Effects of Sub-Lethal Toxicity of Paraquat on Blood Biochemical Parameters of Common Carp, Cyprinus carpio (Linnaeus, 1758)

Paraquat is a non-selective contact herbicide, widely used to control weeds in agriculture farms and aquatic plants in surface waters. Paraquat can have adverse effects on the health of aquatic organisms. The aim of this study was to detect the alterations in the blood biochemical parameters of common carp exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of commercial formulations of paraquat.
The fish were exposed to sub-lethal concentrations (0.2 and 0.4 mg.L-1) of paraquat for 21 days. Biochemical parameters including glucose, total protein, albumin, globulin, creatinine, triglyceride and cholesterol levels, and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine phosphokinase (CK), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activities were measured.
A significantly increase was observed in AST activity in fish exposed to 0.4 mg.L-1 paraquat. Paraquat caused a significant (P Exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of paraquat may cause changes in blood biochemical parameters in common carp.