Published Paper Details:

The widespread application of pyrethroid-based insecticides has raised increasing concern regarding their unintended consequences in aquatic environments. Deltamethrin, although valued for its effectiveness against insect pests and relatively rapid degradation under terrestrial conditions, may exert toxic effects on aquatic organisms when introduced into freshwater systems. The present investigation assessed the biochemical consequences of prolonged sublethal deltamethrin exposure by analyzing total protein content in the liver and kidney of the freshwater air-breathing fish Heteropneustes fossilis, a species of ecological and economic importance. Adult fish were exposed to two sublethal concentrations of deltamethrin (0.05 mg/L and 0.1 mg/L) for periods of 14 and 21 days under controlled laboratory conditions. Protein levels in hepatic and renal tissues were quantified using a standardized colorimetric assay. A statistically significant decline in protein concentration was observed in both organs, with reductions intensifying at higher exposure concentrations and longer durations. Hepatic tissue consistently exhibited greater depletion compared to renal tissue. The observed decrease in protein levels reflects metabolic disturbance likely associated with impaired biosynthesis, enhanced proteolysis, and pesticide-induced physiological stress. These findings demonstrate that tissue protein content serves as a sensitive biochemical marker for detecting sublethal pesticide toxicity and underscore the susceptibility of metabolically active organs to chemical stress in freshwater fish.