engleski

Influence of Alpha Cypermethrin and Difenoconazole Pesticides on European Green Toad Tadpoles (Bufotes viridis L.)

Amphibians are considered as one of the most endangered groups of animals globally and one of the reasons for population decline is overuse of pesticides. Alpha cypermethrin and difenoconazole are commonly used pesticides and their run-off due to floods or precipitation leads to accumulation in aquatic ecosystems, which has been proven to have a negative effect on amphibians. Some of the major negative effects of pesticides are reduced growth and development and increased mortality, all of that due to increased oxidative stress. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the level of oxidative stress in European green toad (Bufotes viridis L.) tadpoles after the treatment with these two pesticides. Tadpoles were treated with different concentrations of alpha cypermethrin and difenoconazole for 48 h. Three stress biomarkers were measured: catalase activity, carbonyl content and electron transport system (ETS) activity at three different temperatures (20 °C, 24 °C and 28 °C). Obtained results were statistically analysed using One-way ANOVA test or it's non parametric equivalent, Kruskal-Wallis test in R-programming language to determine whether there are any statistically significant differences between different concentrations of pesticides and control group. Results showed increased catalase activity at lower concentrations in tadpoles treated with alpha cypermethrin, while at higher concentrations activity is decreased, because catalase is unable to degrade all hydrogen peroxide. Catalase activity was decreased in tadpoles treated with difenoconazole even at low concentrations. Carbonyl content was increased in all treatments compared to the control group. ETS activity measurements showed that there is no difference in activity at different temperatures, but there was increased activity at lower concentrations in tadpoles treated with alpha cypermethrin. From these results, we can conclude that these pesticides cause an increase in oxidative stress and that difenoconazole is more harmful pesticide since protein damage occurs at very low concentrations.

toxicology ; amphibia ; Bufonidae ; threat ; oxidative stress

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