Evaluation of endocrine disrupting effect of the herbicide Alachlor on Japanese Medaka using short term reproduction assay

Abstract

Acute toxicity, water resolvability and short term reproduction test on Japanese medaka (Oriyzias latipes) for evaluating alachlor susceptibility to endocrine system were studied. Alachlor is known for suspected endocrine distruptors. As the results of tests, LC 50 (Median lethal concentration) was determined as 2.36 (1.994~2.805) mg/L, and test water replaced at 7 day intervals as its water resolvability was less than 20% in 7 days. The short term reproduction tests on Japanese medaka (Oriyzias latipes) were performed with a solvent control group, a treated group (alachlor concentrations of 0.02, 0.04, 0.11, 0.27, 0.68 ppm) and a positive control group (17 β estradiol, 0.01, 0.1, 0.5 ppb). The number of spawning and embryo rates were declined in a alachlor-dose dependent manner, and the number of unfertilized eggs rates were in contrast increased depending on the concentrations. Further study should be needed to confirm whether the adverse effects may be effected by the concentrations. Additionally, alachlor was evaluated as a non-vitellogenin by the result of a test of significance of the vitellogenin content test for determination of the effect of estrogen among the endocrine disruptors. Key words Alachlor, short term reproduction test, vitellogenin