Histopathological changes in Lithobates catesbeianus tadpoles used as biomarkers of pesticide poisoning

Author(s)

Marcantonio, Adriana Sacioto ; Franca, Fernanda Menezes ; Santos, Diego Sales ; Martins, Ana Maria Cristina Rebello Pinto Fonseca ; Hipolito, Marcio ; Schalch, Sergio Henrique Canello ; Viriato, Cristina ; Ferreira, Claudia Maris

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: BOLETIM DO INSTITUTO DE PESCA; v. 48, p. 8-pg., 2022-01-01.

Abstract

The use of biological indicators has increased in recent years with the aim of investigating environ-mental pollution in aquatic environments that are vulnerable to the constant use of pesticides. Some biomarkers can help assess the health status, indicating physical, metabolic, and behavioral changes under acute and sublethal poisoning. The mixture of the active ingredients cyproconazole and pico-xystrobin is a widely used fungicide for the control of pests in cotton, rice, coffee, sugarcane, corn, soybean, and wheat. The objective of this study was to verify the occurrence of possible histopatholo-gical lesions in the liver and kidneys of bullfrog tadpoles (Lithobates catesbeianus) caused by a fungi-cide commercial formula composed of picoxystrobin and cyproconazole. The animals were subjected to different concentrations of the fungicide to determine the median lethal concentration (LC50-96h = 0.05 mg L-1), that is, the lethal dose for 50% of the animals in 96 h. After determining the value of LC50-96h, the animals were subjected to three sublethal concentrations (LC50-96h/2, LC50-96h/10, and LC -50-96h/100). Through histological biomarkers, it was verified that this fungicide changed the morphology of the animals' kidney and liver tissues in a chronic way, impairing the functioning of organs that are essential for their survival and metamorphosis, which can result in an imbalance in the biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/20575-6 - Evaluation of the fungicidal effects APROACH ® PRIMA in tadpoles of bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) by biomarker analysis
• Grantee: Adriana Sacioto Marcantonio
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants