ENVIRONMENTALLY TOLERATED CONCENTRATION OF GLYPHOSATE INDUCES BEHAVIORAL ALTERATIONS IN DANIO RERIO
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56238/revgeov16n5-185Keywords:
Ecotoxicology, Herbicide, Zebra Fish, Brazil, PublichealthAbstract
Over the past decades, Brazil has been increasing the use of various classes of pesticides in different types of monoculture crops, resulting in considerable contamination of water resources. This contamination represents a growing threat to public health and the entire aquatic biota. Given the public health issues and the damage to aquatic life caused by the excessive use of pesticides, the present study aimed to evaluate the behavioral alterations of the fish Danio rerio exposed to a concentration of 65 μg/L of the herbicide glyphosate, corresponding to the maximum concentration allowed in drinking water (Class 1 waters), as established by CONAMA Resolution of 2005. Our results showed that D.rerio specimens exposed to glyphosate needed to be closer to their prey before moving toward it and tended to remain longer in the light compartment, escaping more slowly from a simulated predator attack. These alterations indicate signs of increased vulnerability to predation, compromising the exploratory behavior of D. rerio. Our findings support the hypothesis that lethality tests commonly used in bioassays may be insufficient to assess the real impact of aquatic pollutants. Therefore, glyphosate concentrations considered acceptable under current legislation may still pose ecological and public health risks, reinforcing the need to reassess the established limits.
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