Table 2 Effects of glyphosate, its derivatives, co-formulants, and/or its formulated herbicide products on algae species reported in the scientific literature since 2010
From: Aquatic ecotoxicity of glyphosate, its formulations, and co-formulants: evidence from 2010 to 2023
Test organism | Type of tested compound | Tested concentrations | Duration | Tested endpoints | Observed effects | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
S. capricornutum | Roundup | 4.7–60 mg l−1 | 96 ha | Growth inhibition | 96-h EC50b = 15.60 mg l-1, damaged ultrastructure of cells | [78] |
S. vacuolatus | Glifosato Atanor with 2.5% of the surfactant (alkyl aryl polyglycol ether) | 0–8 mg AIc l−1 | 96 h | Growth inhibition, metabolic and morphological endpoint | 96-h EC50 = 4.9 mg l−1 metabolic and morphology alterations (≥ 4 mg l−1), oxidative damage (≥ 6 mg l−1) | [115] |
Phytoplankton community | Factor 540R | 1–1000 μg l−1 | 96 h | Diversity, physiological and biochemical parameters | reduced diversity (≥ 5 μg l−1), altered pigment content (≥ 1 µg l−1) and biochemical parameters (≥ 500 µg l−1) | [106] |
Algal and cyanobacterial species | Factor 540R | 10–1000 μg l−1 | 48 h | Growth, photosynthetic parameters | 48-h EC50 = 406–724 µg l−1, altered photosynthetic response (≥ 10 µg l−1) | [107] |
Marine phytoplankton | GLYd | 6 and 60 mg l−1 | 9–16 de | Growth | Concentration- and species-dependent effects | [108] |
Cyanobacteria species | pesticide adjuvants | screening tests | 96 h | Growth | Differences in toxicity and sensitivity | [109] |
Microalgae | technical-grade GLY acid, GLY-IPAf, Roundup, POEAg | screening tests | 96 h | Growth | POEA > Roundup > GLY acid > GLY-IPA | [30] |
Algae communities | Roundup PowerFlex | 0–4 mg a.e.h GLY l−1 | 24 d | Diversity, density | Decreased diversity (4 mg a.e. GLY l−1), no effects on density | [115] |
C. vulgaris | GLY, AMPAi | 0.05–50 mg l−1 individually and in combination | 7 d | Growth, pigment content, antioxidant activity | Promoted growth (≤ 0.5 mg l−1), growth inhibition (≥ 5 mg l−1), AMPA had inhibitory effects only in the presence of GLY (≥ 5 mg l−1 GLY and AMPA), altered level of chl-aj and chl-bk, increased antioxidant activity | [116] |
Cyanobacteria, Chlorophycean microalgae | Faena | 1–100 mg l−1 | 96 h | Growth inhibition, macromolecules, antioxidant enzymes | IC50l = 1.022–2.702 mg l−1, effects on macromolecules and antioxidant enzymes (≥ 0.74 mg l−1) | [117] |
Cyanobacteria, Chlorophycean microalgae | Faena | 0.2–2.7 mg l−1 | 96 h | Morphology and ultrastructure of microalgae | Altered external morphology and ultrastructure of microalgae, the presence of cyanobacteria represented an additional stress factor | [118] |
Cyanobacterial strains | GLY | 8.5–33.8 mg l−1 | 15 d | Growth, levels of phosphate and phosphonate | Species-specific and dose-dependent stimulatory effects, decrease of phosphonate levels, concentration dependent phosphate uptake | [119] |
M. aeruginosa | GLY | 1–10 mg l−1 | 9 d, enzyme activity assays: 24 and 48 h | Growth, chl-a content, antioxidant activity, cell apoptosis | Reduced growth and chl-a content, increased antioxidant activity (1–2 mg l−1), induced apoptosis | [120] |
P. donghaiense | GLY | 6.09 and 0.9 mg l−1 | 10 d | Growth | Concentration-dependent growth inhibition | [94] |
Picoplankton | GLY-IPA | 4 mg l−1 | 8 d | Chl-a, abundance | No effects on chl-a, decreased abundance of phycocyanin-rich picocyanobacteria | [121] |
Picoplankton | GLY-IPA, GBHs | 0.1 mg a.e. GLY l−1 | 8 d | Chl-a, abundance | Substance-specific effects on abundance | [122] |
Biofilm communities | GLY-IPA | 0.25–2.54 g l−1 | 22 d | Biofilm function and biomass | Reduced primer production (≥ 1.52 g l−1), reduced chl-a | [86] |
Freshwater biofilm communities | GLY-IPA, Roundup Classic | 100 µg AI l−1 | 35 d | Biomass and composition of algal communities | Initial decrease of biomass, compositional alteration | [87] |
Marine microphytobenthos | Roundup | 42–8500 mg l−1 | 14 d | Microscopic analysis | Decreased abundance, compositional alteration | [123] |
C. vulgaris | pure GLY, GLY-IPA, IPA, Roundup | GLY (0.51–1690.7 mg l−1), GLY-IPA (0.68–2282 mg l−1), IPA (0.17–591.1 mg l−1), Roundup (2.23–7427.1 mg l−1) | 21 d | Growth | Concentration-dependent and substance-specific effects | [124] |
Periphyton community | Roundup | 8 mg AI l−1 | 42 d | Qualitative and quantitative analysis | Long term effects, altered abundance and composition | [125] |
Freshwater periphyton | technical grade GLY acid, GBHms (Glifosato II Atanor, Roundup Max) | 3 mg AI l−1 | 9 d | Pigments concentration, dry weight, algal density | Altered abundances, higher toxicity of GBHs | [126] |
M. aeruginosa | GLY, Roundup | 0.06–29.6 µg l−1 | 21 d | Cell number, chl-a, photosynthesis alkaline phosphatase activity | Increased cell number and chl-a, inhibition (> 5.92 µg l−1), increased photosynthesis by GLY, concentration-dependent decrease of APA activity | [127] |
Phytoplankton community | GLY | 0.0002 g l−1 | 48 h | Abundance, growth | Structural and compositional effects | [128] |
Freshwater periphyton | GLY IPA | 0.4 or 4 mg l−1 | 21 d | Dry weight, chl-a, periphyton abundance, recovery ability | Higher dry weight and periphyton abundance (4 mg l−1), increased chl-a content (0.4–4 mg l−1), recovery potential affected by GLY | [130] |
Freshwater phytoplankton and periphyton communities | GLY-IPA, Glifosato Atanor | Phytoplankton: GLY 0.3, 3 and 6 mg l−1; periphyton: 3 mg AI l−1 | 7 d | Species composition, abundance and chl-a | Periphyton showed more resistance | [131] |
Benthic diatoms | GLY | 20–500 µg l−1 | 48 h | Microscopic analysis | Differences in sensitivity | [132] |
Biofilm communities | GLY | 10 µg l−1 | 21 d | Pigment content, protein and polysaccharide content, esterase activity | Inhibited growth of autotrophic community, no effects on pigment and polysaccharide contents or enzyme activity | [133] |
Biofilm communities | GLY-IPA, AMPA | GLY: 0.01–1000 mg l−1, AMPA: 0.01–500 mg l−1 | 6 h | Composition of diatom community, photosynthetic parameters, chlorophyll a content, antioxidant enzyme activities | Differences in the composition of diatom community, reduced pigment content, photosynthetic efficiency and capacity (GLY), no observed toxicity for AMPA, no effects on antioxidant enzymes | [134] |
Pico- and phytoplankton | Technical-grade GLY, Roundup Max | 6 mg l−1 (AI equivalent) | 34 d | Abundance | Increased cell count | [135] |
Phytoplankton, periphyton | Technical-grade GLY, Roundup Max, Glifosato Atanor | 6 mg l−1 (AI equivalent) | 14 d | Abundance and evenness of phytoplankton community, periphyton chl-a | Increased abundance of phytoplankton (GLY, Glifosato Atanor), inhibited growth of Microcystis spp. (Roundup Max), altered evenness, synergistic increase in periphytic chl-a | [136] |
Freshwater microalgae | GLY | 1.69*107–5.07 g l−1 | 80 min | Chl-a fluorescence, cell viability | Dose-dependent effect on maximum quantum yield of PSIIn (< 0.17 mg l−1) | [140] |
N. microcarpa var. wrightii | Technical-grade GLY, Roundup, AMPA | GLY, Roundup: 0.28, 3.5, 6 mg l−1; AMPA: 0.03 mg l−1 | 7 d | Photosynthetic rate, dark respiration rate, chl-a | Higher toxicity of Roundup, stimulatory effect of AMPA | [141] |
S. capricornutum | POEA | Screening tests | 96 h | Growth inhibition | 96-h EC50 = 4.1–4.9 mg l−1 | [104] |
R. subcapitata, C. vulgaris, Oophila sp | MON 0818 | Screening tests | 96 h | Growth inhibition | 96-h EC50 = 0.21–1.61 mg l−1 | [143] |
R. subcapitata | Alkyl polyglycoside | Screening tests | 72 h | Growth inhibition | Negligible aquatic toxicity | [144] |
S. capricornutum | Alkyl polyglycoside | Screening tests | 72 h | Growth inhibition | Variation in toxicity | [145] |