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International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences Review Article
Toxic effects of pesticides and heavy metals in fish: mechanisms and remediation strategies -A review
B. Sujatha, K. Veeresh, Y. Savithri and P. Ravisekhar
Year : 2026 | Volume: 11 | Issue: 5 | Pages: 140-148
Received on: 15/05/2026
Revised on: 27/06/2026
Accepted on: 22/07/2026
Published on: 30/09/2026
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B. Sujatha, K. Veeresh, Y. Savithri and P. Ravisekhar( 2026).
Toxic effects of pesticides and heavy metals in fish: mechanisms and remediation strategies -A review
. International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences, 11( 5), 140-148.
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Abstract
Heavy metals and pesticides are two of the main pollutants endangering aquatic environments worldwide. Natural geochemical processes, mining operations, municipal trash, industrial effluents, and agricultural runoff all contribute to their entry into water bodies. Fish, which serve as crucial indicators of environmental health, are particularly at risk from these pollutants because of their persistence and bioaccumulation. Fish growth, metabolism, immunity, reproduction and early development are all negatively impacted by exposure to these pollutants. They cause oxidative stress, enzyme inhibition, and tissue damage at the cellular level, which leads to notable histopathological alterations in important organs like the liver, kidneys, gonads and gills. Heavy metals and insecticides together may increase toxicity and harm to the environment. Concerns about food safety and human health are also raised by their buildup in edible fish tissues. In addition to highlighting environmentally acceptable remediation techniques, such as plant-based bioactive substances for toxicity mitigation, this review analyzes sources, toxicity mechanisms, and biological effects.
Keywords
Fish toxicity, Pesticides, Heavy metals, Bioaccumulation, Oxidative stress.
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© The Author(s) 2026. This article is published by International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (creativecommons.org), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
