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Di Noi A, Caliani I, D'Agostino A, Cai G, Romi M, Campani T, Ferrante F, Baracchi D, Casini S. Assessing the effects of a commercial fungicide and an herbicide, alone and in combination, on Apis mellifera: Insights from biomarkers and cognitive analysis. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 359:142307. [PMID: 38734252 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Agrochemicals play a vital role in protecting crops and enhancing agricultural production by reducing threats from pests, pathogens and weeds. The toxicological status of honey bees can be influenced by a number of factors, including pesticides. While extensive research has focused on the lethal and sublethal effects of insecticides on individual bees and colonies, it is important to recognise that fungicides and herbicides can also affect bees' health. Unfortunately, in the field, honey bees are exposed to mixtures of compounds rather than single substances. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a commercial fungicide and a commercial herbicide, both individually and in combination, on honey bees. Mortality assays, biomarkers and learning and memory tests were performed, and the results were integrated to assess the toxicological status of honey bees. Neurotoxicity (acetylcholinesterase and carboxylesterase activities), detoxification and metabolic processes (glutathione S-transferase and alkaline phosphatase activities), immune system function (lysozyme activity and haemocytes count) and genotoxicity biomarkers (Nuclear Abnormalities assay) were assessed. The fungicide Sakura® was found to activate detoxification enzymes and affect alkaline phosphatase activity. The herbicide Elegant 2FD and the combination of both pesticides showed neurotoxic effects and induced detoxification processes. Exposure to the herbicide/fungicide mixture impaired learning and memory in honey bees. This study represents a significant advance in understanding the toxicological effects of commonly used commercial pesticides in agriculture and contributes to the development of effective strategies to mitigate their adverse effects on non-target insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Di Noi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, Siena, 53100, Italy
| | - Ilaria Caliani
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, Siena, 53100, Italy.
| | - Antonella D'Agostino
- Department of Economics and Statistics, University of Siena, Piazza S. Francesco 7, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Giampiero Cai
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, Siena, 53100, Italy
| | - Marco Romi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, Siena, 53100, Italy
| | - Tommaso Campani
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, Siena, 53100, Italy
| | - Federico Ferrante
- Department of Ecological and Biological Science, Tuscia University, Largo dell'Università s.n.c., 01100 6, Viterbo, Italy
| | - David Baracchi
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano, 6, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy
| | - Silvia Casini
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, Siena, 53100, Italy
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Giovanetti L, Caliani I, Damiani G, Dell'Omo G, Costantini D, Casini S. A blood-based multi-biomarker approach reveals different physiological responses of common kestrels to contrasting environments. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 251:118674. [PMID: 38492836 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
The increase of urbanization and agricultural activities is causing a dramatic reduction of natural environments. As a consequence, animals need to physiologically adjust to these novel environments, in order to exploit them for foraging and breeding. The aim of this work was to compare the physiological status among nestling common kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) that were raised in nest-boxes located in more natural, rural, or urban areas in a landscape with a mosaic of land uses around Rome in Central Italy. A blood-based multi-biomarker approach was applied to evaluate physiological responses at multiple levels, including antioxidant concentrations, immunological functions, genotoxicity, and neurotoxicity. We found lower concentrations of glutathione and GSH:GSSG ratio values and higher proportions of monocytes in urban birds compared to the other areas. We also found higher DNA damage in rural compared to urban and natural krestels and inhibition of butyrylcholinesterase activity in urban and natural birds compared to rural area. Finally, we found similar values among study areas for respiratory burst, complement system, bactericidal capacity, and plasma non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity. These results suggest that (i) city life does not necessarily cause physiological alterations in kestrels compared to life in other habitats, and (ii) environmental pressures are likely to differ in typology and intensity across habitats requiring specific responses that a multi-biomarker approach can help to detect. Further studies are needed to assess which factors are responsible for the physiological differences among city, rural, and natural birds, and whether these differences are consistent across time and space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Giovanetti
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, 53100, Siena, Italy.
| | - Ilaria Caliani
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, 53100, Siena, Italy.
| | - Gianluca Damiani
- Ornis Italica, Piazza Crati 15, 00199, Rome, Italy; Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo Dell'Università s.n.c., 01100, Viterbo, Italy.
| | | | - David Costantini
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo Dell'Università s.n.c., 01100, Viterbo, Italy; Unité Physiologie Moléculaire et Adaptation, UMR7221 CNRS-Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 75005, Paris, France.
| | - Silvia Casini
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, 53100, Siena, Italy.
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Diogo BS, Antunes SC, Pinto I, Amorim J, Teixeira C, Teles LO, Golovko O, Žlábek V, Carvalho AP, Rodrigues S. Insights into environmental caffeine contamination in ecotoxicological biomarkers and potential health effects of Danio rerio. Heliyon 2023; 9:e19875. [PMID: 37809478 PMCID: PMC10559286 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Caffeine (CAF) exposures have been shown to cause several pharmacological and biological effects in target and non-target organisms. Although there are already several ecotoxicological studies with CAF in non-target organisms, they are focused on marine organisms, with relevant concentrations in these ecosystems, therefore, less ecologically relevant to freshwater ecosystems (the main ecoreceptor of this type of anthropogenic contaminant). The present study aimed to assess the chronic effects (28 days) of sub-lethal and environmentally relevant concentrations of CAF (0.16, 0.42, 1.09, 2.84, 7.40, 19.23, and 50 μg/L) in Danio rerio. Biochemical endpoints as biomarkers of antioxidant defense, biotransformation, lipid peroxidation, energy sources, and neurotransmission were assessed. CAF exposure induced alterations in antioxidant defenses (superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase activities, and glutathione content) preventing lipid peroxidation. Lactate dehydrogenase activity decreased in all the concentrations tested, while acetylcholinesterase activity was only affected by the highest concentrations tested (19.23 and 50 μg/L). We also utilized a multi-biomarker approach (Integrated Biomarker Response version 2, IBRv2) to investigate the effects of CAF in the dispersion scope of individual biochemical responses of D. rerio. IBRv2 showed that the concentration of 50 μg/L promotes the highest stress. However, the results showed that CAF induced disturbances in the metabolic pathways studied in D. rerio. These results demonstrated the toxic effects of CAF on freshwater fish, compromising their physiological functions and evidencing the need for monitoring the residues of CAF released into the inland aquatic environments. Furthermore, this research evidence that phylogenetically and physiologically different species may present different biological responses with concern for ecologically relevant environmental conditions. In this sense, the present study generated ecotoxicologically relevant data, that can be considered by environment regulators, since the here-endpoints evaluated showed sensitivity and consistency in the evaluation of caffeine risks in freshwater environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bárbara S. Diogo
- ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
- CIMAR/CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
- FCUP, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre S/N, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sara C. Antunes
- CIMAR/CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
- FCUP, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre S/N, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ivo Pinto
- ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
- CIMAR/CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
- FCUP, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre S/N, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
- UMIB-ICBAS, Unidade Multidisciplinar de Investigação Biomédica, Instituto Ciências Abel Salazar da Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira n.° 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - João Amorim
- ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
- CIMAR/CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
- FCUP, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre S/N, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Cláudia Teixeira
- CIMAR/CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
- FCUP, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre S/N, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Luís Oliva Teles
- CIMAR/CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
- FCUP, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre S/N, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Oksana Golovko
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE-75007, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Vladimír Žlábek
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, CZ-389 25, Vodňany, Czech Republic
| | - António Paulo Carvalho
- CIMAR/CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
- FCUP, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre S/N, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sara Rodrigues
- CIMAR/CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
- FCUP, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre S/N, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
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Martins CAH, Caliani I, D'Agostino A, Di Noi A, Casini S, Parrilli M, Azpiazu C, Bosch J, Sgolastra F. Biochemical responses, feeding and survival in the solitary bee Osmia bicornis following exposure to an insecticide and a fungicide alone and in combination. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:27636-27649. [PMID: 36383317 PMCID: PMC9995414 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-24061-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In agricultural ecosystems, bees are exposed to combinations of pesticides that may have been applied at different times. For example, bees visiting a flowering crop may be chronically exposed to low concentrations of systemic insecticides applied before bloom and then to a pulse of fungicide, considered safe for bees, applied during bloom. In this study, we simulate this scenario under laboratory conditions with females of the solitary bee, Osmia bicornis L. We studied the effects of chronic exposure to the neonicotinoid insecticide, Confidor® (imidacloprid) at a realistic concentration, and of a pulse (1 day) exposure of the fungicide Folicur® SE (tebuconazole) at field application rate. Syrup consumption, survival, and four biomarkers: acetylcholinesterase (AChE), carboxylesterase (CaE), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were evaluated at two different time points. An integrated biological response (IBRv2) index was elaborated with the biomarker results. The fungicide pulse had no impact on survival but temporarily reduced syrup consumption and increased the IBRv2 index, indicating potential molecular alterations. The neonicotinoid significantly reduced syrup consumption, survival, and the neurological activity of the enzymes. The co-exposure neonicotinoid-fungicide did not increase toxicity at the tested concentrations. AChE proved to be an efficient biomarker for the detection of early effects for both the insecticide and the fungicide. Our results highlight the importance of assessing individual and sub-individual endpoints to better understand pesticide effects on bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cátia Ariana Henriques Martins
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum Università Di Bologna, Viale Fanin 42, 40127, Bologna, Italy
| | - Ilaria Caliani
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Antonella D'Agostino
- Department of Management and Quantitative Studies, University of Naples Parthenope, Naples, Italy
| | - Agata Di Noi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, 53100, Siena, Italy.
| | - Silvia Casini
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Martina Parrilli
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum Università Di Bologna, Viale Fanin 42, 40127, Bologna, Italy
| | - Celeste Azpiazu
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de La Barceloneta 37, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jordi Bosch
- CREAF, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Fabio Sgolastra
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum Università Di Bologna, Viale Fanin 42, 40127, Bologna, Italy
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Lupi D, Palamara Mesiano M, Adani A, Benocci R, Giacchini R, Parenti P, Zambon G, Lavazza A, Boniotti MB, Bassi S, Colombo M, Tremolada P. Combined Effects of Pesticides and Electromagnetic-Fields on Honeybees: Multi-Stress Exposure. INSECTS 2021; 12:716. [PMID: 34442282 PMCID: PMC8396937 DOI: 10.3390/insects12080716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Honeybee and general pollinator decline is extensively reported in many countries, adding new concern to the general biodiversity loss. Many studies were addressed to assess the causes of pollinator decline, concluding that in most cases multi-stress effects were the most probable ones. In this research, the combined effects of two possible stress sources for bees, pesticides and electromagnetic fields (multi-stress conditions), were analyzed in the field. Three experimental sites were chosen: a control one far from direct anthropogenic stress sources, a pesticide-stress site and multi-stress one, adding to the same exposure to pesticides the presence of an electromagnetic field, coming from a high-voltage electric line. Experimental apiaries were monitored weekly for one year (from April 2017 to April 2018) by means of colony survival, queen activity, storage and brood amount, parasites and pathogens, and several biomarkers in young workers and pupae. Both exposure and effect biomarkers were analysed: among the first, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS); and among the last, DNA fragmentation (DNAFRAGM) and lipid peroxidation (LPO). Results showed that bee health conditions were the worst in the multi-stress site with only one colony alive out of the four ones present at the beginning. In this site, a complex picture of adverse effects was observed, such as disease appearance (American foulbrood), higher mortality in the underbaskets (common to pesticide-stress site), behavioral alterations (queen changes, excess of honey storage) and biochemical anomalies (higher ALP activity at the end of the season). The overall results clearly indicate that the multi-stress conditions were able to induce biochemical, physiological and behavioral alterations which severely threatened bee colony survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Lupi
- Department of Food, Environment and Nutritional Sciences (DEFENS), University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; (M.P.M.); (M.C.)
| | - Marco Palamara Mesiano
- Department of Food, Environment and Nutritional Sciences (DEFENS), University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; (M.P.M.); (M.C.)
| | - Agnese Adani
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; (A.A.); (P.T.)
| | - Roberto Benocci
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy; (R.B.); (R.G.); (P.P.); (G.Z.)
| | - Roberto Giacchini
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy; (R.B.); (R.G.); (P.P.); (G.Z.)
| | - Paolo Parenti
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy; (R.B.); (R.G.); (P.P.); (G.Z.)
| | - Giovanni Zambon
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy; (R.B.); (R.G.); (P.P.); (G.Z.)
| | - Antonio Lavazza
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia ed Emilia Romagna “Bruno Ubertini”, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (A.L.); (M.B.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Maria Beatrice Boniotti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia ed Emilia Romagna “Bruno Ubertini”, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (A.L.); (M.B.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Stefano Bassi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia ed Emilia Romagna “Bruno Ubertini”, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (A.L.); (M.B.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Mario Colombo
- Department of Food, Environment and Nutritional Sciences (DEFENS), University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; (M.P.M.); (M.C.)
| | - Paolo Tremolada
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; (A.A.); (P.T.)
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