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Dora Bjedov has successfully defended a master thesis titled: „Effect of chlorpyrifos on molecular biomarkers in different parts of the body of earthworm Lumbricus terrestris L.“. This thesis has been made at the Department of Biology, Subdepartment of Quantitative Ecology, within the DEFENSoil project.

Mentor: Associate professor Davorka K. Hackenberger, PhD
Co-mentor: Željka Lončarić, PhD

Abstract: Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide used in agriculture. Primary goal is insect control, but it has effect on non-target organisms as well. Earthworms maintain soil quality by perturbation and aeration. They absorb different chemicals through their moist skin and with ingestion making them a perfect model organism in ecotoxicological research. Aim of this research is to asses different response in molecular biomarkers: acetylcholinesterase (AChE), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in anterior and posterior part, as well as in a whole body in earthworm Lumbricus terrestris during the chlorpyrifos exposure.