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Updated: Sep 6, 2025
Ecotoxicological Methodologies to Evaluate Biomarkers at Different Scales in Neotropical Anurans
Published on: April 28, 2023
Evaluating the chronic effect of two varroacides using multiple biomarkers and an integrated biological response
María Benito-Murcia1, Cristina Botías1, Raquel Martín-Hernández2
1Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal (IRIAF), 19180 Marchamalo, Spain.
Abstract:
There is mounting evidence that acaricides are among the most prevalent medicinal compounds in honey bee hive matrices worldwide. According to OCDE guideline No. 245 chronic lethal concentration of tau-fluvalinate (at concentrations ranging from 77.5 to 523.18 ppm), coumaphos (59.8 ppm) and dimethoate (0.7 ppm) were determined. The activity of the biomarkers acetylcholinesterase (AChE), carboxylesterase (CbE), glutathione S-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) was analysed and as they are implicated in neurotoxicity, biotransformation and antioxidant defences, these values were combined into an integrated biomarker response (IBR). There was enhanced AChE, CAT and GST activity in honey bees exposed to tau-fluvalinate, while dimethoate inhibited AChE activity. Both dimethoate and coumaphos inhibited CbE activity but they enhanced CAT activity and MDA formation. Our results highlight how these biomarkers may serve to reveal honey bee exposure to commonly used acaricides.
