Effects of chlorpyrifos on cholinesterase activity and stress markers in the tropical reef fish Acanthochromis polyacanthus

Terrestrial pollutant runoff to the Great Barrier Reef: An update of issues, priorities and management responses

“…The effects of chemical pollutants on reef-building corals were recently reviewed by van Dam et al (2010) and recent research has also looked at the potential effects of pesticides on foraminifera (van Dam et al, 2012) and reef fish (Botté et al, 2012). While insecticides can affect survival, reproduction, and early life stages of corals (Markey et al, 2007), these are rarely detected in GBR waters (Kennedy et al, 2012).…”

Chlorpyrifos is estrogenic and alters embryonic hatching, cell proliferation and apoptosis in zebrafish

“…The impact of degradation-resistant pesticides in aquatic environment on wild-animals and humans cannot be ignored. Numerous reports have shown the adverse effects of CPF on the embryonic development and larval growth of aquatic organisms [17][18][19][20] because of the lower mobility to avoid contamination early on in the life cycle of these two stages. The exposure of CPF on embryonic zebrafish can result in high rate of malformation and death.…”

Catchment-to-reef continuum: Case studies from the Great Barrier Reef. A special issue – Marine Pollution Bulletin 2012

“…The high diversity, widespread occurrence and relative sensitivity make foraminifera good bioindicator organisms to evaluate phytotoxic stress on coral reefs. Further up the food chain, the exposure of juveniles of the tropical reef fish Acanthochromis to the insecticide chlorpyrifos resulted in elevated oxidative stress biomarkers in liver tissue (Botté et al, 2012). This set of papers illustrates clearly that on-going exposure to pollutants, particularly herbicides, can affect GBR biota through a number of impact pathways.…”