Genotoxic assessment of oxadiazon and pendimethalin herbicides on Eisenia hortensis by comet and micronucleus tests

Herbicides are chemicals that are widely and unconsciously used to control unwanted weeds. Herbicides do not only damage the target animals, but they also damage the off-target soil fauna. In our study, it was aimed to determine the mutational genotoxic consequences of commonly used Oxadiazon (OD) and Pendimethalin (PM) herbicides in agriculture fields on Eisenia hortensis (E. hortensis) species by using Comet and Micronucleus tests. Consequently, the LD(50)values for OD and PM herbicides were estimated at0.25 ppm and 0.24 ppm, respectively. Concentration series of OD and PM herbicides, 1/2 LD50, LD50, and 2 x LD50 were applied to E. hortensis for 48 h. As a negative control group, distilled water was used for both herbicides. An increase inthe concentration of damaged DNA and chromosomal aberration of E. hortensis coelomocytes was observed by both herbicides. Highest DNA damage (32.33 +/- 2.51; 15.33 +/- 1.15) was observed by the highest concentrations of OD (0.51 ppm) and PM (0.48 ppm), respectively. The negative control group had shown the least genotoxic effects. There was statistically significant (p <0.05) difference among different concentration values of OD and PM herbicides.