Impact of Neonicotinoids to Aquatic Invertebrates—In Vitro Studies on Mytilus galloprovincialis: A Review

Maria Pagano,Caterina Faggio,Alzbeta Stara,Valbona Aliko

doi:10.3390/jmse8100801

Abstract

The use of pesticides in agriculture has always had a strong impact on environmental contamination. Since the 1990s, neonicotinoids have grown increasingly more popular, targeting specific receptors for insects, especially bees, which is why the use of some neonicotinoids has been banned. Much is known about the effects they have on insects, but very little about the effect they can have on non-target organisms. Several studies have shown how these neonicotinoids interact negatively with the normal physiology of aquatic organisms. For the genus Mytilus, even though the neonicotinoids did not show an interaction with specific receptors, a chronic and acute exposure to them causes damage. In these animals, a reduced production of byssus, alteration of the normal antioxidant systems and tissue damage have been found. Therefore, an analysis of the entire ecosystem in which the pollutant enters is of great importance in evaluating any possible alterations.

Highlights

The worldwide use of pesticides in agriculture, a practice that has been going on for decades, means that residues of pesticides, most often substances of the group of insecticides and herbicides, are commonly found in many environments, from cultivated fields to rivers and oceans, and even in urban environments [1,2]
Insecticides are able to alter the ecological structure of the soil in which earthworms and arthropod communities live, and in turn affect birds and other vertebrates that feed on these organisms
Observing different colonies, the effects of varying intensity can be recorded, and these differences could be linked to stress factors or diseases on a genetic basis that alter the activity of enzymes involved in metabolic and detoxification processes, or to environmental factors, such as climate, which can modify the quality of food resources by negatively affecting the immunity of bees [16]

Summary

Introduction

The worldwide use of pesticides in agriculture, a practice that has been going on for decades, means that residues of pesticides, most often substances of the group of insecticides and herbicides, are commonly found in many environments, from cultivated fields to rivers and oceans, and even in urban environments [1,2]. Observing different colonies, the effects of varying intensity can be recorded, and these differences could be linked to stress factors or diseases on a genetic basis that alter the activity of enzymes involved in metabolic and detoxification processes, or to environmental factors, such as climate, which can modify the quality of food resources by negatively affecting the immunity of bees [16] For these reasons, national monitoring networks have been set up. Research conducted by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) showed that two insecticides, such as acetamiprid and imidacloprid, can have effects on the human nervous system during intrauterine development These substances can affect the development of neurons and brain structures associated with critical functions such as learning and memory, similar to what happens in bees [15]. There is an immediate need and importance of conducting studies on this class of pesticides, which can be possible thanks to the presence of model organisms such as Mytilus galloprovincialis

Neonicotinoids

Findings

Conclusions