Análise dos efeitos do glifosato e sua formulação Roundup® nas células e gônadas dos peixes Danio rerio (Cyprinidae) / Analysis of the effects of glyphosate and its formulation Roundup® on the cells and gonads of fish Danio rerio (Cyprinidae)

Os herbicidas estão entre os insumos químicos mais utilizados na agricultura e apresentam ação toxicológica para as plantas. Dentre os herbicidas existentes, o glifosato e a sua formulação comercial Roundup® são os mais utilizados devido à eficácia no controle de ervas daninhas. Entretanto, estudos sugerem que estes herbicidas podem provocar distúrbios a organismos aquáticos, principalmente o Roundup®, que além do glifosato ativo, apresenta na composição componentes surfactantes que aumentariam o seu potencial toxicológico para os seres vivos. Desta forma, o presente estudo teve como objetivo comparar o potencial mutagênico e desenvolvimento gonadal do princípio ativo glifosato e sua formulação Roundup® em peixes Danio rerio. Para isso, exemplares adultos de D. rerio permaneceram em aquários expostos à concentração de 65 µg/L de cada herbicida. Foram realizadas contagens de micronúcleos, calculado o índice gonadossomático (IGS) e verificado os estágios de maturação gonadal. Os resultados demonstraram que os peixes expostos aos herbicidas apresentaram aumentos significativos na frequência de micronúcleos, bem como no IGS, e maior ocorrência de ovários com estágios em maturação e maduros. Não foram verificadas diferenças significativas na comparação dos herbicidas, exceto um aumento na frequência de ovários maduros nas fêmeas expostas ao glifosato. Observou-se que, mesmo em pequenas concentrações, os herbicidas poderiam ter ocasionado efeitos nocivos para os peixes D. rerio, podendo induzir efeitos clastogênicos nos eritrócitos, assim como distúrbios reprodutivos, aumentando a preocupação sobre os impactos que estes herbicidas podem acarretar sobre o ciclo de vida destes organismos.(AU)

The herbicides are among the most used chemical inputs in the agriculture and present a great toxicological action for the plants. Among the existing herbicides, glyphosate and its commercial formulation Roundup® are the most used due to their effectiveness in control of weeds. However, studies suggest that these herbicides can cause disturbances to aquatic organisms, mainly the Roundup®, that besides active glyphosate, it presents in the composition components surfactants that would increase its toxicological potential for the alive beings. Therefore, the aim of this study is to compare the mutagenic potential and gonadal development of the active principle glyphosate and its formulation Roundup® in fish Danio rerio. Thus, adult copies of D. rerio stayed in aquariums exposed to a concentration of 65 µg / L of each herbicide. Micronucleus counts were performed and the Gonadossomatic index (GSI) was calculated and the stages of gonadal maturation were verified. The results demonstrated that the fish exposed to the herbicides, presented significant increases in the micronucleus frequency, as well as in GSI and larger occurrence of ovaries with stages in maturation and mature. There were no significant differences in herbicide comparison, except an increase in the frequency of mature ovaries in the exposed females to glyphosate. It was observed that even in small concentrations, the herbicides could presented harmful effects for the fish D. rerio, could have caused clastogenic effects in the erythrocytes, as well as, reproductive disturbances, increasing the concern about the impacts that these herbicides can have on the life cycle of these organisms.(AU)

Changes in ultrastructure and expression of steroidogenic factor-1 in ovaries of zebrafish Danio rerio exposed to glyphosate.

Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum organophosphate (OP) herbicide, highly soluble in water, and when applied in terrestrial systems it penetrates into soil, eventually reaching the aquatic community and affecting nontarget organisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of glyphosate on ovaries of zebrafish (Danio rerio). Ovaries (n = 18 per triplicate) were exposed to 65 µg/L of glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine] for 15 d. This concentration was determined according to Resolution 357/2005/CONAMA/Brazil, which establishes the permissible concentration of glyphosate in Brazilian inland waters. Nonexposed ovaries (n = 18 per triplicate) were used as control. Subsequently, morphology and expression of steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) of exposed and nonexposed ovaries was determined. No apparent changes were noted in general morphology of exposed and nonexposed ovaries. However, a significant increase in diameter of oocytes was observed after exposure to glyphosate. When ovarian ultrastructure was examined the presence of concentric membranes, appearing as myelin-like structures, associated with the external membranes of mitochondria and with yolk granules was found. After glyphosate exposure, immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting revealed greater expression of SF-1 in the oocytes, which suggests a relationship between oocyte growth and SF-1 expression. These subtle adverse effects of glyphosate on oocytes raised a potential concern for fish reproduction. These results contribute to understanding glyphosate-induced toxicity to nontarget organisms, showing subcellular and molecular impairments that may affect reproduction in +female fish.

Genotoxicity in Astyanax bimaculatus (Twospot Astyanax) exposed to the waters of Engano River (Brazil) as determined by micronucleus tests in erythrocytes.

Changes in aquatic environments are potentially large, and effects on biota are highly variable. In Santa Catarina State, Brazil, the main sources of pollution in headwaters are wastewater, pesticides, and animal waste, which contain chemical and organic additives, and there is little knowledge about their effects on aquatic organisms. This study was aimed at investigating the possible genotoxic effects of the waters of the Engano River through the micronucleus (MN) test in Astyanax bimaculatus erythrocytes. Samplings were performed at two sites on the river, and there were six temporal repetitions with collection of blood from six individuals per site/repetition. For the negative-control treatment, we used fish from organic culture; cyclophosphamide was inoculated to constitute the positive-control treatment. MN was obtained in 3,000 erythrocytes/individual. Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance, Scott-Knott test, and Spearman correlation were employed for data analysis. We found 124 MN in fish from the river, with 70 and 54 MN, respectively, for each site and 16 and 59 MN in negative and positive controls, respectively. The results showed a statistical difference for the formation of MN between river fish and fish in the positive-control treatment. Considering the average MN, we found the formation of three distinct groups: (1) fish from site no. 1 and those in the negative-control group, (2) fish from site no. 2, and (3) fish in the positive-control group. The greater values of chromosomal damage were found during periods of lower rainfall. The test used indicated the presence in the water of substances likely to cause clastogenic and aneugenic effects.