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Abamectin in the aquatic environment

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Abstract

Abamectin, widely used as a veterinary anthelmintic, medicine against a variety of animal parasites and insects, can runoff from the sites of application and becomes an aquatic pollutant. The aim of this study was to identify the toxicity of abamectin on bacteria, algae, daphnids, and fish. An extremely high toxicity of avermectin to the survival and reproduction of Daphnia magna was observed in 21-day exposure tests. Zebrafish and the algae Scenedesmus subspicatus are less sensitive to avermectin. The compound is expected to have adverse effects on the aquatic environment due to its high toxicity, even at very low concentrations, to daphnids and to fish.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology for funding this work. We also thank Emil Meden and Erik Zidar for their technical assistance. We gratefully acknowledge Prof. Dr. Bill Milne whose suggestions and comments greatly improved the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Tatjana Tišler

  2. Institute of Physiology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Ljubljana, Veterinary Faculty, Gerbičeva 60, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Nevenka Kožuh Eržen

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  1. Tatjana Tišler
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  2. Nevenka Kožuh Eržen
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Correspondence to Tatjana Tišler.

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Tišler, T., Kožuh Eržen, N. Abamectin in the aquatic environment. Ecotoxicology 15, 495–502 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-006-0085-1

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