Sensitivity of Boana pulchella (Anura: Hylidae) Tadpoles to Environmentally Relevant Concentrations of Chlorpyrifos: Effects at the Individual and Biochemical Levels

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Abstract
We report sublethal effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of chlorpyrifos (CPF) at the individual (swimming alterations) and biochemical level (esterases activities and antioxidant enzymes) in the Montevideo treefrog Boana pulchella larvae. The LC50‐96h for CPF in stage‐29 B. pulchella tadpoles was 0.98 mg/L and was close to the 65th‐percentile of published anuran species sensitivity. CPF disrupted biochemical processes in B. pulchella: tadpoles showed a significant inhibition of esterases activity and a significant induction of antioxidant enzymes, indicating a response to an environmental challenge causing oxidative stress. Using Principal Components Analysis, we could associate CPF reduction in esterases activity with swimming alterations, at 0.5 mg/L of the toxicant. Biochemical biomarkers reported here respond at levels 20 times lower than the LC50‐96 h and were associated with a biologically important response– swimming behavior. The link of responses across different levels of biological organization was here demonstrated. The species is suited as a model for ecotoxicological studies at different levels, including the individual and biochemical level, and may be considered a good reference organism in environmental control programs.
Funding Information
  • Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
  • National Agency of Scientific and Technological Promotion (PICT 2015-3137)
  • Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

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