Biochemical response, histopathological change and DNA damage in earthworm (Eisenia fetida) exposed to sulfentrazone herbicide. (August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Mengyao; Ma, Xinxin; Saleem, Muhammad; Wang, Xiaoyu; Sun, Li; Yang, Yong; Zhang, Qingming
• Is Part Of: Ecological indicators. Volume 115(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-08
• Subjects: Herbicide -- Soil animal -- Oxidative stress -- Tissue damage -- Integrated biological response; Environmental monitoring -- Periodicals; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Environmental impact analysis -- Periodicals; Environmental risk assessment -- Periodicals; Sustainable development -- Periodicals; 333.71405
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.106465
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1470-160X

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlight: The effects of sulfentrazone on earthworms were investigated using multiple biomarkers. Sulfentrazone could cause oxidative stress, tissue and DNA damage in the short term. GST plays a key role in earthworm responses to the sulfentrazone stress. IBRv2 indicated that the toxicity of sulfentrazone on earthworms was reduced with time. Abstract: Earthworms are highly important for soil health and functioning. However, the soil-applied agrochemicals may impact their survival and functioning. Sulfentrazone, a triazolinones herbicide, is widely used in modern agriculture while its toxicity to some aquatic organisms and amphibians has been reported. However, we know little about the impact of sulfentrazone on ecologically important soil earthworms such as Eisenia fetida . Thus, we investigated the toxicity of sulfentrazone (0.2, 1.0 and 5.0 mg/kg in soil) on E. fetida at day 7, 14, 21 and 28. We investigated the effects of sulfentrazone on oxidative stress, histopathological change, and DNA damage in earthworms. Our results showed an enhanced production of reactive oxygen species in earthworms corresponding to the sulfentrazone concentrations. The activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, guaiacol peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase (GST) also exhibited similar trends during sulfentrazone exposure at various time intervals. The malondialdehyde contents increased at day 7, 14 and 21, and returned to the control level at day 28. Sulfentrazone at 1.0 and 5.0 mg/kg concentrations damaged epidermal and intestinal tissues while we observed low DNA damage at day 21. Integrated Biological Response index (IBR) indicated that GST played a key role to minimize the oxidative stress caused by sulfentrazone. Moreover, the IBRv2 values also showed that the effect of sulfentrazone was reduced after 14 days, thus indicating that sulfentrazone (≤5.0 mg/kg) caused reversible toxicological effects to E. fetida . Our findings provide insight into the toxic effects of sulfentrazone on earthworm and may be useful for risk assessment of sulfentrazone on soil ecosystems.