Toxicological impact of butralin, glyphosate-isopropylammonium and pendimethalin herbicides on physiological parameters of Biomphalaria alexandrina snails

ABSTRACT

Biomphalaria alexandrina snails have been used as bioindicators for freshwater qaulity and the effects of some herbicides such as butralin, glyphosate-isopropylammonium and pendimethalin). In the present study the effect of these three herbicides on snail biochemistry was examined. The results indicated that the herbicides increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the haemolymph of B. alexandrina snails and significantly decreased total protein and albumin content. Light microscopical examinations of haemocytes monolayers of B. alexandrina snails showed three different cell types (small cells, granulocytes and hyalinocytes). All three herbicides caused abnormalities in cell shapes. Flow cytometric analysis of haemocytes from B. alexandrina demonstrated that circulating haemocyte populations could be divided into two main subtypes differing in their granularity (granulocytes or hyalinocytes) and size (large and small cells). In addition, the flow cytometric analysis showed that the total number of dead haemocytes in the haemolymph was significantly increased in treated groups compared to the control group. Phagocytosis in groups treated with the herbicides was highly significantly increased compared to the control indicating a very strong response of the treated snails. The results of the alkaline comet assay of DNA damage demonstrated that these herbicides have a genotoxic effect.

KEYWORDS:

• Transaminases
• protein content
• haemocytes
• comet assay

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the editor, Don Colgan, and an anonymous reviewer for valuable comments on the paper and Mr. Nasr Saad Ghanem for his valuable assistance and providing us with materials.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Compliance with ethical standards

All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. This article does not contain any studies with human participants performed by any of the authors.

ORCID

Amina M. Ibrahim http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9149-6894

Additional information

Funding

This study was not funded by any organisations.