–Banaja Prakashini Samantaray, Ram Kumar in Environmental Toxicology
The seepage of agrochemicals into rivers, lakes, and groundwater is a growing concern for freshwater ecosystems. Among them, Mancozeb, a widely used fungicide, breaks down into Ethylene thiourea (ETU)—a metabolite that is more persistent and often more toxic. This raises serious questions about its impact on non-target aquatic organisms.
Researchers investigated the responses of the cladoceran zooplankton Ceriodaphnia cornuta (Sars, 1885) under both acute and chronic bioassays spanning six generations of continuous exposure to Mancozeb.
Key Findings
- Survival & Reproduction: Mancozeb contamination reduced survival and reproductive success in a concentration-specific manner.
- Unexpected Outcomes: Continuous exposure to 1.54 μg/L Mancozeb across six generations led to longer life expectancy at birth and higher reproductive rates.
- Increased Sensitivity: Sixth-generation neonates showed a lower 48h LC50 (greater susceptibility) compared to naive organisms with no prior exposure.
Read the full research article: https://doi.org/10.1002/tox.70173
B. P. Samantaray and R. Kumar, “ Multigenerational Exposure to Mancozeb Impacts Fitness Traits and Population Dynamics in Ceriodaphnia cornuta (Crustacea: Cladocera),” Environmental Toxicology (2026): 1–14, https://doi.org/10.1002/tox.70173.
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