Plasma and brain cholinesterase activities were determined in three wild bird species to assess their exposure to organophosphate\r\nand carbamate insecticides which are used in agriculture and public health. In the present study, we used an electrometric method for\r\nmeasurement of cholinesterase activities in the plasma and whole brain of three indigenous wild birds commonly found in northern\r\nIraq. The birds used were apparently healthy adults of both sexes (8 birds/species, comprising 3ââ?¬â??5 from each sex) of quail (Coturnix\r\ncoturnix), collard dove (Streptopelia decaocto) and rock dove (Columba livia gaddi), which were captured in Mosul, Iraq. The mean\r\nrespective cholinesterase activities (? pH/30 minutes) in the plasma and whole brain of the birds were as follows: quail (0.96 and\r\n0.29), collard dove (0.97and 0.82) and rock dove (1.44 and 1.42). We examined the potential susceptibility of the plasma or whole\r\nbrain cholinesterases to inhibition by selected insecticides. The technique of in vitro cholinesterase inhibition for 10 minutes by the\r\norganophosphate insecticides dichlorvos, malathion and monocrotophos (0.5 and 1.0 Ã?µM) and the carbamate insecticide carbaryl\r\n(5 and10 Ã?µM) in the enzyme reaction mixtures showed significant inhibition of plasma and whole brain cholinesterase activities to\r\nvarious extents. The data further support and add to the reported cholinesterase activities determined electrometrically in wild birds\r\nin northern Iraq. The plasma and whole brain cholinesterases of the birds are highly susceptible to inhibition by organophosphate\r\nand carbamate insecticides as determined by the described electrometric method, and the results further suggest the usefulness of\r\nthe method in biomonitoring wild bird cholinesterases.
Loading....