Glyphosate Oxidation by UVC/H2O2 Process: Biological Evaluacion in Rhinella Arenarum

JUNGUES CM; ATTADEMO AM; PELTZER PM; LAJMANOVICH RC; CARDELL L; VIDAL E; NEGRO A; CASSANO A; ZALAZAR A

San Juan

Encuentro; Second Joint Meeting of the Biology Societies from Argentina; 2011

Sociedades de Biología de la República Argentina

Amphibians are one of the vertebrate groups most sensitive to the effects of glyphosate. Nowadays, genetically modified crops indiscriminately produced in a large area of Argentina rely on this agrochemical. The residues generated by the use of this pesticide should be correctly treated. There are remediation technologies, such as Advanced Oxidation Processes, based on the production of strongly oxidative species, such as hydroxyl radical. The combination of UVC/H2O2 offers some advantages, such as ease of operation. The aims of this work were to evaluate the lethal (% mortality) and sublethal effects of inhibition of acetylcholinesterase [AChE] and butyrylcholinesterase [BChE] activities on Rhinella arenarum tadpoles. Acute bioassays (24 and 48 h) were performed on samples containing H2O2 and samples from which H2O2 was previously removed, both treated for 120, 240 and 360 min. The commercial product processed was Eskoba® (48% a.i.) (isopropylamine salt of N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine) (50 mg/l). The effects of H2O2 as positive control (PC) were also evaluated. AChE and BChE activity was determined in surviving tadpoles using routine techniques. Mortality data were compared with the Ji2 test and enzymatic activities with the Kruskal-Wallis method. Mortality percentages of tadpoles exposed to treated samples and to PC were significantly higher (p