Neonicotinoids (NEOCs) are insecticides that are widely used worldwide in the culture of maize and soya. Whereas they specifically target terrestrial insects by acting as agonists of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in their nervous system, their effects on the cholinergic system of vertebrates is still unclear. Moreover, there is an increasing concern about their effects on aquatic biota because of their high leaching potential. In the agricultural watershed of Lake St. Pierre (LSP) (St. Lawrence River System, Québec, Canada), for example, NEOC concentrations considered toxic for aquatic biota (>8.3 ng L-1) have frequently been detected. These conditions may affect the yellow perch (Perca flavescens) population in LSP, which collapsed in the mid 1990s and is now experiencing poor recruitment. Moreover, because their larvae are found in shallow waters (<80 cm) near agricultural land, they are also exposed to ultraviolet radiation (UVR), with unknown potential interactions with NEOCs. The objective of this study was to test the synergistic effects of two commonly used NEOCs (imidacloprid and thiamethoxam) with natural UVR on yellow perch larvae using survival analysis and biomarkers to better quantify lethal and sublethal effects. Three common garden experiments were conducted with thiamethoxam and/or imidacloprid and natural UVR following a factorial design. Our results showed an interaction between UVR and thiamethoxam in terms of larval mortality. At the sublethal level, imidacloprid was associated with increased protein content and, in the presence of UVR, with increased acetylcholinesterase activity, thus indicating a cholinergic perturbation like that found in insects. Finally, we also found unexpected reduced lipid peroxidation associated with imidacloprid. A reduction in the overall lipid accumulation is suspected to be behind this puzzling result. These results will open new research avenues related to the effects of NEOCs on proteins and lipid accumulation.
Keywords: Acetylcholinesterase; Lipid peroxidation; Neonics; Sublethal effects; Survival analysis; UV radiation.
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