Meeting Abstract
P2.52 Tuesday, Jan. 5 A Suite of Tests to Evaluate the Effects of the Common Insecticide, Sevin®, on Development in Zebrafish. JENSEN, BH; ARCHAMBEAULT, J*; KROUSE, S; The College of Saint Rose, Albany, NY jensenb@strose.edu
Sevin® is a commonly used insecticide which is known to contaminate runoff and can leach into groundwater. Its application in the spring and fall corresponds with the mating periods for many teleost fish in the northeastern United States. Sevin® is therefore of concern because the timing of its application and because its effectiveness stems from the fact that it contains the broadly acting cholinesterase inhibitor, carbaryl. Carbaryl has been shown to effectively block cholinesterase in many animals, including vertebrates. Cholinesterase is necessary to clear acetylcholine from synapses with cholinergic neurons and at the neuromuscular junction. Its importance in this role has made it a target for animal venoms, chemical weapons, and insecticides. In the zebrafish (Danio rerio), previous studies have demonstrated that exposure to Sevin® reduces size at hatching and alters heart rate in developing embryos. To date there have not been studies that examine the effects of Sevin® on a suite of variables within a single experimental design. Our lab has begun to examine the effects this insecticide has on Danio rerio development by applying dilutions of decreasing concentration to fish embryos immediately following fertilization and measuring the egg, yolk and embryo volume, heart rate, hatching time, percentage pigmentation, eye diameter, and skeletal development at the termination of the experiment. These parameters were chosen to cover a range of potential target tissues. We will present data from our first round of experiments. Currently, our results are preliminary, but we expect results caused by a systemic increase in acetylcholine levels; decreases in heart rate, eye diameter, skeletal system development, embryo and yolk volumes; and increased pigmentation and time to hatching.
