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Acute and chronic toxicity of pesticides on tadpoles of Physalaemus cuvieri (Anura, Leptodactylidae)

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Abstract

Brazil is the largest consumer of pesticides in the world. However, knowledge on how these pesticides affect wildlife is scarce. Among the vertebrates, amphibians are particularly important in research to assess the impact of pesticides because of the correlation between pesticide and the decline of these species. This study aimed to evaluate the acute and chronic toxicity of commercial formulations of pesticides, i.e., atrazine (herbicide), cypermethrin (insecticide), and tebuconazole (fungicide) in Physalaemus cuvieri tadpoles. Eggs were collected in nature and cultivated under controlled conditions in the laboratory. Toxicity tests were carried out under standard conditions to determine the lethal concentration (LC50) after 96 h of exposure and to determine the effect of sublethal concentrations after 7 days. In addition, we performed swimming activity tests on tadpoles exposed to sublethal concentrations. The lethal concentration (LC50) was 19.69 mg/L for atrazine, 0.24 mg/L for cypermethrin and 0.98 mg/L for tebuconazole. In the acute test, atrazine showed lower toxicity than cypermethrin and tebuconazole for P. cuvieri. Swimming activity was affected at sublethal doses of atrazine and cypermethrin, but was not after exposure to tebuconazole. Cypermethrin was the insecticide that most altered the swimming activity of the individuals tested. The risk evaluation analysis indicated risks for tadpoles exposed to three tested pesticides, specially cypermethrin.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Prefeitura Municipal de Erechim, Erechim, RS, Brazil

    Juliana Wrubleswski

  2. Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil

    Francisco Wilson Reichert Jr

  3. Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul, Campus Erechim, Brazil. ERS 135 - Km 72, nº 200, Erechim, RS, Brazil

    Leandro Galon, Paulo Afonso Hartmann & Marilia Teresinha Hartmann

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  1. Juliana Wrubleswski
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  2. Francisco Wilson Reichert Jr
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  3. Leandro Galon
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  5. Marilia Teresinha Hartmann
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Correspondence to Marilia Teresinha Hartmann.

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This study was licensed by IBAMA (45786-1) and authorized by the Ethics Committee for Animal Use of the Federal University of Fronteira Sul.

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Wrubleswski, J., Reichert, F.W., Galon, L. et al. Acute and chronic toxicity of pesticides on tadpoles of Physalaemus cuvieri (Anura, Leptodactylidae). Ecotoxicology 27, 360–368 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-018-1900-1

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