Toxicological Interaction Effects of Herbicides and the Environmental Pollutants on Aquatic Organisms

Abstract

Although herbicides are designed to remove or control weeds, pollution of water ecosystems with herbicides could have adverse effects on aquatic animals such as fish. The effect of herbicides on nontarget organisms may be different than expected, as herbicides may interact with another environmental contaminant. Since there are different contaminants in the water, fish may live in the cocktail of xenobiotics, including herbicides. Therefore, herbicides alone and in combination with other pollutants could affect fish physiology. Thus, the interaction of environmental contaminants with pesticides may create a situation in which a chemical affects the activity of a pesticide; that is, its effects increase or decrease or produce a new effect that neither of them creates on its own. These interactions may occur due to accidental misuse or lack of knowledge about the active ingredients in the relevant materials. This study aimed to review the effects of herbicides alone and in combination with other xenobiotics on various aspects of fish biology. In this study, different biomarkers were reviewed in fish exposed to herbicides.