Potential effects of glyphosate on specific gut enzymes in Eudrilus eugeniae, an epigeic earthworm

Abstract

The flora and fauna of the soil ecosystem are negatively impacted by the frequent use of chemical pesticides in agricultural fields. Earthworms immensely contribute to increasing the fertility of soil. They may act as a bioindicator for the ecotoxicological analysis of pesticide-induced soil pollution. From this perspective, earthworms, Eudrilus eugeniae were exposed to different concentrations of glyphosate for 96h by soil toxicity method. The LC50 of glyphopsate was determined by probit analysis. E. eugeniae were exposed to three sub-lethal doses,1600,1700 and 1800μl/kg, and their effect on gut enzyme activities were analyzed. Various biochemical estimations such as specific activity of protease, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, cellulase and amylase, were carried out in the gut of E. eugeniae. The result showed that there was a significant decrease in the activities of amylase and protease, while there was a substantial increase in the activities of cellulase, acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase. Such changes indicate potential health risks to E. eugeniae if exposed to the high concentrations of glyphosate accumulated in soil.