Immunotoxicity and genetic damage in Caiman latirostris yearlings exposed in vivo to commercial pesticides

THOMÁS MARTÍNEZ; ESTEBAN TONINI; ALBA IMHOF; CHACÓN CAMILA FELISA; EVELYN CECILIA LÓPEZ GONZÁLES; SOLEDAD MOLEÓN; PABLO ARIEL SIROSKI

Darwin

Congreso; 27TH WORKING MEETING OF THE IUCN SSC CROCODILE SPECIALIST GROUP; 2024

IUCN SSC CROCODILE SPECIALIST GROUP

Abstract: Crocodilians are endangered by habitat loss and perturbation as a result of anthropogenic activities. Natural populations of C. latirostris in Argentina and other countries in South America are potentially exposed to contaminants, particularly in areas with intense use of pesticides for agricultural purposes. Caimans can be exposed in all life stages to pesticides through direct contact with contaminated habitats. Consequently, changes in physiological processes such as reproductive success and breeding efforts could threaten animal survival and ecological function. For this reason, it is necessary to determine the effect of pesticides in the short term as a relevant factor for the conservation risk crocodilians currently face. We evaluated immunotoxicity and genetic damage of four commercial formulations of glyphosate (GLY), 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), imidacloprid (IMI), chlorantraniliprole (CAP) and three mixture combinations on yearlings under controlled conditions. This study was carried out in Proyecto Yacaré and LEMA facilities. Animals were maintained in plastic pens and were exposed to seven different treatments for 60 days at pesticide concentrations recommended for their application in agriculture. A negative control group was also housed under the same conditions for comparison. After the 60 days, blood samples were obtained and growth parameters, total and differential white blood cells (lymphocytes, heterophils, eosinophils, basophils, and monocytes as immune parameters), as well as the frequency of micronucleus (FMN) and nuclear abnormalities (FNA: buds, notched, eccentric, lobulated nuclei, binuclear and total nuclear abnormalities) as genotoxicity biomarkers, were determined in erythrocytes. Results indicated a significant increase in the FMN in all the treatments compared to the control (p