Evaluation of Alachlor Herbicide Impacts on Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) using Biochemical Biomarkers

摘要

Herbicide application as a part of agricultural processes may have impacts on nontarget organisms, especially aquatic lives and their environment. Often as a component of sustainable agriculture in tropical countries, fish farming is practiced on farmlands. Thus, to supplement risk assessment studies, it is important to obtain information on the effects these xenobiotics have on local species. Alachlor (2-chloro-N-[2,6-diethyphenyl]-N-[methoxym-ethyl)acetamide]) is one of the most widely used chloro-acetanilide herbicides for the control of annual grasses and many broadleaf weeds. Its extensive use and its persistence in ground and surface water have posed potential risks for human exposure, not only to professional applicators and farmers, but alsoto general populations. There have been numerous studies on alachlor, but much less investigation of its effects on fish and aquatic species. Alachlor has been listed as carcinogenic and highly toxic to humans despite slight acute toxicity (Orme and Kegley, 2005). Thus, many countries have banned alachlor from their markets.