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OJVRTM

Online Journal of Veterinary Research©

 

Volume 13 (1):15-25, 2009

 Behavioral and respiratory responses of the freshwater Fish, Cyprinus carpio (Linnaeus)

under quinalphos intoxication in sublethal tenures.

 

Chebbi SG, David M*

 

Karnatak University’s Research Laboratory, Toxicology and Molecular Division, Department of Zoology, Karnatak Science College, Dharwad-580 001, Karnataka, India

Abstract

 

Chebbi SG, David M, Behavioral and Respiratory Responses of the Freshwater Fish, Cyprinus carpio (Linnaeus) Under Quinalphos Intoxication in Sublethal Tenures. Online J Vet Res 13 (1):15-25, 2009. A short term definitive test by static renewal bioassay method was conducted to determine the acute toxicity (LC50) of commercial grade organophosphate insecticide, quinalphos (25% EC) on the freshwater fish, Cyprinus carpio (Linnaeus). Carp fingerlings were exposed to different concentrations (6.64 to 7.88 µl/l) of quinalphos for 96 h. The acute toxicity of quinalphos was found to be 7.5 µl/l. One fifth and one tenth of LC50 (7.5 µl/L) was selected for subacute studies. Behavioural patterns and oxygen consumption were studied in lethal (1, 2, 3 and 4 d) and sub lethal concentrations (1, 5, 10 and 15 d). One fifth ( 1.5 µl/l) and one tenth ( 0.75 µl/l) of the acute toxicity value was selected as sublethal concentrations for subchronic studies. The fish were exposed to both the sublethal concentrations for 1, 5, 10 and 15 days. Behavioral responses and respiratory rate were studied in experimental tenures. Fish in toxic media exhibited irregular, erratic, and darting swimming movements, hyper excitability, and loss of equilibrium and sinking to the bottom. Caudal bending was the chief morphological alterations during the exposure tenures. The behavioural and morphological changes might be due to inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. Inactivation of AChE results in excess accumulation of acetylcholine in cholinergic synapses leading to hyperstimulation and cessation of neuronal transmission (paralysis). The carp were found under stress but mortality was insignificant in both the sublethal concentrations. Considerable variation in respiratory rate was observed in both one fifth and one tenth sublethal concentrations of quinalphos respectively. An alteration in respiratory rates is due to the respiratory distress. This may be a consequence of impaired oxidative metabolism and elevated physiological response by the fish against quinalphos stress. The impairments in fish respiratory physiology and behavioural response even under recovery tenures may be due to slow release of sequestered quinalphos from the storage tissues.

 

Keywords: Quinalphos; Common carp; Behavioral toxicity; Respiratory distress.

 

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