Histopathological Alterations in Liver and Kidney Tissues of Banded Gourami (Trichogaster fasciata) Exposed to Thiamethoxam

Abstract

Thiamethoxam is a broad-spectrum pesticide used in Bangladesh to protect crops from pests. In several ways, this pesticide ends up in aquatic ecosystems. Researchers have detected its existence in waterbodies. However, the harmful effects on non-target aquatic residents are not well studied and reported. As a result, the study sought to investigate the effect of thiamethoxam on the liver and kidney tissues of banded gourami (Trichogaster fasciata) using histopathological observations. Fish were exposed to five sub-lethal concentrations (in triplicates) of thiamethoxam (9.37, 18.75, 37.5, 75, and 150 mg/L) and 0 mg/L (control) for 90 days. Fish livers and kidneys were sampled on days 30, 60, and 90 of thiamethoxam exposure. The histopathological changes observed in thiamethoxam exposed fish were autolysis, acute cellular swelling, vacuolation, necrosis, and fatty change in the liver, whereas irregular renal corpuscle and cellular degradation of tissue were also observed in the kidney. The present study reveals that thiamethoxam can affect the livers and kidneys of Banded Gourami; therefore, the usage of this insecticide in agriculture should be applied carefully and monitored to avoid entry into water bodies.