Chronic Effects of Endosulfan on Acetylcholinesterase and Cellulase Enzyme Activity of Earthworm Eisenia Foetida

Biological sensitivity to contaminant concentrations may vary substantially from species to species and the mode of toxic action may be highly selective and impair specific biological functions of the organisms. Physiological activities i.e. respiration, metabolism, feeding, breeding etc, of aquatic invertebrates are inhibited by the effects of pesticides [1]. Various workers have shown that earthworm have been considered useful bioindicators of land use, soil fertility, and soil ecosystem health, studies have shown that worms can accumulate high concentrations of pesticides, and therefore they have been used as bioindicators of soil pollution by metals and pesticides [2,3]. The ecological divergences in life style of earthworms provide an excellent platform to explore possible links between physiology and ecology at biochemical level [4]. Pesticides produces considerable effects on biochemical parameters of organisms and since enzymes allow specific reactions to proceed and collectively constitute the metabolism, studies on metabolic enzymes and proteins of earthworms may be useful biomarkers for ecotoxicological aspects [5]. Few studies have examined the impact of confounding factors on earthworm ChE activity. The earthworm age (1, 2 and 3 months old) and soil type (loamy, sandy and clay soils) did not affect CHE activity, where as soil temperature has marked effects. Moreover, earthworms are among the organisms that show the slowest recovery rates, in terms of several months, of phosphorylated effects. This extremely slow recovery makes CHE inhibition an excellent biomarker of pesticide contamination. ChE [6,7]. Farrukh et al. [8] studied the effects of Endosulfan, belonging to the organochlorine group of pesticides on growth, reproduction and avoidance behavior of earthworm E. foetida and found that the pesticide significantly affected the parameters. Due to its used against a broad spectrum of insects and mites in agriculture and allied sectors, it is one of the most extensively used pesticides in the agricultural fields of M.P., Central India. The present study has been undertaken to reveal its chronic effects on two important enzymes, i.e. Acetylcholinesterase and Cellulase of earthworm E. foetida. Both the enzymes have their own significance in earthworm physiology.