Effects of heavy metals and pesticides on survival of Artemia franciscana

Assessment of the potential risk of pesticides is an important part of registration procedures in many countries. However, risk assessment of several pesticides used during the growing season has not been carried out. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of pesticides (azoxystrobin and glyphosate), heavy metals (cadmium chloride, potassium dichromate, zinc disulphate) and their combinations on lethality to Artemia franciscana. In total, 1,250 freshly hatched nauplii of A. franciscana were used in the study. They were placed in 125 Petri dishes (10 nauplii in one Petri dish) containing 10 ml of azoxystrobin, glyphosate, cadmium chloride, potassium dichromate and zinc sulphate separately, or their combinations; the control dish contained only sea water. Each experimental set consisted of 50 nauplii which were divided into five replicates of 10 nauplii per replicate. Live A. franciscana were counted after 24, 48, 72 and 96 h and the numbers were compared with the control group. A significant ( P < 0.05) decrease in lethality was observed after exposure to azoxystrobin in combination with glyphosate after 48, 72 and 96 h of exposure, in combination with glyphosate and potassium dichromate after 48 h of exposure, and in combination with glyphosate and zinc disulphate after 48, 72 and 96 h of exposure. The results of this study provide information about the combined toxicity of pesticides used during the growing season and some heavy metals as major pollutants of the rural environment. A study of this kind has not been conducted yet. Further research for investigation of the combined toxicity of pollutants and pesticides is required.