Toxicity of furadan (carbofuran 3% g) in Cyprinus carpio: Haematological, biochemical and enzymological alterations and recovery response

Furadan, a carbamate pesticide is widely used in paddy fields and it has been detected in ground, surface and rain waters. In this study, fingerlings of Cyprinus carpio were exposed to different concentrations of furadan ranging from 25 to 50 mg L−1 for 96 h and the acute toxicity was calculated as 43.651 mg L−1. To assess the effect of furadan, fish were exposed to two concentrations of furadan (8.730 mg L−1, Treatment I and 4.365 mg L−1, Treatment II) and certain haematological, biochemical and enzymological parameters were evaluated at the end of 24, 48, 72 and 96 h exposure periods with a recovery period of 96 h. A significant (p < 0.05) decrease in haemoglobin (Hb), haematocrit (Hct), red blood cells (RBC), plasma protein and glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) activity in gill, liver and kidney (except at the end of 96 h in Treatment I) were noted in both the concentrations tested while white blood cells (WBC) and glucose level were significantly increased after 24, 48, 72 and 96 h exposure periods when compared to untreated groups. A mixed trend in mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) activity in gill, liver and kidney was noted. During the recovery study period (96 h) MCHC and plasma glucose level was recovered to some extent whereas the other parameters remain altered. The alterations of these parameters can be used to assess the toxic levels of the pesticide furadan on aquatic biota.