In Louisiana, Procambarus clarkii are a staple in culture and cuisine, and they are raised in by unique farming method; farmers often alternate field usage between crawfish and rice. P. clarkii can inhabit a wide range of environments ranging from crop fields to bayous to roadside ditches. Often thriving in flooded rice fields, the crayfish are exposed to any and all pesticides that the crops were exposed to via water exposure, soil exposure, or ingestion of crops. Sunlight has the potential to enhance toxic effects of pesticides to organisms. The fungicide, dicloran, has shown to undergo photolysis and have phototoxic impacts to organisms such as inland silversides, fathead minnows, and eastern oysters; the herbicide, benzobicyclon, has also been shown to undergo photolysis and potentially accumulate in sediments. At concentrations of 0.50-mg/L dicloran, mortality can be observed for P. clarkii; 100% mortality was observed at 1.0-mg/L in the presence of light. P. clarkii that were exposed to benzobicyclon and light showed no mortality at concentrations ranging from 0.05-0.25 mg/L. Pesticides are not assessed for potential photo toxicity to non-target aquatic organisms as a part of the pesticide registration process and photo toxicity may be irrelevant in many situations for many compounds. However this may be highly relevant for chemicals used in or near shallow water aquatic ecosystems housing economically important species.

Potential phototoxic response of Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) to herbicides and fungicides

256th National Meeting (2018)

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