SUB-LETHAL EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE TO ATRAZINE IN GILL CELLS OF SEA LAMPREY DOWNSTREAM MIGRANTS

Abstract

In Portugal, atrazine (ATZ) was one of the most widely used herbicides in agriculture, and despite prohibited since 2007, it still continued to be detected in the surface and ground waters. Recent research demonstrated that the conditions experienced by anadromous fishes, while in freshwater, may be critical to their subsequent fitness and survival in the sea. Several studies established a decline in wild populations, most probably caused by a reduction in recruitment related with pollution. In the case of sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) trophic migration to the ocean, expose fish to several stress factors, including chemical stress. Thus, it is crucial to assess the effects of sub-lethal exposure to ATZ and predict potential consequences to juveniles of sea lamprey.