Bioconcentration and Acute Intoxication of Brazilian Freshwater Fishes by the Methyl Parathion Organophosphate Pesticide.
Three species of freshwater Brazilian fishes (pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus; piavussu, Leporinus macrocephalus, and curimbatá, Prochilodus lineatus) were exposed to an acute dose of 5 ppm methyl parathion organophosphate pesticide. Three to five individuals per species were exposed, one at a time, to 40 liters tap water spiked with Folidol 600. Pesticide concentrations and cholinesterase (ChE) activities were evaluated in serum, liver, brain, heart, and muscle. The bioconcentration of methyl parathion was similar for all studied fishes. Brain tissue showed the highest pesticide concentration, reaching 80 ppm after exposure for 30 min to methyl parathion. Three to 5 hours of 5 ppm methyl parathion exposure provoked the death of all P. lineatus at 92% brain AChE inhibition, whereas fish from the other two species survived for up to 78 hours with less than 80% brain AChE inhibition. Our results indicate that acute toxic effects of methyl parathion to fish are correlated with brain AChE sensitivity to methyl paraoxon.
Universidade Estadual da Zona Oeste, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
João Bosco
JB
de Salles
Laboratório de Comunicação Celular, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Avenue Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21045-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Renato Matos
RM
Lopes
Setor de Bioquímica, Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil.
Cristiane M C
CM
de Salles
Department of Biology, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Vicente P F
VP
Cassano
Laboratório de Ecotoxicologia e Microbiologia Ambiental (LEMAM), Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia Fluminense, Cabo Frio, RJ, Brazil.
Manildo Marcião
MM
de Oliveira
Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcântara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Vera L F Cunha
VL
Bastos
Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcântara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Jayme Cunha
JC
Bastos
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D001938:Brazil; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D002802:Cholinesterases / Q000378:metabolism*; D005399:Fishes; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D008743:Methyl Parathion / Q000633:toxicity*; D009132:Muscles / Q000187:drug effects; D010755:Organophosphates / Q000633:toxicity; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity
D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D007306:Insecticides; D010755:Organophosphates; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008743:Methyl Parathion; D002802:Cholinesterases