Abstract

CORTESIA, Carmen; MARCANO, Leida; MARCANO, Elena  and  ZAPATA-VIVENES, Edgar. INMUNOTOXICIDAD DE MALATIÓN Y CLORPIRIFOS EN LA LOMBRIZ DE TIERRA Eisenia sp. (ANNELIDA: OLIGOCHAETA). Saber [online]. 2015, vol.27, n.4, pp.530-536. ISSN 2343-6468.

The effects of malathion and chlorpyrifos on immune responses of Eisenia sp. were assessed using standard toxicity assays. In plastic containers with natural soils as substrate, mature sexually earthworms were exposed to malathion (300 mg kg-1of soil) and chlorpyrifos (300 mg kg-1of soil) during 7 and 21 days. After exposure periods, cellular viability, total number of coelomocytes (NTC), percentage of phagocytic cells (PCF), lysozyme activity and hemolytic percentage were determined. Malathion and chlorpyrifos exposures caused a significant decrease in NTC, lysozyme and hemolytic activities, but these variables were not affected by time of exposure. PCF declined in earthworms exposed to both pesticides; this decline was dependent of the time-exposure. The results suggest an immunotoxic action of both agrochemicals on humoral and cellular immune responses of Eisenia sp., which could intensify the detrimental effects caused by biotic stressors, such as pathogens microrganisms that live in the soil. The immune responses mediated by the coelocmocytes of Eisenia sp. evaluated in this study were negatively affected by malathion and chlorpyrifos, demonstrating their sensitivity as potential biomarkers useful in early detection of environmental impact by organophosphate pesticides.

Keywords : Coelomocytes; Eisenia; immunotoxicity; pesticide.

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