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Nerve conduction velocity as a non-destructive biomarker in the earthworm Aporrectodea caliginosa exposed to insecticides

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Abstract

Earthworms are important and useful soil organisms, but in agricultural soils, they are potentially exposed to a wide variety of pesticides. Insecticides represent the highest threat to earthworms and many are neurotoxic. There is a need for a reliable, relevant, simple biomarker to assess the sub-lethal effects of neurotoxic insecticides on earthworms under laboratory or field conditions. The Aporrectodea caliginosa earthworms were exposed to 0 (control), 0.5×, 1× (normal field application rate), and 5× concentrations of a carbamate (Pirimor®) and an organophosphate (Lorsban®) insecticides. The nerve conduction velocity (NCV) of the medial giant fibers of A. caliginosa earthworm was recorded on days 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 to quantify sub-lethal neurotoxic effects. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme activity of A. caliginosa homogenates was measured at the conclusion of the experiment. Pirimor® but not Lorsban® induced a significant decrease in NCV on days 3, 4, and 7 at 1× and 5× doses. A significant dose-dependent decrease was observed on AChE activity to Pirimor® at the doses used but not Lorsban®. A clear relationship is observed between AChE activity and NCV in the case of Pirimor®. This study showed that NCV is a sensitive biomarker that correlates well with classical biomarker measurements such as AChE enzyme activity. This technique could be used to study the impact of insecticides on earthworms and also their recovery.

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Acknowledgements

Christophe Mazzia thanks the Scientific Committee of the University of Avignon for a fellowship to conduct this research at Lincoln University, New Zealand.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Univ Avignon Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Pôle Agrosciences, 301 rue Baruch de Spinoza, BP 21239, 84916, Avignon, France

    Christophe Mazzia & Magali Rault

  2. INRA, UMR 1114 ‘EMMAH’, Domaine Saint Paul, 84914, Avignon CEDEX 09, France

    Kiran Munir, Martin Wellby & Ravi Gooneratne

  3. Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Lincoln University, P O Box 85084, Lincoln, Christchurch, 7647, New Zealand

    Yvan Capowiez

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  1. Christophe Mazzia
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  2. Kiran Munir
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  3. Martin Wellby
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  4. Magali Rault
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  5. Yvan Capowiez
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  6. Ravi Gooneratne
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Correspondence to Christophe Mazzia.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Mazzia, C., Munir, K., Wellby, M. et al. Nerve conduction velocity as a non-destructive biomarker in the earthworm Aporrectodea caliginosa exposed to insecticides. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 24362–24367 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-2469-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-2469-1

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