Effects of heavy metals - Cu, Hg, Cd - on three species of mosquitoes larvae (Diptera : Culicidae)
Autor(es): Bouallam, S; Nejmeddine, A
Resumo: The effects of three heavy metals (Cu, Hg, Cd) on the development of Anopheles hispaniola, a potential vector of malaria, Culex pipiens and Culex hortensis have been studied in oued N'fis near Agadir Tachraft, in the Marrakech (Morocco) experimental wastewater treatment lagoons and in a pond used to rear frogs.The effects varied with the species, related to instar stage, metal type and concentration. The LA stage of A. hispaniola is more sensitive to Cu, Hg and Cd, with 24hr LC50 values of 3.78, 1.52 and 4.81 mg.L-1 respectively, in comparison with the lower LC50 values for C. hortensis (5.02, 3.1 and 9.91 mg.L-1) and C. pipiens (5.91, 4.43 and 17.48 mg.L-1). However, sensitivity to Cd is not significantly different in the L2 instar of A. hispaniola and C. hortensis based on a the Newman - Keuls test.This study shows that A. hispaniola, which has a relatively short life cycle and is easy to rear in the laboratory, is twice as sensitive to mercury, 3.4 times as sensitive to cadmium and 8.6 times as sensitive to copper in comparison with Aedes aegypti. This latter species has been suggested as a test species for the same parameters to study the biological effects of heavy metals on aquatic insects.
Palavras-Chave: Mosquitoes; Culicidae; Chemical agents; Heavy metals; Toxicity; Morocco
Imprenta: Annales de Limnologie-International Journal of Limnology, v. 37, n. 1, p. 49-57, 2001
Identificador do objeto digital: 10.1051/limn/2001005
Descritores: Aedes aegypti - Public health
Data de publicação: 2001
