Avaliação da atividade da enzima glutationa-s-transferase da minhoca Eisenia foetida exposta à ivermectina / Evaluation of glutatione-s-transferase enzyme activity of the earthworm Eisenia foetida exposed to ivermectin

Muitos tipos de drogas são usados na medicina veterinária para controlar e melhorar a saúde animal através de tratamentos terapêuticos e profiláticos. A desvantagem desta prática é que os produtos farmacêuticos e seus metabólitos são liberados no ambiente e podem influenciar a fauna do solo através da excreção do esterco ou pela posterior aplicação ao campo agrícola. As avermectinas são vastamente utilizadas na medicina veterinária e na agricultura. Estudos anteriores demonstraram que a ivermectina (IVM), um parasiticida amplamente utilizado, é muito tóxico para diversas espécies de invertebrados não-alvo. Tendo em vista que a IVM é pouco metabolizada, excretada de forma relativamente inalterada e pela escassez de dados sobre a toxicidade aos invertebrados do solo, foram investigados, neste estudo, os efeitos agudos e crônicos deste parasiticida sobre a glutationa-s -transferase (GST) da oligoqueta Eisenia foetida. As minhocas Eisenia foetida foram expostas à concentrações de IVM a 0, 1, 5, 10, 50 e 100 mg kg-1, e as amostras foram tomadas nos dias 7, 14 e 28 para determinação da atividade da GST. Os resultados mostraram que a duração da exposição alterou significativamente os efeitos do parasiticida investigado sobre a atividade de GST. Especificamente, após uma redução inicial, o prolongamento da exposição causou a indução da atividade da GST. Com o aumento da concentração de IVM, as atividades da GST foram inibidas significativamente após 7 dias de exposição. Em particular, o efeito inibitório foi significativo nas concentrações mais elevadas de tratamento (10, 50 e 100 mg kg-1). Por outro lado, aos 14 e 28 dias foram observadas induções na atividade da enzima. A atividade da GST pode ser considerada como parâmetro sensível para avaliar a toxicidade da ivermectina para minhocas.

Many types of drugs are used in veterinary medicine to control and improve animal health through therapeutic and prophylactic treatments. The disadvantage of this practice is that pharmaceuticals and their metabolites are released into the environment and may influence soil fauna through manure excretion and subsequent application to agricultural field. The avermectins are extensively and increasingly used in veterinary medicine and agriculture. Previous studies have shown that ivermectin (IVM), a widely used parasiticide, is very toxic to many non-target invertebrate species. In view of the little metabolism and most of the ivermectin dose given to the animal is excreted, relatively unaltered, primarily in the feces and the scarcity of data on toxicity to soil invertebrates, acute and chronic effects of the parasiticide on the glutatione-s-transferase (GST) of the oligochaete Eisenia foetida were investigated. Earthworms of Eisenia foetida were exposed to IVM at 0, 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100 mg kg-1 concentrations; samples were taken at days 7, 14, and 28 exposure for determination of GST activities. The results showed that duration of the exposure significantly changed the effects of the investigated parasiticide on the GST activity. Namely, after the initial decrease, the prolongation of exposure caused the induction of the GST activity. With increasing IVM concentration, GST activities were inhibited significantly after 7 days of the exposure. In particular, the inhibition effect was significant at the higher treatment levels (10, 50 and 100 mg kg-1). On the other hand, at 14 and 28 days were observed inductions of enzyme activity. GST activity can be regarded as sensitive parameter for evaluating the toxicity of ivermectin to earthworms.

Partitioning beta diversity of aquatic Oligochaeta in different environments of a Neotropical floodplain / Partição da diversidade beta de Oligochaeta aquático em diferentes ambientes de uma planície de inundação neotropical

We tested the hypothesis that the contribution of the nestedness component is higher in environments with more similar features (lentic or lotic), whereas the contribution of the turnover component is higher in environments with more dissimilar features (lotic vs. lentic). To this end, we partitioned beta diversity of the Oligochaeta community into 12 environments of the Upper Paraná River floodplain. We recorded 986 individuals of 17 taxa. Through Redundancy Analysis, we observed a differentiation between lentic and lotic habitats both by environmental features as species composition. Our hypothesis was partially supported, because in environments with more similar hydrological characteristics, we observed a greater contribution of the nestedness component only in lentic environments, whereas in lotic environments, the turnover component showed a higher value. Moreover, when analyzed the different environments (lentic vs. lotic), we noticed a very similar contribution of both components. Some species were more frequent, as A. pigueti and P. americana, while others were exclusive to some environments (N. bonettoi and H. aedeochaeta). We evidenced the importance of each component in structuring Oligochaeta community, nonetheless, in a different way between environments with more similar (nestedness to lentic and turnover to lotic) or dissimilar (almost the same contribution of both) features.

Nós testamos a hipótese de que a contribuição do componente aninhamento é maior em ambientes com características hidrológicas semelhantes (lênticos ou lóticos), enquanto o componente turnover é maior em ambientes com características mais diferentes (lótico vs. lêntico). Para tal, particionamos a diversidade beta da comunidade de Oligochaeta entre 12 ambientes da planície de inundação do alto rio Paraná. Registramos 986 indivíduos, consistindo em 17 táxons. Por meio da Análise de Redundância, observamos uma diferenciação entre ambientes lênticos e lóticos, tanto pelos fatores ambientais como também pelas espécies. Nossa hipótese foi parcialmente corroborada uma vez que em relação aos ambientes com características mais similares, observamos maior contribuição do componente aninhamento apenas nos ambientes lênticos, enquanto nos ambientes lóticos, o componente turnover foi maior. Ainda, ao analisarmos os ambientes mais diferentes, notamos uma contribuição muito semelhante de ambos os componentes. Algumas espécies foram mais frequentes, como A. pigueti e P. americana, enquanto outras foram exclusivas de alguns ambientes (N. bonettoi e H. aedeochaeta). Nós evidenciamos a importância de cada componente na estruturação da comunidade de Oligochaeta, no entanto, de uma forma diferente entre os ambientes com características mais semelhantes (aninhamento para lênticos e turnover para lóticos) ou diferentes (contribuição semelhante de ambos).

Biomanagement of sago-sludge using an earthworm, Lampito mauritii.

In the present study vermicomposting was carried out at three different concentrations of sago-sludge namely 50, 75 and 100% with an indigenous earthworm, Lampito mauritii for a period of 50 days. The fecundity of earthworm Lampito mauritii was found to be high in 50%. At the end of 50 days composting period. There were about 12 cocoons, 5 juveniles and 2 nonclitellates appeared at 50% sago-sludge concentration. The microbial analysis showed that after 40 days of composting their population stabilized and further increase in composting period did not increase their population size. Chemical analysis of Lampito mauritii worked substrates showed there is a step wise increase of nitrogen and phosphorus. The fold increase of phosphorus and nitrogen were found to be high for sago-sludge undergoing vermicomposting than the control. From the initial value of 1.8, 1.4 and 0.5 mg kg(-1) total nitrogen increased in a stepwise manner and reached a value of 5.8, 3.9 and 2.3 mg kg(-1), respectively for vermicomposting at 50, 75 and 100%. During composting the organic carbon decreased from its initial value of 56, 74 and 107 mg kg(-1) to 15, 25 and 58 mg kg(-1) for vermicomposting and 34, 45 and 72 mg kg(-1) for 50, 70 and 100% control, respectively. The results indicate that 50% and 75% concentration of sludge mixed with bedding material was ideal for the vermicomposting.

Biomanagement of petrochemical sludge using an exotic earthworm Eudrilus eugineae.

Petrochemical industry have severe problem in disposing effluent and semisolid sludge despite repeated recycling. It requires further treatment prior to disposal of sludge. In recent years biological treatment methods received much attention and considered as an efficient low-cost treatment. One such method is vermiculture treatment The end product of vermicompost is rich in essential micro and macronutrients along with microorganisms in a very simple form. Adding cast, not only improves the soil structure and fertility but also leads to improvement in overall plant growth and thus increase their yield. The present study was carried out to dispose the petrochemical sludge biologically using an exotic earthworm Eudrilus eugineae. The petrochemical sludge at various concentrations 25, 50 and 75% were subjected to vermicomposting treatment for a period of 60 days. During the period of study, data were collected on life form of earthworm and chemical analysis of the sludge before and after treatment. The microbial analysis was carried out fortnightly. The results indicate that 25 and 50% concentration of sludge was ideal for the vermicomposting, whereas the higher concentration inhibits the vermicomposting.

Production of free amino acids by some earthworm-borne microorganisms.

Production of free amino acids by some earthworm-borne microorganisms was investigated in three different synthetic media. Among the fungi tried Gliocladium roseum and Heterocephallum aurantiacum; among bacteria screened Bacillus macerans and B. mycoides; and among actinomycetes tested Streptomyces rimosus, S. violans, S. antibiticus, S. corchorusii and S. atroolivaceus produced significant amount of free amino acids. No correlations could be observed between vegetative growth and free amino acid production.