Antioxidant and Histopathological Effects of Paraquat and Fluroxypyr Herbicides on the Apple Snail <i>Pomacea canaliculata</i> (Lamarck, 1822)

Argentina is among the top consumers of herbicides, yet studies on their environmental and health impact remain scarce. This work aimed to evaluate the effects of herbicide exposure on <i>Pomacea canaliculata</i> as potential biomarkers of contamination. Specifically, we investigated whe...

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Main Authors: Alejandra D. Campoy-Diaz, Israel A. Vega, Maximiliano Giraud-Billoud
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Stresses
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7140/5/2/33
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author Alejandra D. Campoy-Diaz
Israel A. Vega
Maximiliano Giraud-Billoud
author_facet Alejandra D. Campoy-Diaz
Israel A. Vega
Maximiliano Giraud-Billoud
author_sort Alejandra D. Campoy-Diaz
collection DOAJ
description Argentina is among the top consumers of herbicides, yet studies on their environmental and health impact remain scarce. This work aimed to evaluate the effects of herbicide exposure on <i>Pomacea canaliculata</i> as potential biomarkers of contamination. Specifically, we investigated whether paraquat (Pq) and fluroxypyr (Fx) alter enzymatic antioxidant defenses in tissues following acute exposure and induce histological modifications in the digestive gland (DG), particularly in symbiotic corpuscles, after chronic exposure. The nominal no-observed-effect concentration on lethality (NOEC<sub>L</sub>) values were 3.62 µg/g dry mass (DM) for Pq and 10.42 µg/g DM for Fx. After acute exposure, superoxide dismutase activity decreased in the DG but increased in the kidney for both herbicides. Catalase activity decreased in the gills but increased in the kidneys of exposed snails, while glutathione-S-transferase activity increased in the DG and kidney after Pq exposure. Following chronic exposure (Pq: 1.45 µg/g DM; Fx: 6.94 µg/g DM), epithelial thickening and vacuolization were observed in Fx-exposed snails. Morphometric analysis of the DG showed that Pq reduced the epithelial occupancy of the symbiont’s vegetative form while increasing its cystic form. These findings indicate that both herbicides impact antioxidant defenses, DG function and host–symbiont interactions, reinforcing the suitability of <i>P. canaliculata</i> as bioindicator organisms.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2673-7140
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publishDate 2025-05-01
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spelling doaj-art-47fbc8d8c0c04d3abe49d1f368db98ed2025-08-20T03:26:56ZengMDPI AGStresses2673-71402025-05-01523310.3390/stresses5020033Antioxidant and Histopathological Effects of Paraquat and Fluroxypyr Herbicides on the Apple Snail <i>Pomacea canaliculata</i> (Lamarck, 1822)Alejandra D. Campoy-Diaz0Israel A. Vega1Maximiliano Giraud-Billoud2Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza 5500, ArgentinaInstituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza 5500, ArgentinaInstituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza 5500, ArgentinaArgentina is among the top consumers of herbicides, yet studies on their environmental and health impact remain scarce. This work aimed to evaluate the effects of herbicide exposure on <i>Pomacea canaliculata</i> as potential biomarkers of contamination. Specifically, we investigated whether paraquat (Pq) and fluroxypyr (Fx) alter enzymatic antioxidant defenses in tissues following acute exposure and induce histological modifications in the digestive gland (DG), particularly in symbiotic corpuscles, after chronic exposure. The nominal no-observed-effect concentration on lethality (NOEC<sub>L</sub>) values were 3.62 µg/g dry mass (DM) for Pq and 10.42 µg/g DM for Fx. After acute exposure, superoxide dismutase activity decreased in the DG but increased in the kidney for both herbicides. Catalase activity decreased in the gills but increased in the kidneys of exposed snails, while glutathione-S-transferase activity increased in the DG and kidney after Pq exposure. Following chronic exposure (Pq: 1.45 µg/g DM; Fx: 6.94 µg/g DM), epithelial thickening and vacuolization were observed in Fx-exposed snails. Morphometric analysis of the DG showed that Pq reduced the epithelial occupancy of the symbiont’s vegetative form while increasing its cystic form. These findings indicate that both herbicides impact antioxidant defenses, DG function and host–symbiont interactions, reinforcing the suitability of <i>P. canaliculata</i> as bioindicator organisms.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7140/5/2/33aquatic contaminationagrochemicalspesticidesoxidative stresssymbiosis<i>Pomacea canaliculata</i>
spellingShingle Alejandra D. Campoy-Diaz
Israel A. Vega
Maximiliano Giraud-Billoud
Antioxidant and Histopathological Effects of Paraquat and Fluroxypyr Herbicides on the Apple Snail <i>Pomacea canaliculata</i> (Lamarck, 1822)
Stresses
aquatic contamination
agrochemicals
pesticides
oxidative stress
symbiosis
<i>Pomacea canaliculata</i>
title Antioxidant and Histopathological Effects of Paraquat and Fluroxypyr Herbicides on the Apple Snail <i>Pomacea canaliculata</i> (Lamarck, 1822)
title_full Antioxidant and Histopathological Effects of Paraquat and Fluroxypyr Herbicides on the Apple Snail <i>Pomacea canaliculata</i> (Lamarck, 1822)
title_fullStr Antioxidant and Histopathological Effects of Paraquat and Fluroxypyr Herbicides on the Apple Snail <i>Pomacea canaliculata</i> (Lamarck, 1822)
title_full_unstemmed Antioxidant and Histopathological Effects of Paraquat and Fluroxypyr Herbicides on the Apple Snail <i>Pomacea canaliculata</i> (Lamarck, 1822)
title_short Antioxidant and Histopathological Effects of Paraquat and Fluroxypyr Herbicides on the Apple Snail <i>Pomacea canaliculata</i> (Lamarck, 1822)
title_sort antioxidant and histopathological effects of paraquat and fluroxypyr herbicides on the apple snail i pomacea canaliculata i lamarck 1822
topic aquatic contamination
agrochemicals
pesticides
oxidative stress
symbiosis
<i>Pomacea canaliculata</i>
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7140/5/2/33
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AT israelavega antioxidantandhistopathologicaleffectsofparaquatandfluroxypyrherbicidesontheapplesnailipomaceacanaliculatailamarck1822
AT maximilianogiraudbilloud antioxidantandhistopathologicaleffectsofparaquatandfluroxypyrherbicidesontheapplesnailipomaceacanaliculatailamarck1822