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Acute Toxic Effects of the Herbicide Formulation Focus® Ultra on Embryos and Larvae of the Moroccan Painted Frog, Discoglossus scovazzi

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Abstract

For regulatory and scientific purposes, there is a need to understand the sensitivity of a wider variety of wild species of amphibians and the sensitivities within their life stages to chemicals of widespread use such as herbicides. We investigated the acute toxic effects of the herbicide formulation Focus Ultra [with the active ingredient (a.i.) cycloxydim plus solvent naphtha and sodium dioctylsulphosuccinate as added substances] on embryos and early stage larvae of the Moroccan painted frog (Discoglossus scovazzi). Different clinical signs (twitching, convulsion, and narcosis) occurred at 40 and 80 mg/L in embryos (4 and 8 mg a.i./L) and narcotic effects (total immobilization or irregular escape responses) at 10, 15, and 20 mg/L in larvae (1, 1.5, and 2 mg a.i./L). Growth inhibition (total length), starting at 20 mg/L in embryos and 2.5 mg/L in larvae (2 and 0.25 mg a.i./L, respectively) was understood as sign of toxicity (retardation) and not as sign of teratogenicity. However, the connection to teratogenesis remained unclear though total length reduction occurred at concentrations <20 % of the 96-h LC50 value and at a minimum concentration that inhibits growth of only 17 % of the 96-h LC50 value. Starting at 20 mg/L, mortality in embryos significantly increased and at 15 mg/L in early larvae (2 and 1.5 mg a.i./L, respectively). Mortality of larvae was enhanced during the first 24 h of exposure to 15 and 20 mg/L (1.5 and 2 mg a.i./L). Morphology of the embryos remained unobtrusive. In contrary, axial malformations significantly increased in the early larvae starting at 10 mg/L (1 mg a.i./L), a concentration free of lethal effects. In all considered end points, larvae were significantly more sensitive than embryos, probably because of developmental and physiological properties or different exposure and bioavailability of the compound. Focus Ultra induced comparable lethal and immobilization effects in D. scovazzi as it does to standard test organisms in pesticide approval. However, to validate the apparent safety in the field, which is based on calculated surface water concentrations of the a.i., more data on real contamination levels is necessary (e.g., peak concentrations, concentrations of added substances). Furthermore, sufficient buffer strips between the farmland and amphibian ponds must be considered, and the effects of the substance on terrestrial life stages have not been assessed yet.

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Acknowledgments

Permissions were obtained with courtesy by the Landesuntersuchungsamt (Koblenz, Germany), the Veterinary Office, and the Nature Conservation Authority Trier-Saarburg (Trier, Germany). N. W. is grateful for financial support from the ‘Graduiertenkolleg, 1319—Verbesserung von Normsetzung und “Normanwendung im integrierten Umweltschutz durch rechts und naturwissenschaftliche Kooperation” at Trier University, which was funded by the German Research Foundation. Reinhard Bierl (Department of Hydrology, Trier University) performed the water analysis. We thank Frank Pasmans from Gent University for providing eggs from captivity-bred D. scovazzi.

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  1. Department of Biogeography, Faculty of Regional and Environmental Sciences, Trier University, Universitätsring 15, 54296, Trier, Germany

    Norman Wagner, Stefan Lötters, Michael Veith & Bruno Viertel

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Wagner, N., Lötters, S., Veith, M. et al. Acute Toxic Effects of the Herbicide Formulation Focus® Ultra on Embryos and Larvae of the Moroccan Painted Frog, Discoglossus scovazzi . Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 69, 535–544 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-015-0176-1

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