The effects of different concentrations of borax on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme system activities of Microcerotermes diversus (Isoptera: Termitidae)

Microcerotermes diversus is an important pest of wooden and cellulosic products in diverse landscapes across Iran, including Khuzestan province. Borate toxicants (including borax) as environmentally sound pesticides affect insects by disrupting their physiology and metabolism. In this study, we measured activities of antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation as biomarkers to determine the level of added oxidative stress in M. diversus caused by exposure to borax differentconcentrations. Then we measured the effects of four concentrations of borax, 1.5, 2, 3 and 4%, on oxidative stress biomarkers such as malondialdehyde (MDA) as a product of lipid peroxidation, and activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), ascorbat peroxidase (APX) and peroxidase (POX) on worker caste of termites. Each of trials was carried out in four replicates. Results showed that with increasing of borax concentration, the concentration of MDA significantly increased and GR and APX significantly decreased. The highest and lowest SOD activity compared with the control treatment occurred with the 2% and 3% borax treatments, respectively. The highest and lowest amount of CAT activity occurred in the 3% and 4%, and POX activity 4% and 3% borax treatments, respectively. Results showed that of the treatments termites’ with different concentrations of borax affected the stress biomarker including malondialdehyde, POX, CAT, GR, APX and SOD antioxidant enzyme levels. Therefore, antioxidant enzymes and MDA can be used as biomarkers to determine the effects of insecticides in the termite body.