Biomonitoring of the Contamination of Water by a Sublethal Concentration of Pesticides — A System Analysis Approach

Heteropneustes (Saccobranchus) fossilis (Pisces; Clariidae) is exposed to the biocides Chlordane, Aldrin, Metasystox, Dichlorvos, Carbofuran and Sevin for 30 d at a concentration of the 1/15 fraction of LC_50;96h with daily exchange of the medium. At intervals of 5 d the respiration rate was determined for 1 h. In addition, after the end of tests 13 haematological parameters as well as the activities of the adenosine triphosphatases and the acetylcholinesterase were determined in the liver, the kidney and the gills. During all exposures to biocides the respiration rate decreases significantly with the test time. At all exposures the blood concentrations of glucose, sodium- and chloride-ions show a significant increase, whereas the cholesterin content and the clotting time decrease significantly. The ATPase activity is significantly reduced only by Aldrin and Chlordane. A significant reduction of the acetylcholinesterase activity occurs in each of the three investigated tissues only for Metasystox and Dichlorvos and in the liver in addition also for Chlordane, Aldrin and Carbofuran. Therefore, the respiration rate and haematological criteria permit a general stress indication, enzymatic activities constitute a specific indication of individual groups of biocides, so that a systematic analysis of these three indication groups will probably provide a specific resultant statement in a biomonitoring system due to the specific inhibition pattern.