Toxicity of Naphthalene and Benzene on Tribollium castaneum Herbst

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 14; no. 6; p. 667
• Main Authors: Pajaro-Castro, Nerlis, Caballero-Gallardo, Karina, Olivero-Verbel, Jesus
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 21.06.2017; MDPI
• Subjects: Adults; Animals; Aromatic compounds; Benzene; Benzene - toxicity; Chemicals; Chitin; Chitin synthase; Chromatography; Cytochrome P450; Cytochromes P450; Ecdysone; Environmental Pollutants - toxicity; Environmental protection; Exposure; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation; Genes; Genomes; Glutathione Transferase; Health care; Histamine; Hydrocarbons; Inhalation; Insects; Lethal Dose 50; Metabolism; Metamorphosis; Mortality; Naphthalene; Naphthalenes - toxicity; Neurotransmission; Organic compounds; Oxidative metabolism; Oxidative stress; Pharmaceutical sciences; Pollutants; Polymerase chain reaction; Proteins; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear - genetics; Receptors, Steroid; Reproduction; Respiration; Studies; Toxicity; Toxicology; Tribolium - drug effects; Tribolium - physiology; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds; γ-Aminobutyric acid; Colombia; United States > US; mortality; naphthalene; abnormalities; benzene; gene expression; naphthalin
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14060667

Naphthalene and benzene are widely-used volatile organic compounds. The aim of this research was to examine the toxicological effects of naphthalene and benzene against as an animal model. Adult insects were exposed to these aromatic compounds to assess mortality after 4-48 h of exposure. The lethal concentration 50 (LC ) for naphthalene, naphthalin, and benzene were 63.6 µL/L, 20.0 µL/L, and 115.9 µL/L in air, respectively. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis revealed expression changes in genes related to oxidative stress and metabolism [Glutathione S-Transferase (Gst), and Cytochrome P450 6BQ8 (Cyp6bq8)]; reproduction and metamorphosis [Hormone receptor in 39-like protein (Hr39), Ecdysone receptor: (Ecr), and Chitin synthase 2 (Chs2)]; and neurotransmission [Histamine-gated chloride channel 2 (Hiscl2)] in insects exposed for 4 h to 70.2 µL/L naphthalene. Adults exposed to benzene (80 µL/L; 4 h) overexpressed genes related to neurotransmission [GABA-gated anion channel (Rdl), Hiscl2, and GABA-gated ion channel (Grd)]; reproduction and metamorphosis [Ultraspiracle nuclear receptor (USP), Ecr; and Hr39]; and development (Chs2). The data presented here provides evidence that naphthalene and benzene inhalation are able to induce alterations on reproduction, development, metamorphosis, oxidative stress, metabolism, neurotransmission, and death of the insect.