Responses of the aquatic midge Chironomus riparius to DEET exposure

•Environmental risk assessment of insect repellents is needed.•DEET is moderately toxic to the aquatic midge C. riparius.•DEET exposure impaired development rates of C. riparius.•Neurotoxicity and impaired detoxification capacity were also induced by DEET exposure.•Effects were only observed at concentrations well above environmental levels.

N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) is the active ingredient of many commercial insect repellents. Despite being detected worldwide in effluents, surface water and groundwater, there is still limited information on DEET’s toxicity toward non-target aquatic invertebrates. Thus, our main objective was to assess the effects of DEET in the life cycle of Chironomus riparius and assess its biochemical effects. Laboratory assays showed that DEET reduced developmental rates (reduced larval growth, delayed emergence) of C. riparius larvae and also caused a decrease in the size of adult midges. Concerning the biochemical responses, a short exposure to DEET caused no effects in lipid peroxidation, despite the significant inhibition of catalase and glutathione-S-transferase activities and of total glutathione contents. Moreover, inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity was also observed showing neurotoxic effects. Environmental risk assessment of insect repellents is needed. Our results showed moderate toxicity of DEET toward C. riparius, however, due to their mode of action, indirect ecological effects of DEET and of other insect repellents cannot be excluded and should be evaluated.