Do bio-insecticides affect only insect species? Behavior, regeneration, and sexual reproduction of a non-target freshwater planarian

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 29; no. 7; pp. 10665 - 10674
• Main Authors: Silva, Laila Cristina Rezende, Dornelas, Aline Silvestre Pereira, de Souza Saraiva, Althiéris, Gravato, Carlos, Pestana, João Luís Teixeira, da Maia Soares, Amadeu Mortágua Velho, Sarmento, Renato Almeida
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.02.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Aquatic ecosystems; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecosystem; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Fecundity; Fresh Water; Freshwater invertebrates; Freshwater organisms; Insecta; Insecticides; Insecticides - toxicity; Insects; Lethal effects; Locomotion; Pesticides; Planarians; Regeneration; Reproduction; Reproduction (biology); Research Article; Sexual behavior; Sexual reproduction; Turbellaria; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Water Pollution Control; Non-target aquatic organisms; Chronic toxicity; Acute toxicity; Beauveria bassiana; Bacillus thuringiensis; Girardia tigrina
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16493-8
• ISSN: 0944-1344

Bio-insecticides have been increasingly used worldwide as ecofriendly alternatives to pesticides, but data on their effects in non-target freshwater organisms is still scarce and limited to insects. The aim of this study was to determine the lethal and sub-lethal effects of the bio-insecticides Bac Control (based on Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki —Btk) and Boveril (based on Beauveria bassiana —Bb) on regeneration, behavioral, and reproductive endpoints of the freshwater planarian Girardia tigrina . The estimated LC 50–48h were > 800 mg a.i./L for Btk and 60.74 mg a.i./L for Bb. In addition, exposure to Btk significantly decreased locomotion and feeding activities of planarians (lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) of 12.5 mg a.i./L Btk) and fecundity rate (LOEC = 3.12 mg a.i./L Btk), whereas exposure to Bb significantly delayed regeneration (LOEC = 0.75 mg a.i./L Bb) and decreased fecundity rate (1.5 mg a.i./L Bb) of planarians . Thus, both bio-insecticides induced deleterious sub-lethal effects on a non-insect freshwater invertebrate species. However, only Bb-based formulation affected the survival, fecundity rate, and regeneration at concentrations below the maximum predicted environmental concentration (PEC = 247 mg/L). Thus, care should be taken when using such formulations as alternatives to chemical insecticides near aquatic ecosystems.