Effects of the exposure to atrazine on bone development of Podocnemis expansa (Testudines, Podocnemididae)

Abstract

The use of pesticides is a widely spread practice in Brazilian agriculture, and dispersion of these substances is an important factor for the fauna and flora. Atrazine is an endocrine disruptor in the xenoestrogen class that is used worldwide in agricultural practices. In Brazil, its use is permitted in several crops. Podocnemis expansa is a representative of the Testudines order that is the largest freshwater reptile of South America. Its distribution enables it to get in contact with molecules that are commonly used as pesticides, which may cause deleterious effects in target populations. In order to evaluate the possible effects of the exposure to atrazine on bone ontogeny of this species, eggs were artificially incubated in sand moistened with water contaminated with atrazine at concentrations equal to 0, 2, 20 or 200 μg/L. Embryos were collected throughout incubation and submitted to diaphanization of soft tissues with potassium hydroxide (KOH); bones were stained with Alizarin red S and cartilages by Alcian blue. Embryos were evaluated for the presence of abnormalities during the different stages of pre-natal development of skeletal elements. No effect of atrazine was observed on bone development during the embryonic phase in P. expansa individuals, in the conditions of this study.

Impact of Pesticides on Human Health in the Last Six Years in Brazil

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Adverse developmental impacts in progeny of zebrafish exposed to the agricultural herbicide atrazine during embryogenesis

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Effects of atrazine on fish, amphibians, and reptiles: update of the analysis based on quantitative weight of evidence

“…In the course of the analysis, two papers overlooked during the development of the original WoE assessment were identified and analyzed. In the end, the papers included in the QWoE update are: (Chang et al 2005;Hecker et al 2005;Svartz et al 2012;Ghodageri and Katti 2013;Olker 2014;Shenoy 2014;Baxter et al 2015;Chen et al 2015;Sai et al 2015Sai et al , 2018Syngenta 2015Syngenta , 2017aSyngenta , 2017bVan Der Kraak et al 2015;Wirbisky and Freeman 2015;dos Santos Mendonc¸a et al 2016;Ehrsam et al 2016;Gustafson et al 2016;Khan et al 2016aKhan et al , 2016bKhan et al , 2016cLiu et al 2016;Richter et al 2016;Russart and Rhen 2016;Tulaby Dezfuly and Mohammadian 2016;Wirbisky et al 2016aWirbisky et al , 2016bWirbisky et al , 2016cD'Angelo and Freeman 2017;Du Gas et al 2017;Hoskins et al 2017;Jones et al 2017;Khalil et al 2017;Kirsten et al 2017;McMahon et al 2017;Persch et al 2017;Scott et al 2017;Shukla et al 2017;Snyder et al 2017;Wang et al 2017;…”