Investigating the Impact of Roundup® Exposure on Hearing in Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

Authors

Joshua W. Adams
Daniel E. Holt

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2025

Abstract

Tower Day 2025 Undergraduate Poster 3rd place Winner

Glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) such as Roundup® are used extensively worldwide, yet their potential to disrupt fish sensory physiology has remained relatively unexplored. Previous studies have established that glyphosate exposure can induce various neurotoxic effects in fish and other vertebrates—ranging from oxidative stress to altered neurotransmitter systems and anxiogenic-like responses. Despite these documented impacts, no published research has directly assessed whether glyphosate compromises auditory function in fish.

Here, we address this knowledge gap by examining the hearing sensitivity of farm- raised Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) following a 96-hour exposure to Roundup® (3 mg/L glyphosate concentration). Auditory thresholds at frequencies spanning 100 to 2000 Hz were measured using the auditory brainstem response (ABR) technique, providing a refined method for detecting potential shifts in hearing. In addition to elucidating possible glyphosate-induced changes in catfish auditory function, these findings lay the groundwork for subsequent investigations of other sensory modalities, such as olfaction, under chronic or low-level glyphosate exposure.

Recommended Citation

Adams, Joshua W. and Holt, Daniel E., "Investigating the Impact of Roundup® Exposure on Hearing in Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)" (2025). CSU Tower Day. 21.
https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/towerday/21