Abstract:
Water pollution by agricultural pesticides has become a global environmental and food safety concern, with organophosphate compounds like profenofos being widely used and frequently detected in aquatic systems. These pesticides are known to bioaccumulate in fish and disrupt cellular antioxidant defenses, leading to oxidative stress and organ-specific damage. Fish such as Cyprinus carpio are considered useful bioindicators because they are highly sensitive to waterborne pollutants and are also important for human consumption. The study investigated the bioaccumulation of profenofos pesticide and its influence on oxidative stress response biomarkers in Cyprinus carpio (common carp) under controlled laboratory conditions. Fish were exposed to three concentrations of profenofos (0.5 μl/L, 5 μl/L, and 25 μl/L) and a control group for approximately 78 hrs. Bioaccumulation occurred in vital organs as well as gills, liver, kidney, and muscle tissue as analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) methods. The results indicated that profenofos was accumulated in a dose-dependent manner, with the greatest residues in the liver and kidney while no direct residues were found in muscle tissue. However, stress-related responses indicated an effect from systemic exposure. Biomarkers for oxidative stress was examined by measuring catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and reduced glutathione (GSH). When enzyme activity for CAT and GST were examined, increases in CAT and GST activity in the liver and gills from exposure to profenofos at higher exposures were evident while GSH levels showed a downward trend suggesting the animals displayed signs of antioxidant depletion. Collectively the results confirm the vulnerability of specific organs, in particular the liver, to pesticide-induced oxidative damage. The bioconcentration patterns confirmed that the liver had the highest concentration and the statistical analyses confirmed strong relationships between profenofos concentration and oxidative stress markers. In conclusion, this study adds to our knowledge of the short-term toxicological effects of profenofos on farm fish and emphasizes important ecological and food safety implications of pesticide contamination in aquatic ecosystems
