Enzymes as useful biomarkers to assess the response of freshwater communities to pesticide exposure – A review

The lack of specificity pesticides used for control various organisms, even if efforts have been made to design formulations more species-specific, produce harmful effects on non-target organisms. Oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation are amongst the main known induced by pesticide exposure, besides eventual lethal toxicity, endangering organisms’ biomembranes integrity or compromising their activity through long-term exposure. Due general persistency in environment, these can easily be transported water runoff. Pesticides agricultural fields frequently nearby freshwater systems, potentially affecting Organophosphorus carbamates widely classes pesticides, and, despite being considered rapid biodegradation, present a broad-spectrum action, frequent transport contaminants other systems may non-intended species. Others, such as organochlorine highly persistent posing threat species long periods. This is matter utter importance given that impair numerous biological processes inhibit action key enzymes response xenobiotic-induced stress, potentiating oxidative neurotoxicity, with potential irreversible effects. study effect has assessed exposure responses set antioxidant esterase enzymes, along trophic levels. information is, however, vast concerning photosynthetic macroinvertebrates fish, zooplankton appearing group least studied. Given ecological zooplankton, further regarding this could help detect early warning signs threats an ecosystem’s search alternatives solutions prevent individuals, escalate food chains. Nonetheless, use biomarkers assess communities proven effective tool. Some constraints related consistency sensitivity pollutants may, lead results not always straightforward, same different enzymatic depending organism affected environmental conditions. Thus, studies using provide understanding overcome existing limitations strengthen applicability context.