Chlorothalonil is a fungicide present in antifouling paints and other formulations used in agriculture, although studies have shown this chemical to be toxic to fish species. To clarify the deleterious effects of chlorothalonil for these non-target organisms, the present study evaluated the toxic effects of this biocide for the estuarine guppy Poecilia vivipara in terms of an acute mortality test (96 h) and the analysis of biomarkers of oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and sperm quality. The LC50 calculated for P. vivipara was 40.8 μg/L of chlorothalonil. For the analysis of biomarkers, fish were exposed (96 h) to 1 and 10 μg/L of chlorothalonil. It was observed that chlorothalonil alters the levels of pro- and antioxidants towards oxidative stress. In the gills, a negative effect on total antioxidant capacity (ACAP) was detected, while there was a reduction in the activity of glutathione S-transferase (GST) in the liver. However, levels of glutathione (GSH) and the activity and glutamate-cysteine-ligase (GCL) increased in both tissues, as a possible detoxification response. Following chlorothalonil exposure, oxidative damage measured by lipoperoxidation (LPO) significantly increased at the cellular level only (red blood cells (RBCs) and sperm cells). An increase in fluidity of membranes, reactive oxygen species concentration and micronuclei (MNs) incidence were also seen in RBCs. In sperm cells, LPO increased, while membrane and mitochondrial functionality as well as sperm motility decreased. Based on these results, chlorothalonil can be considered as a toxic compound for fish, causing genotoxicity and affecting the RBCs physiology and the fertility of males of P. vivipara.
Keywords: Biomarker; DNA damage; Fish; Male fertility; Oxidative stress.
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