Thiacloprid is a neonicotinoid insecticide widely exploited in agriculture and easily mobilized towards aquatic environments by atmospheric agents. However, little information about its toxicological effects on aquatic invertebrate bioindicators is available. In this study, specimens of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis were exposed to thiacloprid at environmental (4.5 μg L-1) and 100 times higher than environmental (450 μg L-1) concentrations for 20 days. Thiacloprid affected haemolymph biochemical parameters, cell viability in the digestive gland, antioxidant biomarkers and lipid peroxidation in the digestive gland and gills at environmentally relevant concentrations (4.5 μg L-1). In addition, thiacloprid exposure caused histological damage to the digestive gland and gills. Interestingly, the pesticide was detected at levels equal to 0.14 ng g-1 in the soft tissues of sentinels exposed for 20 days to 450 μg L-1 thiacloprid in seawaterμ. Due to its harmful potential and cumulative effects after long-term exposure of M. galloprovincialis, thiacloprid may pose a potential risk to nontarget aquatic organisms, as well as to human health. This aspect requires further in-depth investigation.

Department of Animal Protection Welfare and Behaviour Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno Palackeho tr 1946 1 612 42 Brno Czech Republic

Department of Biology University of Padova Via Basssi 58 B 35131 Padova Italy

Department of Biomedical Dental Morphological and Functional Images Sciences University of Messina Viale Annunziata Messina Italy

Department of Chemical Biological Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences University of Messina Viale Ferdinando Stagno d'Alcontres 31 98166 Messina Italy

University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology Zatisi 728 2 389 25 Vodnany Czech Republic

References provided by Crossref.org

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