Efeitos de agrotóxicos e do uso de biocarvão de palha de milho sobre o sistema antioxidante e metabolismo energético em peixes sob diferentes condições experimentais

Abstract

Population growth demands an increase in food production, resulting in an exponential rise in global pesticide consumption, such as glyphosate, a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide, and imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide. These pesticides are found in surface waters as complex mixtures with additive and synergistic effects. This work aims to compile knowledge about imidacloprid and explore its effects associated with glyphosate in Poecilia reticulata fish, as well as to study the absorption and mitigation of imidacloprid effects in zebrafish (Danio rerio). This study hypothesizes that the combination of imidacloprid and glyphosate results in deleterious effects on the antioxidant system and energy metabolism, leading to cellular damage due to oxidative stress in two generations of organisms, and that the use of biochar may mitigate these effects in animals exposed to water contaminated with pesticides. The manuscript is divided into three chapters, addressing the state of the art of imidacloprid, its intergenerational effects in association with glyphosate, and the efficacy of activated biochar in the removal of the imidacloprid pesticide. To this end, the first chapter of the manuscript is a scientometric systematic review of imidacloprid, which highlights thematic changes in research and the need to study the combined deleterious effects of this pesticide with other chemicals. A total of 5,485 articles written by 16,224 authors with an H-index of 128 were analyzed, indicating a significant impact in the field. The keyword "toxicity" has become frequent, with research focusing on effects on bees, leading to the ban of imidacloprid use in open fields in the European Union since 2018, although it is still allowed in greenhouses and found in the environment. The second chapter explores the combined effects of imidacloprid and glyphosate on two generations of Poecilia reticulata. It has been shown that chronic exposure of the parental generation to glyphosate-based herbicides and the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid causes metabolic and physiological damage, which can impact the health and survival of populations. The third chapter investigates the efficacy of activated biochar made from corn straw in removing imidacloprid from water and its effects on the antioxidant system and energy metabolism in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Acute exposure to imidacloprid increased brain cholinesterase activity, indicating disruption of the nervous system. The combination of activated biochar and imidacloprid significantly reduced the concentration of the pesticide in water and mitigated neurotoxic effects in the brain. Furthermore, a reduction in glutathione peroxidase activity was observed in relation to the group exposed to imidacloprid, while other antioxidant enzymes showed no significant differences compared to the control group. These results highlight the potential of activated biochar to mitigate contamination by imidacloprid, promoting ecological and environmental safety. These findings highlight the urgency of an integrated and sustainable approach to pesticide management, aimed at protecting the health of aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity, while also seeking alternatives that minimize negative impacts on non-target organisms.