Optical Coherence Tomography as an Alternative Tool for Evaluating the Effects of Glyphosate on Hybrid Catfish (Clarias gariepinus ×fig Clarias macrocephalus)

Assessment of the effects of 2,4-D-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid-based herbicide exposure in eggs and embryos of golden apple snails using OCT

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of herbicide 2, 4-D-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid on golden apple snail eggs and embryos. Additionally, the study assessed the applicability of optical coherence tomography (OCT), a non-invasive depth cross-sectional microscopic imaging technique, as a novel method, to the best of our knowledge, for studying morphological changes in golden apple snail eggs and embryos, in comparison to the conventional approach of using white light microscopy. The study revealed that the herbicide 2,4-D-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid affected the hatchery rate and morphological changes of the eggs and embryos. The lethal concentration (LC50), representing the concentration of a substance that is expected to cause death in half of the population being studied, of the golden apple eggs and embryos increased with longer exposure time and higher concentrations. The estimated median effective concentration (EC50), which denotes the concentration producing the desired effect in 50% of the exposed golden apple embryos, exhibited a similar trend of change as the LC50. When compared to the microscopic study, it was observed that OCT could be employed to investigate morphological changes of golden apple snail eggs and embryos, enabling evaluation of alterations in both 2D and 3D structures.

Adverse effects of 2,4-D dimethylammonium based-herbicide on Acetylcholinesterase expression in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

In this study, the evaluation of a 2,4-D dimethylammonium based-herbicide impacted on Nile tilapia was done. The effects focus on Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) expression in the brain, gill, muscle, and plasma using antibody techniques. Our findings revealed a decrease in AChE expression with prolonged exposure. For these, AChE was purified using hydroxyapatite column chromatography. Moreover, the isolated protein was characterized as AChE by Polyclonal Ab specific to AChE through the Western blot. For interpretation at the cellular and molecular level, we employed two analytical techniques, histology, and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Alterations in the gill, liver, and muscle were observed to increase with increased exposure time. Field study concludes that AChE could serve as a biomarker to detect herbicide contamination in water and its accumulation in aquatic animals. This study may aid in surveillance and strategy formulation for managing contamination from such substances in various water sources.

GLYPHOSATE IMPACT on human health and the environment: Sustainable alternatives to replace it in Mexico

Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum, non-selective herbicide used to control weeds and protect agricultural crops, and it is classified as potentially carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. In Mexico, the use of pesticides is a common practice, including glyphosate. However, on December 31st, 2020, the Mexican government decreed the prohibition of this herbicide as of January 2024. In this review, we investigate the association between glyphosate and cancer risk and found that most of the studies focused using animals showing negative effects such as genotoxicity, cytotoxicity and neurotoxicity, some studies used cancer cell lines showing proliferative effects due to glyphosate exposure. To our knowledge, in Mexico, there are no scientific reports on the association of glyphosate with any type of cancer. In addition, we reviewed the toxicological effects of the herbicide glyphosate, and the specific case of the current situation of the use and environmental damage of this herbicide in Mexico. We found that few studies have been published on glyphosate, and that the largest number of publications are from the International Agency for Research on Cancer classification to date. Additionally, we provide data on glyphosate stimulation at low doses as a biostimulant in crops and analytical monitoring techniques for the detection of glyphosates in different matrices. Finally, we have tried to summarize the actions of the Mexican government to seek sustainable alternatives and replace the use of glyphosate, to obtain food free of this herbicide and take care of the health of the population and the environment.