The Pursuit of Alachlor Herbicide Toxicity on Eisenia fetida and Its Biochemical Responses

Alachlor is a chloroacetanilide herbicide, which is extensively used in agriculture globally. It is proposed that it is a carcinogen and an estrogen too. Earthworms are largely involved in increasing the soil fertility, and excess use of this herbicide may result in toxicity to burrowing organisms like earthworms. In this context, the current intent of the proposed work is to assess the toxicity of alachlor on Eisenia fetida. The lethal concentration (LC50) for alachlor was calculated on E. fetida as 251.28 +/- 22.28 mu g/cm(2). The E. fetida were treated with LC50 concentration of alachlor for 24 h. Significant changes in morphology like whole body coiling, constricted body shape, fragmentation, and thinning of body and clitellar shrinkage were noticed in E. fetida exposed to alachlor for 24 h in comparison to their respective controls. Neurotoxicity of alachlor in E. fetida was evaluated by measuring the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) at 6, 12, 18, and 24 h respectively. Various biochemical biomarkers such as catalase (CAT), lipid peroxidation (LPO), and glutathione sulfotransferase (GST) were measured at 0, 6, 12, 18 and 24 h respectively. Significant differences in AChE, CAT, LPO, and GST were noted in both control and treated E. fetida at different time intervals. The current finding will be useful in laying the toxic effects of alachlor to non-target soil invertebrates.