Acute toxicity and teratogenicity of carbaryl (carbamates), tebufenpyrad (pyrazoles), cypermethrin and permethrin (pyrethroids) on the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L, 1758) early life stages.

Abstract

The toxicity of carbaryl, tebufenpyrad, cypermethrin and permethrin was evaluated in European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax during the embryonic and larval development using six different concentrations per chemical. The order of the toxicity effectiveness was carbaryl > tebufenpyrad > cypermethrin > permethrin. The larvae were more sensitive to all tested chemicals than embryos. The LC50 of carbaryl, tebufenpyrad, cypermethrin and permethrin was determined as 13.88, 43.96, 92 and 142ppm and 9.27, 25.67, 48.4 and 72.7ppm in embryo and larvae, respectively. Furthermore, the tested pesticides exhibited teratogenic effects on D. labrax embryo-larval stages. The observed malformations were coagulation, no spherical egg, unhatched egg, pericardial oedemata, yolk oedemata, lordosis, kyphosis, scoliosis, no eye, cranial deformation and body atrophy. Malformations were induced with 0.5ppm carbaryl, 10ppm tebufenpyrad and 50ppm cypermethrin and permethrin; the highest rates of malformation were noted with 16ppm carbaryl, 160ppm tebufenpyrad, 400ppm cypermethrin and 400ppm permethrin as 34.5%, 28%, 17.5% and 16%, respectively. A positive correlation between the incidence of malformation and the increase of pesticide concentration was established.