Ecotoxicological Risk Assessment of Actellic 50 EC Insecticide on Non-Target Organisms in Parallel with the Application of Standardized Tests

• Published in: Toxics (Basel) 2022-11, Vol.10 (12), p.745
• Main Authors: Paunescu, Alina, Ponepal, Cristina Maria, Tofan, Lucica, Brinzea, Gheorghita, Tantu, Monica Marilena, Mihaescu, Cristina Florina, Draghiceanu, Oana Alexandra, Popoviciu, Dan Razvan, Fagaras, Marius Mirodon, Vasile, Daniela, Soare, Liliana Cristina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Actellic 50 EC; Amphibians; Animals; Biomass; Body volume (biology); Carp; Chronic effects; Composition; Erythrocytes; Ferns; fish; Germination; Health aspects; Insecticides; Juveniles; Laboratory animals; Leukocytes; marsh frog tadpoles; Marshes; Methods; Mustard; Nontarget organisms; Organisms; Oxygen consumption; Pesticides; Phytotoxkit microbiotest; Pirimiphos-methyl; Plant growth; R&D; Reptiles & amphibians; Research & development; Respiration; Respiratory rate; Risk assessment; Seeds; Soil contamination; Sorghum; Spores; Standardized tests; Survival; Testing; Toxicity; Wheat
• ISSN: 2305-6304; 2305-6304
• DOI: 10.3390/toxics10120745

This paper contributes to the ecotoxicological risk assessment of the Actellic 50 EC insecticide (with 50% pirimiphos-methyl as the active substance) tested on non-target organisms. The insecticide concentrations tested were the same for all organisms (0.1, 0.01, and 0.001 mg L of Actellic 50 EC), with an exposure of 3-5-21 days for plants and 4-5-14 days for animals. The non-target organisms tested were both plants (wheat and two ferns) and animals (the Prussian carp and marsh frog tadpoles). The tested insecticide significantly inhibited the growth of roots in wheat, a result that was also confirmed by a microbiotest application (62% root growth inhibition in sorghum and 100% germination inhibition in white mustard and garden cress). In ferns, even for the lowest concentration, the percentage of germinated spores was inhibited by 40% for . The recorded toxicological effects of Actellic 50 EC upon the Prussian carp included a decrease in the respiratory rate and oxygen consumption, an increase in the number of erythrocytes and leukocytes, and an increase in blood glucose levels. The highest concentration (0.1 mg L of Actellic 50 EC) caused a 50% decrease in the survival rate of marsh frog tadpoles after 5 days of exposure, negatively affecting body volume and length. Given the high degree of toxicity of the insecticide Actellic 50 EC, we recommend continuing investigations on non-target species, including both plants and animals, as the sub-chronic effects are quite little known in the scientific literature.