Investigation on acute toxicity and behavioral changes in Channa punctatus (Bloch) due to organophosphate pesticide profenofos

Abstract

Acute toxicity of an organophosphate pesticide profenofos (O-4-bromo-2- chlorophenyl-O-ethyl S-propyl phosphorothioate) to freshwater fish, Channa punctatus (Bloch), was studied in a static bioassay. Estimated 96-hour LC₅₀ of profenofos was found to be 2.68 μgL⁻¹. On the basis of the obtained LC₅₀ values for 96-hour exposure intervals, profenofos can be rated as highly toxic to C. punctatus. Fish exposed to profenofos showed hyper excitability, discoloration, erratic swimming, and secretion of excess amounts of mucus on the body and gills with eventual exhaustion and death.

Keywords::

• Toxicity
• behavioral changes
• bioassay
• Channa punctatus
• profenofos
• mortality

Acknowledgment

The authors thank the Director of the National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (ICAR) and the Head of the Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow (Lucknow, India), for encouragement and laboratory facilities.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no financial conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this paper.