Effects of diazinon exposure on cholinesterase activity in different tissues of European eel (Anguilla anguilla).

Cholinesterase (ChE) activity was measured in brain, plasma, and whole eye of Anguilla anguilla experimentally exposed to a sublethal concentration of 0.042 mg/liter (0.50 of the 96-hr LC50) of the organophosphorous pesticide diazinon. Whole eye was the tissue which revealed higher values of ChE activity (8.17 micromol/min/g) in nonexposed animals. Brain, plasma, and whole eye ChE activity of A. anguilla was inhibited at 6, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hr of diazinon exposure. Pesticide induced significant inhibitory effects on the ChE activity of this species ranging from >70% inhibition in brain tissue to >90% in plasma samples. Brain and plasma presented technical difficulties in their collection. Due to its ease of collection, high ChE activity levels, and sensitivity to ChE pesticide inhibition, the use of whole eye is recommended for post-mortem ChE analysis in A. anguilla.