Sperm motility in the fishes of pesticide exposed and from polluted rivers of Gomti and Ganga of north India

• Published in: Food and chemical toxicology 2008-12, Vol.46 (12), p.3764-3769
• Main Authors: Singh, Pratap B., Sahu, Vikash, Singh, Vandana, Nigam, Santosh K., Singh, Hement K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agnatha. Pisces; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Catfishes - physiology; chlorpyrifos; Chlorpyrifos - toxicity; DDT - toxicity; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on vertebrates; environmental exposure; environmental fate; Fish; Freshwater; freshwater fish; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heteropneustes fossilis; India; insecticide residues; Insecticides; lethal dose; Lindane - toxicity; Male; Medical sciences; Pesticide Residues - analysis; Pesticide Residues - toxicity; Pesticides - analysis; Pesticides - toxicity; Pesticides, fertilizers and other agrochemicals toxicology; Pisces; Polluted rivers; reproductive toxicology; rivers; Sperm motility; Sperm Motility - drug effects; spermatozoa; Toxicology; Water Pollutants - analysis; Water Pollutants - toxicity; water pollution; xenobiotics
• ISSN: 0278-6915; 1873-6351
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2008.09.066

Investigation of lethal dose of γ-HCH (gamma isomer of hexachlorocyclohexane), DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) and chlorpyrifos on spermatozoa motility after 40 days exposure in catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis was done under laboratory conditions. The sperm motility was done in the fishes captured from unpolluted ponds of Gujartal considering as reference site and polluted rivers Gomti and Ganga of north India at pre-spermiating stage. Results indicate that 1 ppm of γ-HCH, DDT and chlorpyrifos was lethal dose on sperm motility. The motility of spermatozoa decreased in insecticide exposed fish as well as in the fishes of polluted rivers when compared with their respective controls. The sperm motility was highest at 1:2000 (testicular milt: extender) dilution and duration of sperm motility was 90 s after post-activation. The duration of motility also declined in the fishes captured from polluted rivers when compared with the same species captured from the reference site. It is concluded that the insecticides decrease the sperm motility and its duration in exposed fish as well as in the captured fishes from polluted rivers causing the decline in fish population of riverine systems due to influence of xenobiotics on the endocrine system.