Oxidative stress,hematological and biochemical alterations in farmers exposed to pesticides

In this study, a cohort of farmers from the Mateur region in the North of Tunisia, were interviewed and examined for the biochemical effects of pesticides. We studied their haematological profile, lipid parameters, serum markers of nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity. We also evaluated the activities of Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and thiolactonase-paroxonase (PON). Moreover, lipid peroxidation and activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were determined. The duration of pesticide use and the farmers’ age were considered in the analysis. Our results revealed significant differences in some haematological parameters, in liver and kidney functions, in the lipidic status of the pesticide-exposed group. We also reported an increase in the index of incidence of cardiovascular risk in farmer populations. A significant decrease in AChE, BChE and PON levels was found among farmers. Lipid peroxidation, however, increased. The activities of SOD and CAT were remarkably elevated in farmer populations. There was a significant relation between changes in biological markers, the duration of pesticide use and the farmers’ age. This study indicates that a long-term exposure to pesticides may play an important role in the development of vascular diseases via metabolic disorders of lipoproteins, lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress, inhibition of BChE and decrease in thiolactonase-PON levels.     

Oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity in the frog,Rana chensinensis,when exposed to low doses of trichlorfon

Trichlorfon is an organophosphate insecticide that is widely used in aquaculture and agriculture against parasitic infestations and has caused aquatic toxicity to non-target organisms. To evaluate the effects of low doses of trichlorfon on the oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity in amphibians, Chinese brown frogs (Rana chensinensis) were exposed to trichlorfon at concentrations of 0, 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 mg/L for 2 and 4 weeks. Then, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in hepatic tissue were examined to evaluate the effects of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. The histopathological alternations to the liver were observed through light and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that SOD and CAT activities were increased in the livers of frogs exposed to various concentrations of trichlorfon. The GST activity showed no significant changes at any concentration after 2 weeks of exposure, whereas there was an initial increase after exposure to 0.1 mg/L of trichlorfon at 4 weeks. The content of MDA revealed a significant decrease after exposure. Histopathological and ultrastructural studies showed that trichlorfon induced hyalinization, vacuolation, nucleus necrosis, and cellular swelling in hepatocytes. These results suggest that low doses of trichlorfon could induce oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, and hepatic lesions in frogs, which shows that even lower, non-lethal doses of trichlorfon are potentially toxic to amphibians.     

低温1,2,4-TCB降解菌的选育、降解特性及邻苯二酚1,2-双加氧酶基因表达水平

从长期受1,2,4-三氯苯(1,2,4-TCB)污染的地下水中筛选出一株低温寡营养降解菌A2,对A2菌进行革兰氏染色鉴定和16S rDNA鉴定,研究了不同pH、温度、盐度等因素对A2菌降解1,2,4-TCB效果以及对邻苯二酚1,2-双加氧酶基因表达的影响,并进行了正交实验。结果表明,A2菌为革兰氏阴性短杆细菌,初步鉴定为假单胞菌;在pH值为7、培养温度30℃、盐度0.8%、培养时间6 d时,A2菌对1,2,4-TCB降解效果最好,降解率达到88.14%,同时该条件下邻苯二酚1,2-双加氧酶基因相对表达水平最高;培养温度为10℃时,A2菌对1,2,4-TCB降解率可达到85.3%,同时邻苯二酚1,2-双加氧酶基因也有较高的相对表达水平。以上结果说明,将A2菌应用于低温寡营养地下水的生物修复是可能的。     

Oxidative stress and detoxification biomarker responses in aquatic freshwater vertebrates exposed to microcystins and cyanobacterial biomass

Cyanobacterial blooms represent a serious threat to the aquatic environment. Among other effects, biochemical markers have been studied in aquatic vertebrates after exposures to toxic cyanobacteria. Some parameters such as protein phosphatases may serve as selective markers of exposure to microcystins, but under natural conditions, fish are exposed to complex mixtures, which affect the overall biomarker response. This review aims to provide a critical summary of biomarker responses in aquatic vertebrates (mostly fish) to toxic cyanobacteria with a special focus on detoxification and oxidative stress. Detoxification biomarkers such as glutathione (GSH) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) showed very high variability with poor general trends. Often, stimulations and/or inhibitions and/or no effects at GSH or GST have been reported, even within a single study, depending on many variables, including time, dose, tissue, species, etc. Most of the oxidative stress biomarkers (e.g., superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase) provided more consistent responses, but only lipid peroxidation (LPO) seemed to fulfill the criteria needed for biomarkers, i.e., a sufficiently long half-life and systematic response. Indeed, reviewed papers demonstrated that toxic cyanobacteria systematically elevate levels of LPO, which indicates the important role of oxidative damage in cyanobacterial toxicity. In summary, the measurement of biochemical changes under laboratory conditions may provide information on the mode of toxic action. However, comparison of different studies is very difficult, and the practical use of detoxification or oxidative stress biomarkers as diagnostic tools or early warnings of cyanobacterial toxicity is questionable.     

Oxidative stress in Scenedesmus sp. during short- and long-term exposure to Cu2+ and Zn2+

Algae are exposed to elevated levels of heavy metals in water bodies generally for a long-term, and occasionally for a short-term duration. The present study deals with oxidative stress in Scenedesmus sp., commonly found in nutrient-rich freshwaters, during short- (6h) and long-term (7d) exposure to Cu(2+) and Zn(2+). The cells accumulated almost 2- and 4-times more Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) inside the cells during long-term than during short-term exposure to these metals. But the data on photosynthetic O(2) evolution and cell viability suggest that Scenedesmus sp. experienced lesser metal stress in long-term than in short-term experiment. Although malondialdehyde content was slightly higher in the long-term experiment, the amount produced by one unit intracellular metal was significantly lower than that in the short-term experiment. Superoxide dismutase activity of Scenedesmus sp. was >30% higher during long-term than during short-term exposure to Cu(2+) and Zn(2+). But, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase activities increased only at 2.5 microM Cu(2+) and 25 microM Zn(2+) when oxidative stress was mild, but were inhibited at 10 microM Cu(2+) under intense oxidative stress. Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) reduced glutathione reductase activity and total SH content of Scenedesmus sp. in both the experiments, with greater reduction occurring in the long-term experiment. The depletion of total thiol was positively related with the intracellular level of metals. Thiols might have helped Scenedesmus sp. in overcoming metal-induced oxidative stress, but depletion of thiol pool is known to make cells vulnerable to oxidative stress. The study suggests that antioxidant enzymes play a role only under mild oxidative stress. An increased accumulation of proline seems to be an important strategy for alleviating metal-induced oxidative stress in Scenedesmus sp. The study shows that Scenedesmus sp. could acclimatize during long-term exposure to toxic concentrations of the test metals.     

Oxidative stress induced by HCH in Hydrilla verticillata (l.f.) Royle: modulation in uptake and toxicity due to Fe

The effect of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) singly and in combination with iron was studied on chlorophyll, malondialdehyde, cysteine, total -SH contents and potassium ion leakage in the plants of Hydrilla verticillata. The effect of HCH was also studied on glutathione (reduced and oxidised) content and superoxide dismutase activity. The results showed an increase in malondialdehyde content and potassium ion leakage with increase in HCH concentrations, however, the presence of Fe played a protective role. The chlorophyll content was decreased with increase in HCH concentrations and exposure period. However, the chlorophyll content at 2 and 5 microg ml(-1) was significantly higher in HCH-treated plants as compared to HCH + Fe after 168 h, showing protective role of Fe. The results showed significant increase up to 1 microg ml(-1) in cysteine content with increase in concentrations in both the treatments. The total -SH content was increased with increase in concentrations in both the treatments. In HCH-treated plants, non-significant change was noticed in reduced glutathione (GSH) content however, oxidised glutathione (GSSG) content was increased significantly after 168 h, indicative of oxidative stress. In addition, superoxide dismutase activity was increased non-significantly with increase in HCH concentrations. The accumulation of HCH singly and in presence of Fe was concentration- and duration-dependent. The accumulation of HCH was decreased in presence of Fe at higher concentrations. In contrast, the accumulation of Fe was increased in presence of HCH at higher concentrations. The results showed that malondialdehyde content and potassium ions leakage are the primary responses of toxicity.     

盐单胞菌H17降解苯酚的响应面法优化及动力学

为获得盐单胞菌(Halomonas sp.)H17降解苯酚的最优条件,在单因素试验的基础上,通过Box-Behnken设计试验与响应面法,考察温度、pH、葡萄糖浓度对H17降解苯酚的影响,并通过动力学模型探究该菌株的生长和苯酚降解特性。结果表明,H17降解苯酚的最优条件为30℃、pH=8.0、葡萄糖质量浓度0.8g/L,在此条件下,苯酚降解率预测值为74.39%,实际值为73.92%,表明该模型可靠。该菌株降解苯酚动力学模型符合Haldane模型,其最大比降解速率、饱和常数和抑制常数分别为0.35h^-1、165.91mg/L和460.13mg/L。响应面法优化得到的生物降解条件准确,可为高盐含酚废水处理提供依据。     

The role of humic acid in the toxicity of arsenite to the diatom Navicula sp.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) affects arsenite [As(III)] toxicity by altering its sorption equilibrium at the cell wall interface. A better understanding of such mechanism is of great importance to assess As(III) ecotoxicity in aquatic systems. Batch experiments were conducted to study the effects of DOM on the regulation of As(III) sorption and toxicity in the diatom Navicula sp. The influence of humic acid (HA) on As(III) toxicity was assessed by measuring algal growth, chlorophyll a, and reactive oxygen species (ROS), whereas As(III) mobility across the cell wall was estimated by determining the concentration of intracellular, cell-wall-bound, and free As(III) ions in cell media. Results showed that the effects of HA on arsenite toxicity varied depending on various combinations of As(III)-HA concentrations. EC₅₀ had an approximate threefold increase from 8.32 (HA-free control) to 22.39 μM (at 20 mg L^?1 HA) when Navicula sp. was exposed to 1.0–100.0 μM of As(III), compared to an overall low complexation ratio of HA-As(III) in a range of 0.91–6.00 %. The cell wall-bound and intracellular arsenic content decreased by 19.8 and 20.3 %, respectively, despite the lower arsenite complexation (2.10?±?0.16 % of the total As). Meanwhile, intracellular ROS was decreased by 12.6 % in response to 10.0 μM As(III) and 10 mg L^?1 HA vs. the HA-free control. The significant contrast indicated that complexation alone could not explain the HA-induced reduction in arsenite toxicity and other factors including HA–cell surface interactions may come into play. Isotherms describing adsorption of HA to the Navicula sp. cells combined with morphological data by scanning electron microscopy revealed a protective HA floccule coating on the cell walls. Additional Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic data suggested the involvement of carboxylic groups during the adsorption of both HA and As(III) on the Navicula sp. cell surface. Collective data from this study suggest that cell wall-bound HA can moderate As(III) toxicity through the formation of a protective floccule coating occupying As(III) sorption sites and decreased effective functional groups capable of binding As(III). Our findings imply that As(III) toxicity can be alleviated due to the increased hindrance to cellular internalization of As(III) in the presence of naturally abundant DOM in water.     

Germination and seedling growth of the water cress Rorippa sp. exposed to the chelant [S,S]-EDDS

With the implementation of the new EU environmental framework directives, high tier risk assessments of chemicals will be increasingly needed. For high production chemicals, additional tests will complement the standard battery for aquatic toxicity assessments (daphnids, algae, and fish). In the context of a new chemical notification at the European Union level, we have developed a seed germination and root elongation toxicity test with the freshwater aquatic plant Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (water cress) to confirm the low environmental risk of the chelant [S,S]-EDDS. A 14 day semi-static growth inhibition test was conducted with daily renewal of the test solution. No concentration related inhibition was found on the basis of any of the criteria investigated, i.e., time and extent of germination, biomass, number of leaves, stalk and root lengths. The no-observed effect concentration was considered to be >or=387 mg SS-EDDS/l. Although germination was selected as an appropriate endpoint to assess the effect of a chelant on an aquatic plant (other endpoints would have been dependant on essential metals that are chelated in standard culture tests), the absence of dose related effects requires further tests with higher exposure concentrations and/or other toxicant(s) to assess the validity of the test as a general tool for aquatic risk assessment.     

Acute toxicity, biochemical and gene expression responses of the earthworm Eisenia fetida exposed to polycyclic musks

Phytoremediation is a novel and promising approach for the treatment of pollutants. This study did explore the potential of Aster amellus Linn. to decolorize a sulfonated azo dye Remazol Red (RR), a mixture of dyes and a textile effluent. Induction in the activities of lignin peroxidase, tyrosinase, veratryl alcohol oxidase and riboflavin reductase was observed during RR decolorization, suggesting their involvement in the metabolism of RR. UV-Visible absorption spectrum, HPLC and FTIR analysis confirmed the degradation of RR. Four metabolites after the degradation of the dye were identified as 2-[(3-diazenylphenyl) sulfonyl] ethanesulfonate, 4-amino-5-hydroxynaphthalene-2,7-disulfonate, naphthalene-2-sulfonate and 3-(1,3,5-triazin-2-ylamino)benzenesulfonate by using GC/MS. Textile effluent and mixture of dyes showed 47% and 62% decrease respectively in American Dye Manufacturers Institute value. BOD of textile effluent and mixture of dyes were reduced by 75% and 48% respectively, COD of industrial effluent and mixture of dyes was reduced by 60% and 75% and TOC was reduced by 54% and 69% respectively after the treatment by A. amellus for 60 h; this indicated that the plant can be used for cleaning textile effluents. Toxicity study revealed the phytotransformation of RR into non-toxic products.     

Oxidative stress, liver biotransformation and genotoxic effects induced by copper in Anguilla anguilla L.--the influence of pre-exposure to beta-naphthoflavone

Fish are exposed in the aquatic ecosystems to different classes of pollutants. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals represent two important classes of aquatic contaminants. Thus, one lot of European eels (Anguilla anguilla L.) was pre-exposed during 24 h to 2.7 microM beta-naphthoflavone (BNF; a PAH-like compound), and subsequently exposed during 24 h to 0, 1 and 2.5 microM copper (Cu). Additionally, another lot not pre-exposed to BNF was exposed to the same Cu concentrations. BNF pre-exposure promoted a significant increase in liver ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity, but did not change the other responses investigated in eels. On the other hand, both Cu concentrations did not modify the liver EROD activity either in eels pre-exposed to BNF or not. Liver total cytochrome P450 was increased in eels exposed to Cu 2.5 microM, being significantly only in eels not pre-exposed to BNF. Free sulfhydryl group content was decreased by 1 and 2.5 microM in eels pre-exposed to BNF or not pre-exposed, being significant at 2.5 microM Cu in eels not pre-exposed compared to its control. Liver total glutathione (TG), reduced glutathione (GSH) and GSH/oxidized glutathione (GSSG) levels were slightly decreased by 1 and 2.5 microM Cu in eels pre-exposed to BNF, whereas a slight tendency to increase was observed in eels not pre-exposed. Thus, liver TG and GSH significantly decreased in 2.5 microM Cu BNF pre-exposed eels compared to eels not pre-exposed to BNF. Liver glutathione reductase and catalase activities were significantly inhibited by 1 and 2.5 microM Cu in eels pre-exposed to BNF, concomitantly with a slight liver glutathione peroxidase tendency to decrease. Lipid peroxidation was significantly increased by 1 microM Cu in eels either pre-exposed or not pre-exposed to BNF. Liver H(2)O(2) was significantly increased by 1 microM Cu in eels pre-exposed to BNF. Liver DNA integrity was significantly decreased by 1 and 2.5 microM Cu in eels pre-exposed to BNF. The oxidative stress and genotoxic effects induced by Cu in eels pre-exposed to BNF revealed that the metal effects are potentiated by previous exposure to BNF.     

Decomposition pathways and reaction intermediate formation of the purified, hydrolyzed azo reactive dye C.I. Reactive Red 120 during ozonation

In this study, an aqueous solution of purified, hydrolyzed C.I. Reactive Red 120 (RR 120, Color Index), was selected as a model to investigate the degradation pathways and to obtain additional information on the reaction intermediate formation. The dye was purified to avoid the influence of the impurities on the ozonation process and on the formation of oxidation by-products. To simulate the dye-bath effluents from dyeing processes with azo reactive dyes, a hydrolyzed form of the dye was chosen as a representative compound. High performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and its tandem mass spectrometry was chosen to identify the decomposition pathways and reaction intermediate formation during the ozonation process. In addition total organic carbon and high performance ion chromatography analysis were employed to obtain further information on the reaction processes during ozonation. Purified, hydrolyzed RR 120 was decomposed under the direct nucleophilic attack by ozone resulting in oxidation and cleavage of azo group and aromatic ring, while the triazine group still remained in the solution even after prolonged oxidation time (120 min) due to its high resistance to ozonation. Phenol, 1,2-dihydroxysulfobezene, 1-hydroxysulfonbezene were detected as the degradation intermediates, which were further oxidized by O(3) and *OH to other open-ring products and then eventually led to simple oxalic and formic acid identified by HPIC.     

Investigation of oxidative stress enzymes and histological alterations in tilapia exposed to chlorpyrifos

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Chlorpyrifos (ChF) is an organophosphate pesticide that is widely used in agricultural fields and indoor for controlling pests. Aquatic ecosystems are...     

Nitrate-induced photodegradation of atenolol in aqueous solution: kinetics, toxicity and degradation pathways

The extensive utilization of β-blockers worldwide led to frequent detection in natural water. In this study the photolysis behavior of atenolol (ATL) and toxicity of its photodegradation products were investigated in the presence of nitrate ions. The results showed that ATL photodegradation followed pseudo-first-order kinetics upon simulated solar irradiation. The photodegradation was found to be dependent on nitrate concentration and increasing the nitrate from 0.5 mM L⁻¹ to 10 mM L⁻¹ led to the enhancement of rate constant from 0.00101 min⁻¹ to 0.00716 min⁻¹. Hydroxyl radical was determined to play a key role in the photolysis process by using isopropanol as molecular probe. Increasing the solution pH from 4.8 to 10.4, the photodegradation rate slightly decreased from 0.00246 min⁻¹ to 0.00195 min⁻¹, probably due to pH-dependent effect of nitrate-induced OH formation. Bicarbonate decreased the photodegradation of ATL in the presence of nitrate ions mainly through pH effect, while humic substance inhibited the photodegradation via both attenuating light and competing radicals. Upon irradiation for 240 min, only 10% reduction of total organic carbon (TOC) can be achieved in spite of 72% transformation rate of ATL, implying a majority of ATL transformed into intermediate products rather than complete mineralization. The main photoproducts of ATL were identified by using solid phase extraction-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-MS) techniques and possible nitrate-induced photodegradation pathways were proposed. The toxicity of the phototransformation products was evaluated using aquatic species Daphnia magna, and the results revealed that photodegradation was an effective mechanism for ATL toxicity reduction in natural waters.     

Growth and physiological responses of Pennisetum sp. to cadmium stress under three different soils

Pennisetum sp. was employed as a model species to detect the growth and physiological response to cadmium (Cd) stress at different Cd concentrations (0, 20, 50, and 100 mg kg⁻¹) in three types of soils (yellow brown soil, yellow soil, and red soil). Results showed that the growth of Pennisetum sp. was not significantly influenced by Cd in 20 mg kg⁻¹, but significantly inhibited at higher Cd concentrations in three types of soils. Besides, the higher Cd concentrations, the lower root, stem, and leaf biomass. With Cd concentration of soil increasing, Cd content of root, stem, and leaf increased. Compared with no Cd, high Cd concentrations (50 and 100 mg kg⁻¹) induced the physiological indices (photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate) and biochemical indices (nitrate reductase, glutamine synthetase, and glutamate synthase activities) decreasing, but the concentration of NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺ increasing. The activity of antioxidative enzymes (SOD, POD, and CAT) was disrupted and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) increasing. Pennisetum sp. could protect cells from damage and maintain normal physiological metabolism via increasing the production of soluble sugar and soluble protein, but soluble proteins and soluble sugars were limited in high concentrations of Cd (50 and 100 mg kg⁻¹). Moreover, the growth and physiological response to Cd are different in the three types of soils. The growth of Pennisetum sp. in yellow brown soil was better than that in other two soils, and the gas exchange rate, antioxidant enzyme activity, and nitrogen metabolism in yellow soil and red soil were more affected by Cd stress than that in yellow brown soil. Overall, Pennisetum sp. had certain tolerance and biosorption ability to Cd in different Cd concentrations and different types of soil. Hence, Pennisetum sp. was a suitable choice for Cd remediation, especially in yellow brown soil.

     

Haematological,biochemical, enzymological and histological responses of Labeo rohita exposed to methyl orange dye solution treated with Oedogonium subplagiostomum AP1

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The present investigation is an attempt to assess the impact of untreated methyl orange and Oedogonium subplagiostomum AP1 treated methyl orange dye...     

Characterization of bacterial diversity in an atrazine degrading enrichment culture and degradation of atrazine,cyanuric acid and biuret in industrial wastewater

An enrichment culture was used to study atrazine degradation in mineral salt medium (MSM) (T1), MSM+soil extract (1:1, v/v) (T2) and soil extract (T3). Results suggested that enrichment culture required soil extract to degrade atrazine, as after second sequential transfer only partial atrazine degradation was observed in T1 treatment while atrazine was completely degraded in T2 and T3 treatments even after fourth transfer. Culture independent polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) technique confirmed selective enrichment of genus Bacillus along with Pseudomonas and Burkholderia. Degradation of atrazine/metabolites in the industrial wastewater was studied at different initial concentrations of the contaminants [wastewater-water (v/v) ratio: T1, 1:9; T2, 2:8; T3, 3:7; T4, 5:5 and T5, undiluted effluent]. The initial concentrations of atrazine, cyanuric acid and biuret ranged between 5.32 and 53.92 µg mL^?1, 265.6 and 1805.2 µg mL^?1 and 1.85 and 16.12 µg mL^?1, respectively. The enrichment culture was able to completely degrade atrazine, cyanuric acid and biuret up to T4 treatment, while no appreciable degradation of contaminants was observed in the undiluted effluent (T5). Inability of enrichment culture to degrade atrazine/metabolites might be due to high concentrations of cyanuric acid. Therefore, a separate study on cyanuric acid degradation suggested: (i) no appreciable cyanuric acid degradation with accumulation of an unidentified metabolite in the medium where cyanuric acid was supplemented as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen; (ii) partial cyanuric acid degradation with accumulation of unidentified metabolite in the medium containing additional nitrogen source; and (iii) complete cyanuric acid degradation in the medium supplemented with an additional carbon source. This unidentified metabolite observed during cyanuric acid degradation and also detected in the enrichment culture inoculated wastewater samples, however, was degraded up to T4 treatments and was persistent in the T5 treatment. Probably, accumulation of this metabolite inhibited atrazine/cyanuric acid degradation by the enrichment culture in undiluted wastewater.     

The antioxidative response system in Glycine max (L.) Merr. exposed to Deltamethrin, a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide

Forty-five-day-old plants of Glycine max (soybean) were exposed to several Deltamethrin (synthetic pyrethroid insecticide) concentrations (0.00%, 0.05%, 0.10%, 0.15% and 0.20%) through foliar spray in the field conditions. In the treated plants, as observed at the pre-flowering (10 DAT), flowering (45 DAT) and post-flowering (70 DAT) stages, lipid peroxidation, proline content and total glutathione content increased, whereas the total ascorbate content decreased, as compared with the control. Among the enzymatic antioxidants, activity of superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase increased significantly whereas that of catalase declined markedly in relation to increasing concentration of Deltamethrin applied. The changes observed were dose-dependent, showing a strong correlation with the degree of treatment.