ScienceAsia 33 (2007): 301-305 |doi: 10.2306/scienceasia1513-1874.2007.33.301

Variability in Acetylcholinesterase upon Exposure to Chlorpyrifos and Carbaryl in Hybrid Catfish

Chawanrat Somnuek,^a Voravit Cheevaporn,^a* Chutarat Saengkul^a and F.William H. Beamish^b

 
ABSTRACT:     AChE was measured in brain, liver, muscle and gill tissues of hybrid catfish (Clarias macrocephalus x Clarias gariepinus) exposed to a sublethal concentration of an organophosphate, chlorpyrifos and a carbamate, carbaryl, for 4 days. AChE inhibition increased rapidly with insecticide concentration. Relative inhibition of AChE was higher in larger fish but did not differ significantly with sex. Relative inhibition of AChE accompanying insecticide exposure was highest in the brain tissues and progressively less in the liver, muscle and gill tissues. Insecticide concentrations and AChE inhibition in the brain increased over the 4-day sublethal exposure. After transfer to insecticide-free water, AChE inhibition and insecticide residue in the brain decreased but remained above control values over the 4-day recovery period.

KEYWORDS: acetylcholinesterase; chlorpyrifos ; carbaryl; cholinergic insecticide; hybrid catfish.

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^a Graduate School of Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Burapha University, Chonburi 20131, Thailand.
^b Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Burapha University, Chonburi,20131, Thailand.

* Corresponding author, E-mail: voravit@buu.ac.th