Glyphosate is Harmful to Early Life Stages of the Viviparous Fish Jenynsia Multidentata: Biochemical and Locomotor Effects

• Published in: Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology Vol. 85; no. 4; pp. 417 - 428
• Main Authors: Moraes, Jenifer Silveira, da Costa Silva, Dennis Guilherme, dos Santos Vaz, Bernardo, Mizuschima, Catiúscia Weinert, de Martinez Gaspar Martins, Camila
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-11-2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acetylcholinesterase; Agrochemicals; Animals; Aquatic ecosystems; Aquatic environment; Detoxification; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecosystem; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental effects; Environmental Health; Fish; Fishes; Glutathione; Glutathione transferase; Glyphosate; Herbicides; Herbicides - toxicity; Indigenous species; Jenynsia multidentata; Lipid peroxidation; Lipids; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Nontarget organisms; Peroxidation; Pollution; Pollution effects; Soil Science & Conservation; Swimming; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Weed control
• ISSN: 0090-4341; 1432-0703
• DOI: 10.1007/s00244-023-01015-z

Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide worldwide due to its efficacy in weed control in agriculture. This herbicide has been consistently detected in the aquatic environment, causing harmful consequences to nontarget organisms residing in agricultural regions. In this study, we assessed the effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of glyphosate (30–100 µg/L) on the early life stages of the viviparous fish
Jenynsia multidentata
through biochemical and locomotor endpoints. At 96 h of exposure, 30 and 65 µg/L glyphosate caused an increase in acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and 65 µg/L glyphosate also augmented the levels of lipid peroxidation. Glyphosate at 100 µg/L did not alter the activity of acetylcholinesterase or the levels of lipid peroxidation, but it stimulated the activity of the cellular detoxification enzyme glutathione
S
-transferase. In addition, all concentrations affected the swimming of the fish. Under light conditions, glyphosate caused hypolocomotion at all concentrations tested, whereas under dark conditions, this was observed at 30 and 100 µg/L. Hyperlocomotion was observed at 65 µg/L glyphosate. These findings are alarming for the health of fish, such as
J. multidentata
that inhabit streams that pass through agricultural areas, especially for the early life stages of these fish. Research studying the effects of pollutants on native species is relevant to improve regulation that protects aquatic ecosystems.
Graphical Abstract