POTENTIAL TOXICITY OF PESTICIDES AND ITS TRANSFORMATION PRODUCTS TO AQUATIC ORGANISMS

Abstract

The escalation of agricultural productivity in recent decades has compelled a swift upsurge in the utilization of pesticides, ultimately leading to their presence in the aquatic ecosystem.  Pesticides and their transformed products have negative effects on the growth, reproduction, physiology, immunity, and histopathology of multiple tissues of fish. Pesticides have emerged as a significant global problem because to their potential to bioaccumulate inside various fish tissues, hence posing substantial health risks for consumers. Within this particular context, the present review aims to illustrate the potential adverse effects of pesticides and their transformed products on aquatic organisms, with a specific focus on fish. Research has revealed that the introduction of pesticides into aquatic environments might have detrimental effects on the mangroves and immunological response of fish, ultimately exacerbating the ecological impact by increasing their vulnerability to diseases. Hence, it is imperative to explore environmentally friendly, efficient, and appropriate pesticide alternatives in order to safeguard the aquatic ecosystems and the overall health of various aquatic life, particularly fish.