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Comparison of metabolomic responses of earthworms to sub-lethal imidacloprid exposure in contact and soil tests

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Abstract

Eisenia fetida earthworms were exposed to sub-lethal levels of imidacloprid for 48 h via contact filter paper tests and soil tests. After the exposure, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics was used to measure earthworm sub-lethal responses by analyzing the changes in the polar metabolite profile. Maltose, glucose, malate, lactate/threonine, myo-inositol, glutamate, arginine, lysine, tyrosine, leucine, and phenylalanine relative concentrations were altered with imidacloprid exposure in soil. In addition to these metabolites (excluding leucine and phenylalanine), fumarate, ATP, inosine, betaine, scyllo-inositol, glutamine, valine, tryptophan, alanine, tyrosine, and isoleucine relative concentrations shifted with imidacloprid exposure during contact tests. Metabolite changes in E. fetida earthworms exposed to imidacloprid showed a non-linear concentration response and an upregulation in gluconeogenesis. Overall, imidacloprid exposure in soil induces a less pronounced response in metabolites glucose, maltose, fumarate, adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP), inosine, scyllo-inositol, lactate/threonine, and tyrosine in comparison to the response observed via contact tests. Thus, our study highlights that tests in soil can result in a different metabolic response in E. fetida and demonstrates the importance of different modes of exposure and the extent of metabolic perturbation in earthworms. Our study also emphasizes the underlying metabolic disruption of earthworms after acute sub-lethal exposure to imidacloprid. These observations should be further examined in different soil types to assess the sub-lethal toxicity of imidacloprid to soil-dwelling earthworms.

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Acknowledgments

We extend our gratitude to Dr. Ronald Soong for technical assistance and valuable discussions.

Funding

We thank the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada Strategic Partnership Grant (STPGP 494273-16) for funding this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George St., Toronto, ON, M5S 3H6, Canada

    Vivek D. Dani, André J. Simpson & Myrna J. Simpson

  2. Environmental NMR Centre and Department of Physical Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON, M1C 1A4, Canada

    Vivek D. Dani, Brian P. Lankadurai, Edward G. Nagato, André J. Simpson & Myrna J. Simpson

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  1. Vivek D. Dani
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  2. Brian P. Lankadurai
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Correspondence to Myrna J. Simpson.

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Dani, V.D., Lankadurai, B.P., Nagato, E.G. et al. Comparison of metabolomic responses of earthworms to sub-lethal imidacloprid exposure in contact and soil tests. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26, 18846–18855 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05302-y

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