The impact of common herbicides in Tagus estuary ecosystem may be higher than expected

摘要

Introduction: Artemia spp. (Crustacea, Branchiopoda) is commonly used in aquaculture as a live feed for fish and crustaceans, as well as in toxicological studies of new chemicals in the aquatic environment [1]. In the wild, Artemia spp. occurs in saline areas, such as Salinas do Samouco - Alcochete, in the Tagus estuary, being a primary part of a large ecosystem [2]. A recent study showed the toxic effect of glyphosate, the active principle of several herbicides, on this organism [3]. This study aimed to investigate the effect on Artemia of three herbicides freely sold in Portugal.