Arguedas_2018_Chemosphere_205_209

The terciopelo (Bothrops asper), is one of the most important venomous snakes in Costa Rica and common on agriculture where insecticides are frequently used for pest control. To assess the exposure to organophosphates on captive B. asper, an experiment using chlorpyrifos and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), as a biomarker was conducted. In addition to BChE, hematology, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total proteins (TP) and albumin were measured after exposure. Different concentrations of chlorpyrifos were used in Group A (0.1%) and B (1%), while the Control Group received distilled water; each group was composed of 5 snakes. Values of BChE, AST, TP, and albumin were measured before exposure, and at 6, 12, 24, 196, 360 and 528h post-exposure. Hematology values were measured after 24h post-exposure. As result, an important variation between subjects in all groups before exposure was obtained. Moreover, BChE activity showed 37% inhibition of Group A when compared to Control Group at 12h post-exposure, and a higher inhibition of Group B (97%) related to Control Group, at 6h post-exposure. Recovery of BChE occurred towards 528h, never reaching initial values. Despite some variation in the rest of parameters used, a marked relative lymphopenia and monocytosis occurred at 24h, assuming stress as the main cause.