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Acute Toxicity and Tissue Distributions of Malathion in Ambystoma tigrinum

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Abstract

The kinetics of the bioaccumulation of malathion (O,O-dimethyl phosphorodithioate of diethyl mercaptosuccinate) and the biological impact of exposure for tiger salamanders, Ambystoma tigrinum, were assessed through exposure to soil surface contaminated with 50 μg/cm2 or 100 μg/cm2 malathion and ingestion of an earthworm exposed to soil contaminated with 200 μg/cm2 malathion. Malathion and malaoxon burdens in salamanders sampled at different times after exposure(s) were measured by gas chromatography in four tissue/organ subgroups: liver, epaxial muscle, pooled viscera (except the liver and brain), and pooled avisceral carcass (muscle, skin, and bone). The total tiger salamander xenobiotic burdens were calculated from these data. The malathion/malaoxon burden 1 day after exposure was greatest in the avisceral carcass and 2 days after exposure was greatest in the viscera. Bioconcentration and bioaccumulation factors remained less than unity throughout the experiment and did not support the hypothesis of bioaccumulation of malathion in the tiger salamander. Biological impact was assessed with a colorimetric brain cholinesterase microassay. Brain cholinesterase activities in salamanders exposed to malathion-contaminated soil (50 μg/cm2 or 100 μg/cm2 malathion) were suppressed ∼50–65% and 90%, respectively, compared to unexposed controls. The exposed animals did not exhibit overt clinical signs of malathion toxicosis.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the Environmental Protection Agency for funding this research and express our gratitude for the graphic support of Linda Dunn, NCSU CMAST. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through its Office of Research and Development partially funded and collaborated in the research described here under assistance agreement #R-83055101 to North Carolina State University. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the EPA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Medicine Consortium, North Carolina State University, 4700 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA

    H. Henson-Ramsey, S. Kennedy-Stoskopf, J. F. Levine & M. K. Stoskopf

  2. Department of Clinical Sciences, North Carolina State University, 4700 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA

    H. Henson-Ramsey, S. Kennedy-Stoskopf & M. K. Stoskopf

  3. Division of Natural Sciences, Lewis-Clark State College, 500 8th Avenue, Lewiston, ID, 83501, USA

    H. Henson-Ramsey

  4. Center for Marine Sciences and Technology, North Carolina State University, 300 College Circle, Morehead City, NC, 28557, USA

    M. K. Stoskopf

  5. Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, North Carolina State University, 4700 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA

    J. F. Levine

  6. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Center for Environmental Assessment-Washington, DC Division, Mail Drop B105-07, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA

    S. K. Taylor

  7. Environmental Contaminants Division, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 6010 Hidden Valley Road, Carlsbad, CA, 92011, USA

    S. K. Taylor

  8. Department of Zoology, North Carolina State University, Box 7617, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA

    D. Shea

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  1. H. Henson-Ramsey
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  2. S. Kennedy-Stoskopf
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  3. J. F. Levine
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  4. S. K. Taylor
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  5. D. Shea
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  6. M. K. Stoskopf
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Correspondence to H. Henson-Ramsey.

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Henson-Ramsey, H., Kennedy-Stoskopf, S., Levine, J.F. et al. Acute Toxicity and Tissue Distributions of Malathion in Ambystoma tigrinum . Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 55, 481–487 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-007-9091-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-007-9091-4

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