Assessment of the acute toxicity of the organochlorine pesticide endosulfan in Cichlasoma dimerus (Teleostei, Perciformes)

DA CUÑA, RODRIGO; REY VAZQUEZ, GRACIELA; PIOL, NATALIA; VERRENGIA GUERRERO, NOEMÍ; MAGGESE, MARIA CRISTINA; LO NOSTRO, FABIANA

ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY

ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2011 vol. 74 p. 1065 - 1073

0147-6513

The organochlorine insecticide Endosulfan (ES) is widely used despite its high toxicity to fish (96-h LC50 median value of 2.6 ug L-1). This study aimed to assess the acute toxicity, histological and physiological parameters after exposure to 0; 0.25; 1; 2; 3; 4 and 16 ug L-1 ES for 96 h under semi-static conditions in a freshwater perciform fish, Cichlasoma dimerus. Prior to death, fish exhibited behavior indicative of neurotoxicity. No difference was found in brain AChE activity. A decrease in erythrocyte mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration in exposed fish suggests a state of anemia. Histological alterations observed in exposed fish included hyperplasia of the interlamellar epithelium, blood congestion in secondary lamellae, and mucous cells hyperplasia and hypertrophy in gills; pycnotic nuclei and hydropic degeneration in liver; testicular damage. These moderate pathological responses in major organs could become crucial during reproduction and under prolonged exposure periods.