The effect of various pesticides on the antioxidant enzymes system of "Gammarus kischineffensis" and some biomarkers

Chemical methods are the most used agricultural combat methods in the World. Pesticides used in agriculture are chemical materials or biological agents (virus, bacteria), which are produced to prevent growth of harmful insects, animals and plant or to destroy, to repulse these pests or to reduce the number of these pests. As a result of sensless usage of pesticides; human, air, water, soil and wild life is adversely effected, resistance occurs in target organizms, natural balance disturbs because of killing natural life and phytotoxicity has been detected in plants. Surface waters and their natural communities are contaminated with several anthropogenic toxic chemicals. In order to protect aquatic ecosystems, the effects of these chemicals should be evaluated.Among the anthropogenic chemicals, pesticides may cause the most serious problems because they are designed specifically to kill organisms (both the noxious target organisms and other non-target ones) and they are released into the natural environment intentionally. Intensive agriculture causes polution of air and surface water, eutrophication of water systems, emissions of greenhouse gases and acid rains. While pesticides used in every field of life increase the quality of life, they cause adverse effects on environment and living organizms. Pesticides used in order to fight with pests, thereby to increase yield for many years, seriously threaten human health and environment. Gammarus kischineffensis used in the study is a species which belongs Crustacea Subfylum. Generally, the species belonging to Crustacea Subfylum are used as an indicator in order to determine pollution in water systems. Also Gammarus kischineffensis is among the daily dietary of some freshwater fish species, consists basic step of food pyramid and so, is important because of place in bioaccumulation (biomagnification) process. In this research, it is aimed to examine the effects of some pesticides such as endosulfan, indoxacarb, thiomethoxam and, atrazine and combined effects of these pesticides on antioxidant and detoxification enzymes of Gammarus kischineffensis and to investigate residue levels of these pesticides in this organizm. Finally, it was observed that use of pesticides single or combined have effects on antioxidant and detoxification enzymes of Gammarus kischineffensis. The residues of all pesticides except endosulfan were determined and the results are in agreement with enzymes response. Keywords: Gammarus kischineffensis, antioxidant enzymes, acetilcolinesterase, pesticide residue