Biochemical effects of the pesticide Chlorpyrifos on the fish Oreochromis mossambicus (Peters)

Man uses a variety of synthetic material for his comfortable materialistic life. Thus human interactions may become harmful for various terrestrial and aquatic lives. This is by contaminating their habitat and by becoming a threat to organisms itself. Thus the application and dispersal of several organic pollutants can lead to the development of several mutated forms of the species when exposed to sublethal concentrations of the pollutants. Otherwise, a decrease in number or extinction of these exposed species from earth's face may happen. Pesticides, we use for the benefit of crop yield, but its persistence may become havoc to non-target organism. Pesticides reaching a reservoir can subsequently enter the higher trophic levels. Organophosphorus compounds have replaced all other pesticides, due to its acute toxicity and non-persistent nature.Hence the present study has concentrated on the toxicity of the largest market-selling and multipurpose pesticide, chlorpyrifos on the commonly edible aquatic organism, fish. The euryhaline cichlid Oreochromis mossambicus was selected as animal model. The study has concentrated on investigating biochemical parameters like tissue-specific enzymes, antioxidant and lipid-peroxidation parameters, haematological and histological observations and pesticide residue analysis.Major findings of this work have indicated the possibility of aquatic toxicity to the fish on exposure to the insecticide chlorpyrifos. The insecticide was found as effective to induce structural alteration, depletion in protein content, decrease in different metabolic enzyme levels and to progress lipid peroxidation on a prolonged exposure of 21 days. The ion-transport mechanism was found to be adversely affected. Electrophoretic analysis revealed the disappearance of several protein bands after 21days of exposure to chlorpyrifos. Residue, analysis by gas chromatography explored the levels of chlorpyrifos retaining on the edible tissue portions during exposure period of 21days and also on a recovery period of 10 days.

Biochemical & Pharmacological evaluation of liver oils of selected deep sea sharks and chimaeras of the Indian EEZ

With a seacoast of 8,1 18 km, an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 2 million square km, and with an area of about 30,000 square km under aquaculture, lndia produces close to six million tonnes of fish, over 4 per cent of the world fish production. While the marine waters upto 50m depth have been fully exploited, those beyond, remain unexplored. There is an ever increasing demand for fishery resources as food. The coastal fishery resources of the country are dwindling at a rapid pace and it becomes highly imperative that we search for alternate fishery resources for food. The option we have is to hunt for marine fishery resources. Studies pertaining to proximate composition, amino acid and fatty acid composition are essential to understand the nutraceutical values of these deep sea fishery resources. The present study was aimed to carry out proximate composition of deep sea fishery resources obtained during cruises onboard the FORV Sarise Sampada, to identify fishery resources which have appreciable lipid content and thereby analyse the bioactive potentials of marine lipids, to study the amino acid profile of these fishery resources, to understand the contents of SPA, MUFA and PUFA and to calculate the n3/n6 fatty acid contents. Though the presence of nutraceuticals was identified in the marine fishery resources their use as potential food resources deserve further investigation. So the study were carried out to calculate the hepatosomatic indices of sharks & chimaeras and conduct biochemical characterisation of liver oils of Apristurus indicus, Cenlrophorus scalprams, Centroselachus crepidater, Neoharriotta raleighana, and Harriotta pinnata obtained during cruises onboard the FORV Sugar Sampada.Therapeutic use of shark liver oil is evident from its use for centuries as a remedy to heal wounds and fight flu (Neil er al. 2006). Japanese seamen called it 'samedava' or "cure all". Shark liver oil is being promoted worldwide as a dietary supplement to boost the immune system, fight infections, to treat cancer and to lessen the side effects of conventional cancer treatment. These days more emphasis is laid on the nutritive benefits of shark liver oils especially on the omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids ( PUFAs) (Anandan er al. 2007) and alkylglycerols (AKGs) (Pugliese er al. I998) contained in them due to the high rise of inflammatory disorders such as arthritis, asthma and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Schizophrenia. So the present study also evaluate the pharmacological properties with respect to analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti pyretic and anti-ulcer effects of four different liver oils of sharks belonging to the Indian EEZ and to identify the components of oil responsible for these activities.The analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of liver oils from Neoharriotra raleighana (NR), Centrosymnus crepidater (CC), Apristurus indicus (AI), and Centrophorus sculpratus (CS) sharks caught from the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean were compared. The main objectives also include determination of the cholesterol lowering effects of liver oils of Neoharriotra raleighana (NR) and Centrophorus sculpratus (CS) on the high fat diet induced dyslipidemia and to compare the impact of four isolipidemic diets, on levels of serum diagnostic marker enzymes, on lipid profile of blood and liver and antioxidant status of heart in male Albino rats. And also to study the efficacy of Centrophorus sculpratus (CS) liver oil against Complete Freund’s Adjuvant-induced arthritis and to compare the anti-inflammatory activity of this oil with a traditionally used anti-inflammatory substance gingerol (oleoresin extracted from ginger.). The results of the present study indicated that both (Centrophorus sculpratus liver oils as well as gingerol extracts proved to be effective natural remedies against CFA-induced arthritis in Albino rats.

Studies in the effects of hydrogen sulphide on the penaeid prawns of Kayamkulam lake, Southwest coast of India

The work presented in this thesis is centered mainly around delineating the toxic effect of hydrogen sulphide on penaeid prawns and understand its influence on the ecology of estuary. The present investigation also involved characterization of the effects of hydrogen sulphide on the growth and behavioural responses of Penaeus indicus. The test animals employed during the present study namely indicus and Metapenaeus dobsoni are both ecologically and economically relevant. The thesis embodying the details of the investigation has been organized into three chapters comprising Acute toxicity, influence of hydrogen sulphide on the ecology of estuary and effect of hydrogen sulphide on growth and substratum selectivity of penaeid prawn. Each chapter has been partioned into various sections as Introduction, Material and Methods, Results and Discussion for a lucid presentation of the subject matter.

Sub-Lethal effects of heavy metals on perna indica ( Kuriakose & Nair) and donax incarnatus gmelin

The present scientific investigation of the effects of copper, mercury and cadmium has focussed on their effects on two commercially important marine bivalve species, Perna indica (brown mussel) and Donax incarnatus (wedge clam), conspicuous representatives of the tropical intertidal areas. The investigation centred around delineating the cause and effects of heavy metal stress, individually and in combination on these species under laboratory conditions. A clear understanding of the cause and effect can be had only if laboratory experiments are conducted employing sub-lethal concentrations of the above toxicants. Therefore, during the course of the investigation, sub-lethal concentrations of copper, mercury and cadmium were employed to assess the concentration dependent effects on survival, ventilation rate, O:N ratio and tissues. The results obtained are compared with the already available information and partitioned in sections to make a meaningful presentation.The thesis is presented in five chapters comprising INTRODUCTION, ACUTE TOXICITY, VENTILATION RATE, OXYGEN : NITROGEN RATIO and HISTOPATHOLOGY. Each chapter has been divided into various sections such as INTRODUCTION, REVIEW OF LITERATURE, MATERIAL AND METHODS, RESULTS and DISCUSSION

Physiological Effects Of Some Heavy Metals On Perna Viridis (Linnaeus)

No serious attempt has so far been made in India to make use of the ‘Mussel watch’ concept as a useful tool for pollution monitoring of the marine and estuarine environment. The recently conducted 'National seminar on mussel watch’ by the Cochin University of Science and Technology (13-14 Feb, 1986) discussed the technical aspects related to mussel watch programme and the application of sentinel organism concept to the coastal areas of India. It is well known that the biological and physiological characteristics of the organism inhabiting tropical waters such as those prevailing in India, and the ecological as well as the environmental characteristics of temperate areas, where mussel watch programmes are already in existence differ greatly. So it is essential to adopt the techniques and standards developed for temperate species to the situations and conditions in India. In this context it is a prerequisite to collect information on physiology and other biological indices of stress of possible sentinel organisms like P.viridis. In consideration of the above, P. viridis which is a potential sentinel organism, is selected for the present study

Studies on the effect of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the life and activity of Perna spp

In the present study an endeavour has been made to analyse the acute toxicity of WAFs of Bombay High crude and Light Diesel oil on commercially important bivalve species Perna viridis and Perna indica by static bioassay methods. The toxic effects of chemicals in the WAF on the organisms ; their tissues and eventually on rate functions have been elucidated. Marine oil pollution not only affects productivity and quality of marine organisms but also eventually affects the health of human population due to a possible health risk by way of consumption of oil contaminated seafood