Comparative Study on the Toxicity of Biopesticides and Synthetic Insecticide on the Biochemical and Hematological Changes of Fresh Water Fish, Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus (L.)

Injudicious use of synthetic pesticides causes numerous adverse effects, ranging from long-term to short-lived changes in a balanced ecosystem. The impact of cassava based biopesticide (Menma) was tested along with a neem based biopesticide (Nimbecidine) and a neonicotinoid insecticide (Imidacloprid) on the fresh water teleosti, Oreochromis niloticus. The LC50 values of all the three insecticides were calculated and their 1/5th values were taken as the sub lethal doses. Fishes were divided into four groups and the first three were treated with Menma (0.15ppm), Nimbecidine (0.014 ppm) , Imidacloprid (0.012 ppm) and the fourth one was taken as control. Results showed that tissue protein were found decreased and the level of serum glucose and cholesterol increased in all the pesticide treated fishes. Hematological studies showed that Imidacloprid and Nimbecidine treated fishes had drastic changes in their RBCs, whereas no aberration was noticed in the Menma treated fishes. The study revealed that exposure of Menma to O. niloticus causes no significant changes in its biochemical and hematological parameters.