Can the insecticide Imidacloprid affect the health of the Neotropical freshwater fish Astyanax altiparanae (Teleostei: Characidae)?

Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2021 Jul:85:103634. doi: 10.1016/j.etap.2021.103634. Epub 2021 Mar 16.

Abstract

Female juveniles of the Neotropical fish Astyanax altiparanae were exposed for 96 h to four treatments containing the active ingredient from Imidacloprid® commercial formulation (IMI 1, IMI 2, IMI 3, and IMI 4) and to a control treatment (only dechlorinated tap water). Glutathione content, glutathione S-transferase activity, lipid peroxidation (LPO) and protein carbonylation levels, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and frequency of micronuclei and erythrocyte nuclear abnormalities (ENA) were measured in the fish. The muscle and gills were the most affected organs; their antioxidant defense was not enough to prevent oxidative damage (LPO) in the IMI 2 and IMI 4 treatment fish. IMI also inhibited AChE activity in the muscle (IMI 3 and IMI 4) and increased ENA frequency (IMI 4). IMI can affect the health of A. altiparanae in environmentally relevant concentrations, causing oxidative damage in different organs, neurotoxic effects in the muscle, and genotoxicity.

Keywords: Biomarkers; Genotoxicity; Neonicotinoid; Neurotoxicity; Oxidative damage; Oxidative stress.

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholinesterase / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Characidae*
  • Female
  • Fish Proteins / metabolism
  • Fresh Water
  • Gills / drug effects
  • Gills / metabolism
  • Glutathione / metabolism
  • Insecticides / toxicity*
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Micronucleus Tests
  • Muscles / drug effects
  • Muscles / metabolism
  • Neonicotinoids / toxicity*
  • Neurotoxicity Syndromes / metabolism
  • Nitro Compounds / toxicity*
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Protein Carbonylation / drug effects
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / toxicity*

Substances

  • Fish Proteins
  • Insecticides
  • Neonicotinoids
  • Nitro Compounds
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • imidacloprid
  • Acetylcholinesterase
  • Glutathione