SANDRA MARIA B. AND VINOD P.
Abstract
Aquatic contamination caused by pesticide runoff has become a major ecological concern due to its harmful effect on fish health. The present study evaluated the effects of acute lambdacyhalothrin exposure on the haematological and histopathological parameters of Pangasianodon hypophthalmus. Based on a previously determined 96-h LC value of 0.08 ppm, fish were exposed to 0.04 ppm and 0.08 ppm lambda-cyhalothrin for 96 h. Haematological parameters, including total erythrocyte count, haemoglobin, packed cell volume, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and total leucocyte count were analyzed. Histopathological alterations in gill, liver and kidney tissues were also analyzed. The results revealed significant reduction in haemoglobin, packed cell volume and total leucocyte count in exposed groups compared to control, along with alterations in erythrocyte indices, which indicate a disturbance in normal haematological function under toxic stress. Histopathological observation revealed alterations such as lamellar fusion and epithelial lifting in gills, vacuolar degeneration in liver and tubular degeneration in kidney tissues. The severity of tissue damage was concentration dependent. The findings suggest that acute exposure to lambda-cyhalothrin induces significant haematological and histopathological alterations in Pangasianodon hypophthalmus, implyingits potential risk to aquatic organisms.