Effects of Chlorophenoxy Herbicides and Their Main Transformation Products on DNA Damage and Acetylcholinesterase Activity

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2014

Authors

Sofia Benfeito (Author) Other; Tiago Silva (Author) Other; Jorge Garrido (Author) Other; Paula B Andrade (Author) FFUP; Sottomayor, MJ (Author) FCUP; Fernanda Borges (Author) FCUP; Manuela M Garrido (Author) Other

Journal

Title: BioMed Research International

Vol. 2014

Pages: 1-10

ISSN: 2314-6133

Publisher: Hindawi

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 11 Citations

Scopus - 15 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Other medical sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-009-9RZ

DOI: 10.1155/2014/709036

Abstract (EN): Persistent pesticide transformation products (TPs) are increasingly being detected among different environmental compartments, including groundwater and surface water. However, there is no sufficient experimental data on their toxicological potential to assess the risk associated with TPs, even if their occurrence is known. In this study, the interaction of chlorophenoxy herbicides (MCPA, mecoprop, 2,4-D and dichlorprop) and their main transformation products with calf thymus DNA by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy has been assessed. Additionally, the toxicity of the chlorophenoxy herbicides and TPs was also assessed evaluating the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity. On the basis of the results found, it seems that AChE is not the main target of chlorophenoxy herbicides and their TPs. However, the results found showed that the transformation products displayed a higher inhibitory activity when compared with the parent herbicides. The results obtained in the DNA interaction studies showed, in general, a slight effect on the stability of the double helix. However, the data found for 4-chloro-2-methyl-6-nitrophenol suggest that this transformation product can interact with DNA through a noncovalent mode.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific