Acute toxicity and liver function effects of tetrachlorantraniliprole on zebrafish

Tetrachlorantraniliprole is a kind of bisamide insecticide developed independently in China, known for its high efficiency and prolonged duration of action. In view of the potential adversely effect of diamide insecticides on aquatic organisms, such as chlorantraniliprole, safety assessment of tetrachlorantraniliprole is particularly important, especially its impacts on aquatic life. In this study, zebrafish (Danio rerio) were selected as the model organism, and the acute toxicity of chlorantraniliprole and its effect on liver function of adult zebrafish were observed using the semi-static exposure method. The acute toxicity test showed that the 96 h-LC₅₀ value of tetrachlorantraniliprole to zebrafish was 9.83 mg/L, belonging to the toxic grade. In terms of zebrafish growth, exposure to tetrachlorantraniliprole for 7 and 14 days did not significantly change the body weight, body length, and body mass index (BMI) of zebrafish. However, the hepatic somatic index (HSI) decreased significantly. Exposure to 0.1 mg/L tetrachlorantraniliprole for 7 days significantly increases glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, while exposures to 0.01 and 1 mg/L for 14 days significantly increase glutathione (GSH) content. Histopathological analysis showed that exposure to tetrachlorantraniliprole caused hepatic dysfunction in zebrafish, with the severity of hepatocellular lesions increasing in a concentration-dependent manner. The detection of the mRNA expression levels of apoptosis-related genes showed that the mRNA expression levels of Caspase3, Caspase9, and Apaf1 were significantly increased after exposure to 0.01, 0.1, and 1 mg/L tetrachlorantraniliprole for 7 days, suggesting tetrachlorantraniliprole affected the apoptosis of zebrafish liver cells. In conclusion, tetrachlorantraniliprole has certain acute toxicity and induces liver oxidative damage in zebrafish, and its potential risks to the environment and non-target organisms warrant serious attention. These findings provide a theoretical basis for ecological risk assessment of tetrachlorantraniliprole pesticide.