A study on acute toxicity of a herbicide Fenoxaprop-P-Ethyl on Heteropneustes fossilis along with their behavioural changes

Chandan Sarkar; Supama Mukherjee; Nimai Chandra Saha

Abstract

AbstractThis study was made to assess the acute toxic effects of fenoxaprop-p-ethyl (herbicide used in agriculture) to singhi fish (Heteropneustes fossilis) along with the changes in their behaviour during the test. The 24, 48, 72 and 96 hour LC50 values of fenoxaprop-p-ethyl to Hetropneustes fossilis are made with the concentration of 0.45, 0.72, 1.08, 1.44, 1.8, 2.7, 3.06, 3.6 mg/l. The mortality rate of Heteropneustes fossilis varied significantly (p<0.05) with the increasing concentrations irrespective of exposure time. On the other hand mortality rate of the fish also varied significantly (p<0.05) irrespective of exposure times (24, 48 and 72 and 96h) at all the doses. In addition, the exposed fish showed dose and duration dependent abnormal behavior like excess mucous secretion, erratic movement, gulping of air followed by sudden death syndrome (flaring of operculae, convulsion, loss of equilibrium and death) with the increasing concentrations of toxicant and progress of time of exposure. The opercular movement increased significantly (p<0.05) at the lower doses but decreased significantly (p<0.05) at the higher doses at all the exposure times. Keywords: Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl, Heteropneustes fossilis, LC50, Behavioural changes, opercular movements.Cite this ArticleChandan Sarkar, Supama Mukherjee, Nimai Chandra Saha. A study on acute toxicity of a herbicide Fenoxaprop-P-Ethyl on Heteropneustes fossilis along with their behavioural changes. Research & Reviews: A Journal of Life Sciences. 2020; 10(1): 12–17p.