The effects of epoxiconazole and α-cypermethrin on Daphnia magna growth, reproduction, and offspring size.

Two of the main classes of pesticides commonly used in agriculture are azole fungicides and pyrethroid insecticides. Because azoles have been shown to synergize the effect of pyrethroids, the effect of their mixture is of concern. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of sublethal concentrations of epoxiconazole and α-cypermethrin and their mixture on growth, reproduction, and in vivo cytochrome P450 activity of the aquatic crustacean Daphnia magna over 42 d. Continuous exposure to nonlethal concentrations of α-cypermethrin at 20 ng/L negatively affected adult growth and number and size of neonates within the first 14 d of exposure. Exposure to epoxiconazole at 25 μg/L increased protein content of adults within 1 to 3 d after initiating exposure and increased cumulative number of offspring at exposure times >31 d. Epoxiconazole enhanced the negative effect of α-cypermethrin up to 3-fold leading to decreased growth, cytochrome P450 activity, and reproduction of D. magna within the first 14 d of exposure. After 14 d, the synergistic interactions disappeared. The reported effects, although lacking direct negative consequence in the long term, might have cumulative toxicity with other stressors such as food scarcity, predation, and pathogens, posing an additional hazard for the organisms at the beginning of their life cycle. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:2155-2166. © 2017 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]