Abstract
The general aim of this study was to investigate the negative short-term effects of different concentrations of chlorpyrifos (CPF) and cypermethrin (CYP), based on the EU legislation (MAC-EQS) in common carp (Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758) under laboratory conditions and to compare their toxicity. The fish were exposed to the pesticides for 96 h and then different histological and biochemical biomarkers were investigated in the gills and liver, and bioaccumulation analyses were conducted. The chemical studies showed increased pesticide concentrations in the gills as the first site for pollutants compared to the liver at the 96th hour. In addition, the histological analyses showed severe alterations in the gills and liver after exposure to both tested pesticides. In the gills, we found mainly intense proliferative and, to a lesser extent, degenerative changes and alterations in the circulatory system, such as necrosis and vasodilation. In the liver, regressive and progressive lesions, as well as circulatory disturbances and inflammation, were observed. The regressive lesions showed a higher degree of expression compared to the other changes. Furthermore, we found altered enzymatic activities—catalase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase—in the liver, compared to the control. Overall, both tested pesticides impacted the studied biomarkers in common carp, even at concentrations lower than those permitted by law. However, the results of the comparative analysis showed a relatively higher toxicity of CYP compared to CPF in the fish. Still, questions persist as to whether the observed changes are adaptive or entirely destructive. To avoid any danger or risk, these pesticides must be applied cautiously, especially near water bodies.
Highlights
With regard to the fatty degeneration, we found this alteration to be of a mild degree at the higher CPF concentrations, showing lipid accumulation in the cytoplasm of the hepatocytes
Our results show that the gills accumulated more pesticides by the 96th hour than the liver, which we associate with the specificity of the acute exposure and the initial stress provoked by the toxicants tested
Even though the common carp is considered to be a fish species relatively resilient to water contamination, the present study increases our knowledge on how concentrations lower than the MAC-EQS could affect its health
Summary
Pesticides are man-made chemicals, commonly used throughout the world as plant protection products, mainly to keep crops safe from damage and enhance their yields [1]. In the last few decades they have been used on an increasingly wider scale [2]. Pesticides play a positive role in the control of pests, their use has been associated with a major impact on aquatic ecosystems [3,4]. According to Fevery et al [5], their persistence in water is attributed to run-offs from agricultural fields, seepage through soil, and transportation via air
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