Effect of glyphosate acid on biochemical markers of periphyton exposed in outdoor mesocosms in the presence and absence of the mussel Limnoperna fortunei

IUMMATO, M.; H. PIZARRO; DI FIORI, E.; CATALDO, D.; RÍOS DE MOLINA, M. DEL C.; JUÁREZ, A.

ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY

SETAC PRESS

Lugar: Buenos Aires; Año: 2017

0730-7268

Glyphosate is currently the most widely used herbicide in agriculturalproduction. It generally enters aquatic ecosystems through surface waterrunoff and aerial drift. We evaluated the effect of glyphosate acid onbiochemical parameters of periphyton exposed to concentrations of 1, 3and 6 mg/L in outdoor mesocosms, in the presence and absence of the mussel Limnoperna fortunei. Periphyton ash-free dry weight (AFDW),chlorophyll a content, carotene/chlorophyll a ratio, lipid peroxidation levelsand superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were determined at day0, 1, 7, 14 and 26 of the experimental period. AFDW was similar betweencontrol and glyphosate-treated periphyton in the absence of L. fortunei.The latter had significantly lower carotene/chlorophyll a ratio and enzymeactivities and higher lipid peroxidation levels and chlorophyll a content thanthe former. These results show an adverse effect of glyphosate on themetabolism of periphyton community organisms, possibly inducingoxidative stress. On the contrary, no differences were observed in all thesevariables between control and glyphosate-treated periphyton in thepresence of L. fortunei. Mussels probably attenuated the herbicide effectsby contributing to glyphosate dissipation. The results of the present studyalso demonstrate that biochemical markers provide useful information thatmay warn of herbicide impact on periphyton communities.