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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 109(1)

Plasma cholinesterase characteristics in native Australian birds: significance for monitoring avian species for pesticide exposure

Karen Fildes A B E , Judit K. Szabo C , Michael J. Hooper D , William A. Buttemer A B and Lee B. Astheimer A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Institute for Conservation Biology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.

B School of Health Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.

C The Ecology Centre, School of Integrative Biology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.

D The Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Texas Tech University, PO Box 41163, Lubbock, TX 79409-1163, USA.

E Corresponding author. Email: kfildes@uow.edu.au

Emu 109(1) 41-47 https://doi.org/10.1071/MU08027
Submitted: 17 May 2008  Accepted: 13 October 2008   Published: 23 February 2009

Abstract

Cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides are applied throughout Australia to control agricultural pests. Blood plasma cholinesterase (ChE) activity is a sensitive indicator of exposure to organophosphorus insecticides in vertebrates. To aid biomonitoring and provide reference data for wildlife pesticide-risk assessment, plasma acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activities were characterised in nine species of native bird: King Quails (Excalfactoria chinensis), Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus), White-plumed Honeyeaters (Lichenostomas penicillatus), Yellow-throated Miners (Manorina flavigula), Willie Wagtails (Rhipidura leucophrys), Australian Reed-Warblers (Acrocephalus australis), Brown Songlarks (Cincloramphus cruralis), Double-barred Finches (Taeniopygia bichenovii) and Australasian Pipits (Anthus novaeseelandiae). Plasma ChE activities in all species were within the range of most other avian species and all but one contained AChE and BChE; no AChE was present in King Quail, which has not previously been reported for any species. The lowest detectable plasma AChE activity was 0.10 μmol min–1 mL–1 in Budgerigars and the highest was 0.86 μmol min–1 mL–1 in Australian Reed-Warblers. BChE in the plasma ranged from 0.37 μmol min–1 mL–1 in Double-barred Finches to 0.90 μmol min–1 mL–1 in White-plumed Honeyeaters and Australian Reed-Warblers. The lowest proportion of AChE was found in Budgerigars (12.8%) and highest in Willie Wagtails (67.8%). No differences were detected in ChE activity at any time of day in Budgerigars and Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata), although there was a significant difference in all ChE activity between seasons in Zebra Finches.


Acknowledgements

We thank Paul Story and the Australian Plague Locust Commission for their support. This study was financed by the Australian Research Council.


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