Lethal effects of abamectin on the aquatic organisms Daphnia similis, Chironomus xanthus and Danio rerio

► Abamectin is an acaricide, insecticide and nematicide. ► Effect of this contaminant on aquatic organisms from different trophic levels. ►Daphnia similis, Chironomus xanthus and Danio rerio. ► Abamectin was highly toxic at low concentrations, on the order of ngL−1 for zooplankton. Abamectin is used as an acaricide and insecticide for fruits, vegetables and ornamental plants, as well as a parasiticide for animals. One of the major problems of applying pesticides to crops is the likelihood of contaminating aquatic ecosystems by drift or runoff. Therefore, toxicity tests in the laboratory are important tools to predict the effects of chemical substances in aquatic ecosystems. The aim of this study was to assess the potential hazards of abamectin to the freshwater biota and consequently the possible losses of ecological services in contaminated water bodies. For this purpose, we identified the toxicity of abamectin on daphnids, insects and fish. Abamectin was highly toxic, with an EC50 48h for Daphnia similis of 5.1ngL−1, LC50 96h for Chironomus xanthus of 2.67μgL−1 and LC50 48h for Danio rerio of 33μgL−1.