found in him and in one of his children living at a distance from the field, two days after the pulverization. Oral or dermal absorptions could explain the differential pesticide excretions, even in family members at a distance from the fields. A more detailed following of agricultural practices and family exposures should be advocated together with information and recommendations.

And here’s the abstract from “Glyphosate based Herbicide Product Exposure to the Farmer’s Health:”

We tested the presence of glyphosate in the urine of a farmer who sprayed a glyphosate-based herbicide on his land and to his family, his children were born with birth defects that could cause or promoted by pesticides. Glyphosate – residues were measured in the urine a day before , during , and two days after spraying , by mass spectrometry ion trap chromatogram – PHY – linear liquid . Glyphosate reached a peak of 9.5 mg / L for the farmer after spraying, and 2 mg / L were found in him and one of his children who live at a distance from the field, two days after the spraying. Oral, dermal absorption could explain the differential excretions of pesticides, even in familiar distance from the fields. Following more detailed farming practices and exposures family should be supported along with in – training and recommendations.

Neither journal is indexed by Thomson Scientific’s Web of Knowledge.

We discovered this case after the first author of the 2012 paper — Robin Mesnage, a research associate at King’s College — alerted us to the similarities. Mesnage said he discovered the 2016 paper from an email alert via Google Scholar.

This is a crazy story! They have just changed the name and the address, everything else is the same!

The only way we know the text of the IJTRA paper is from a pdf Mesnage forwarded to us of the paper — the link to the abstract online is now blank. Mesnage told us he contacted the journal, but hadn’t heard anything back from anyone about the paper:

If we can’t find anything on this publication I will consider that it’s retracted, but I will keep an eye on the February issue of this journal.

Mesnage was a co-author on one of Seralini’s controversial papers the effects of GM maize and the Roundup herbicide on rats that was retracted, and later republished.

We have been unable to find contact information for the author of the 2016 article, Hitendra J. Jani, whose affiliation on the paper is listed as “Bharuch Enviro Infrastructure Ltd., Plot No. 9701-9716, GIDC, Ankleshwar, Bharuch District, Gujarat, India.”

The last we heard of Seralini, one of his papers about the toxicity of GM corn had disappeared after the journal’s domain name expired. The site has since been restored.

Like Retraction Watch? Consider making a tax-deductible contribution to support our growth. You can also follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, add us to your RSS reader, sign up on our homepage for an email every time there’s a new post, or subscribe to our new daily digest. Click here to review our Comments Policy.