IMPACTS OF MALATHION ON BIO-CHEMICAL CHANGES IN FRESHWATER FISH CHANNA PUNCTATUS UNDER LABORATORY CONDITIONS

Abstract

The fresh water fish Channa punctatus was exposed to malathion in the laboratory to study its toxicity. The acute toxicity tests were conducted during certain intervals in various concentrations of malathion. The physical and chemical analyses of water were carried
out by following APHA methods. The lethal and sub-lethal concentration of malathion were found to be LC100 (25 mg/L) and LC0 (5 mg/L), respectively. The antioxidant enzyme activity in the liver, muscle and gill, respectively increased during the accumulation of malathion, whereas it decreased respectively during depuration period. The effects of malathion resulted in the gradual decrease of
nucleic acids, protein, free amino acids (FAA) and glycogen. Duringrecovery period, the levels of biochemical components  progressively increased indicating a probable recovery from the disruption of internal organ. Hence, the pesticide intoxication has made defective consequences in the normal metabolic pathways which led increasing the rate of mortality in fish population.