ACUTE TOXICITY AND BEHAVIORAL CHANGES OF THE BRACKISHWATER FISH (ETROPLUS SURATENSIS) EXPOSED TO ORGANOPHOSPHORUS PESTICIDE – MALATHION
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Date
2022
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KARNATAKA VETERINARY, ANIMAL AND FISHERIES SCIENCES UNIVERSITY, BIDAR
Abstract
Malathion is one of the most commonly used pesticides in agriculture. This
study was aimed to investigate the acute toxicity of malathion as an aquatic pollutant
on the behaviour and haematological indices in pearl spot ( Etroplus suratensis). A
static renewal bioassay was conducted to determine the lethal toxicity (LC50) of
Malathion pesticide to Etroplus suratensis. The lethal toxicity of Malathion to
fingerlings of Pearl spot exposed for 96 h was found to be 1.40 ppm. Study was
conducted in accumulation phase. In accumulation phase the effect of sub lethal
concentrations of Malathion (1/10th of LC50 i.e. 0.14 ppm and 1/5th of LC50 i.e. 0.28
ppm) was studied on physiology, haematology of Malathion for a period of 28 days.
During accumulation phase physiological parameters such as oxygen
consumption rate, ammonia excretion rate, food consumption rate, O:N ratio decreased
significantly at both sub lethal concentrations of Malathion as compared to control
group the behavioural changes to control group in a natural manner, i.e., they were
active for feeding and alert to slightest of the disturbance with their well synchronized
movements. While in toxic media, Pearl spot exhibited disrupted shoaling behaviour,
localization to the bottom of the test chamber and independency ( spreading out) in
swimming. In haematology study RBC, Hb, PCV decreased and WBC, MCHC, MCV
& MCH increased significantly (p < 0.05) at both sub lethal concentrations of malathion
as compared to control group.