Multiple Assays on Non-Target Organisms to Determine the Risk of Acute Environmental Toxicity in Tebuconazole-Based Fungicides Widely Used in the Black Sea Coastal Area
Lucica Tofan,
Victor Niță,
Magda Nenciu,
Valentina Coatu,
Luminița Lazăr,
Nicoleta Damir,
Daniela Vasile,
Dan Răzvan Popoviciu,
Alina-Giorgiana Brotea,
Angela Maria Curtean-Bănăduc,
Sorin Avramescu,
Florin Aonofriesei
Affiliations
Lucica Tofan
Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Ovidius University of Constanța, 1 University Street, 900470 Constanța, Romania
Victor Niță
Marine Living Resources Department, National Institute for Marine Research and Development “Grigore Antipa”, 300 Mamaia Blvd., 900581 Constanța, Romania
Magda Nenciu
Marine Living Resources Department, National Institute for Marine Research and Development “Grigore Antipa”, 300 Mamaia Blvd., 900581 Constanța, Romania
Valentina Coatu
Chemical Oceanography and Marine Pollution Department, National Institute for Marine Research and Development “Grigore Antipa”, 300 Mamaia Blvd., 900581 Constanța, Romania
Luminița Lazăr
Chemical Oceanography and Marine Pollution Department, National Institute for Marine Research and Development “Grigore Antipa”, 300 Mamaia Blvd., 900581 Constanța, Romania
Nicoleta Damir
Chemical Oceanography and Marine Pollution Department, National Institute for Marine Research and Development “Grigore Antipa”, 300 Mamaia Blvd., 900581 Constanța, Romania
Daniela Vasile
Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Ovidius University of Constanța, 1 University Street, 900470 Constanța, Romania
Dan Răzvan Popoviciu
Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Ovidius University of Constanța, 1 University Street, 900470 Constanța, Romania
Alina-Giorgiana Brotea
Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Ovidius University of Constanța, 1 University Street, 900470 Constanța, Romania
Angela Maria Curtean-Bănăduc
Faculty of Sciences, The “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, 31 Victoriei Blvd., 550024 Sibiu, Romania
Sorin Avramescu
Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry and Catalysis, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Bucharest, 90 Șoseaua Panduri, 050663 Bucharest, Romania
Florin Aonofriesei
Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Ovidius University of Constanța, 1 University Street, 900470 Constanța, Romania
The widespread use of Tebuconazole-based fungicides in phytosanitary treatments on a wide range of crops, on the one hand, and the lack of official reports on the amount of fungicide residues in nearby water basins, on the other hand, may lead to uncontrolled and hazardous contamination of water sources used by the resident population, and to serious effects on the environment and public health. Our study explores the acute toxicological risk of this fungicide on various organisms, from bacteria and yeast to fish, using a battery of tests (standardized Toxkit microbiotests and acute semi-static tests). By investigating the interaction between Tebuconazole and bacteria and yeast organisms, we observed that Gram-negative bacteria displayed a strong tolerance for Tebuconazole, while Gram-positive bacteria and yeasts proved to be very sensitive. The fish experiment was conducted on Chelon auratus juveniles exposed to five concentrations of the fungicide Tebustar EW (Tebuconazole, 250 g/L as active substance). After 96 h of exposure, the LC50 for C. auratus was 1.13 mg/L. In the case of the Toxkit microbiotests’ application, the following results were recorded: Spirodela polyrhiza EC50 = 2.204 mg/L (after 72 h exposure), Thamnocephalus platyurus EC50 = 0.115 mg/L (after 24 h), and Daphnia magna EC50 = 2.37 mg/L (after 24–48 h). With the exception of bacteria and yeast, the same response pattern was observed for all non-target species tested; the response range expressed by concentrations causing growth inhibition or mortality was small, ranging between very close values that are quite low, thereby demonstrating the high toxicity of Tebuconazole-based fungicides to the environment.
