Study of interaction of low doses of ionizing radiation with selected pesticides on Artemia franciscana

The aim of our study was to observe the effect of low doses of ionizing radiation, azoxystrobin and glyphosate separately as well as in their mutual combinations on the lethality of Artemia franciscana. Increasing intensity of agricultural production leads to continual exposure of animals to pesticide residues. Animals could be exposed to these negative factors in case of possible nuclear accident. A total of 1000 nauplia, randomly placed in 20 groups (1 control and 19 experimental groups), were irradiated with gamma rays (0, 20, 30, 40 or 50 Gy) and were kept in solution of standardized sea water and standardized sea water with addition of pesticides (azoxystrobin at a concentration of 0.0001 g.l(-1) and glyphosate at a concentration of 0.5 g.l(-1) individually or in combination). A significant increase of lethality was observed after 48, 72 and 96 h of exposure to only azoxystrobin, but also in the group exposed to the combined effect of azoxystrobin and glyphosate at all time intervals. On the other hand, a significant decrease of lethality was observed in those groups exposed to ionizing radiation even at the dose of 30 Gy at all time intervals compared to non-irradiated groups. These results confirm the toxicity of azoxystrobin to aquatic organisms; non-toxicity of glyphosate to crustaceans and support the theory of radiation hormesis at the level of 30 Gy radiation dose.