Effect of glyphosate-based herbicide on acetylcholinesterase activity in tadpoles, Hoplobatrachus rugulosus.

This study focused on the effects of a glyphosate-based herbicide on activity of the neuron enzyme, acetylcholinesterase (AchE), in the tadpole stage (stage 35-39) of the East Asian Bullfrog, Hoplobatrachus rugulosus. There were 4 herbicide concentration treatments consisting of glyphosate-based herbicide added at 21, 24, 27 and 30 microl to 1L de-chlorinated water in glass containers (10x15x20 cm). There were 4 replicates per treatment, each replicate using 20 tadpoles. The toxicity results were compared with tadpoles in distilled water as a control treatment. After 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours exposure to glyphosate-based herbicide concentrations, LC50 values of 25.21, 24.66, 24.16 and 23.63 microl/L, respectively, were recorded. AChE activities decreased significantly and markedly with herbicide concentration. Such inhibition of AChE activity by this glyphosate-based herbicide indicates the potential of such herbicides to disrupt ecological communities in water near where the herbicides are applied.