Chemical reactivation and aging kinetics of organophosphorus-inhibited cholinesterases from two earthworm species.

An in vitro study was conducted to evaluate the ability of pyridine-2-aldoxime methochloride (2-PAM) to recover organophosphorus (OP)-inhibited cholinesterase (ChE) activity of two earthworm species (Eisenia fetida and Lumbricus terrestris). After inhibition of ChE activity by OP pesticides, an alkyl group may be released from the OP-ChE complex. This reaction is termed aging, and the esterase cannot be reactivated either spontaneously or by the action of reactivating agents, such as 2-PAM. We also examined the aging kinetics of OP-inhibited ChE activity to evaluate the suitability of 2-PAM reactivation methodology for field monitoring. A 2-PAM concentration of 5 x 10(-4) M was enough to reactivate the OP-inhibited ChE activity after 60 min of incubation at 25 degrees C. Chemical reactivation kinetics followed an exponential rise to a maximum of 70 to 80% of normal enzyme activity when ChEs were inhibited with methyl paraoxon or dichlorvos and up to 60% for the chlorpyrifos-inhibited ChE of E. fetida. The aging rates (ka) of the inhibited ChEs were strongly affected by the OP type, and these rates decreased for both earthworm species in the following order: Methyl paraoxon (ka = 0.023-0.033/h) > dichlorvos (ka = 0.008-0.009/h) > chlorpyrifos oxon (ka = 0.003-0.006/h). In particular, chlorpyrifos-inhibited ChE activity of L. terrestris aged slowly (median aging time, 190 h), which means that chemical reactivation of esterase activity with 2-PAM seems feasible one week after exposure to OP pesticides. We conclude that reactivation of earthworm ChE activity by treatment with 2-PAM is a complementary and specific methodology for assessing exposure to OP pesticides.