Low concentrations of complex mixtures of pesticides and metabolites are toxic to common Carp brain cells (Cyprinus carpio carpio)
Résumé
Pesticide use increases annually, and Brazil is the world’s largest consumer. However, unlike the
European Union (EU), there is no established limit value for pesticide mixtures in drinking water,
and therefore the concentration of pesticides can reach 3354 times the EU limit. Thus, determining
the risk of exposure to pesticide mixtures and their main metabolites is challenging and requires
the use of alternative methods. In the present study, the Common Carp Brain (CC B) cell line was
used to evaluate the in vitro toxicity of relevant pesticide mixtures (glyphosate, 2,4-D, atrazine, and
mancozeb) and their main metabolites after 72 h of exposure. The tested concentrations were based
on the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) defined by Brazilian legislation. The results showed that cells
exposed to lower concentrations of the pesticide mixtures and the pesticide + metabolite mixtures
were affected by a decrease in cell confluence, resazurin metabolism, and wound healing capacity.
The IBR index showed that lower concentrations had more severe effects, suggesting the absence
of safe concentrations of these pesticide and metabolite mixtures for the CC B cell line within the
tested concentration range. These findings raise concerns about the effects of exposure to these
substances on animal and human health.