*Corresponding Author: Dr. P. Giridhar, Department of Zoology, Govt. College (A),
Ananthapuramu. 515001. A. P, India, Email: drpgiridhar@gmail.com 27
International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences
ISSN: 2455-9571
Volume 11, Issue 1, pp: 27-31, 2026
http://www.ijzab.com
https://doi.org/10.55126/ijzab.2026.v11.i01.005
Research Article
EFFECT OF DELTAMETHRIN ON TIME COURSE (OXYGEN
CONSUMPTION) IN FRESH WATER TELEOST FISH LABEO ROHITA
(HAMILTON)
1*Giridhar P and 2Neeraja SRK
1Department of Zoology, Govt. College (A), Ananthapuramu. 515001. A. P, India
2Department of Zoology, KSN Govt. Degree College for Women(A), Ananthapuramu. 515001, India
Article History: Received 07th October 2025; Accepted 17th December 2025; Published 1st January 2026
ABSTRACT
Indiscriminate and wide use of pesticides to wipe out pests, careless handling, accidental spillage of pesticides and
pesticides released from manufacturing industrial units are carried by wind or percolate through water and final ly
was h e d down an d f i n d their way i n t o w a ter b o d i e s, w o u l d e q u a l l y affect non-target organisms like fish, which
represent an important component of aquatic life and serves as a staple food for human beings. Hence, it is felt necessary to
conduct toxicological studies which indicates the sequence of events in physiological and biochemical systems providing
information on the nature and completion of compensatory mechanisms during toxic stress. The present investigation is
aimed at estimating impact of Deltamethrin on Time course in the Indian major carp Labeo rohita. In the present study in
relation to control the time course in rate of oxygen consumption initially elevated at 24hrs and declined thereafter at 7 and
15 days of exposure periods. Further towards the end of the 30th day exposure there was a rise in oxygen consumption
from its early maximum suppression and came nearer to the control.
Keywords: Pesticides, Water bodies, Fish, Deltamethrin, Labeo rohita, Oxygen consumption.
INTRODUCTION
Pesticides have prevented untold misery in many countries,
through the control of disease carrying insects and other
diseases (WHO official record, 1971) and contributed
immensely to boost the agricultural production and
protected households against damaging beetles, moths and
other bugs. Generally, they have provided a higher quality
of life for man. Modern agricultural practices even though
contributed to enhance crop production also widely
polluted aquatic environment (Pandey et al., 2000) and also
leads to the problems like pest resistance, higher cost of
cultivation and ecological imbalance. The widespread use
of pesticides in agriculture has detrimental effects on lakes
and rivers due to surface runoff from fields, posing risks to
both animals and humans owing to their ability to
bioaccumulate and disrupt the food chain (Lushchak et al.,
2018; Bodnar et al., 2022). Fish, is the integral part of
freshwater and marine ecosystems, as they play a crucial
role in maintaining ecological balance (Okwuosa et al.,
2019). Due to their agility and relatively long lifespan, fish
are considered good bioindicator of long-term toxic effects
and various habitat conditions (Falfushynska et al., 2014;
Falfushynska et al., 2019). Certain reports suggest that few
teleost and zebra fish species exhibit metabolic traits
resembling those of humans, making them potential
alternative animal model for mechanistic research into
cellular events triggered by physical and chemical stimuli
(Hahn and Sadler, 2020).
Insecticides such as pyrethroids are the synthetic analogs
of naturally occurring pyrethrins from the flowers of
Chrysanthemum species. These are considered as effective
insecticides due to their high insecticidal toxicity with low
mammalian toxicity (Elliott et al., 1974). Synthetic
pyrethroids, including the newly synthesized insecticide
called Cypermethrin & Deltamethrin, are types of pesticide
that has been widely used. The use of these insecticides has
raised concerns as they not only affect target pests but also
affect the biology of non-target species (Elliot and Janes,
1978; Reddy and Yellamma, 1991). Particularly, they are
highly toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates even at very
Giridhar and Neeraja Int. J. Zool. Appl. Biosci., 11(1), 27-31, 2026
www.ijzab.com 28
low concentrations. This enhanced toxicity has notable
consequences on the health of ecosystems and their
biodiversity (Madara Ranatunga et al., 2023). The
physiological status of an animal would be appropriately
assessed by the rate of oxygen consumption. Environmental
stress differs from one to divided another. The
environmental stress including pollution stress, mainly
divided into two categories. Immediate or short-term
responses in which abrupt rise or fall in the respiratory
activity and other one the long term responses which
involve a gradual stabilization of respiratory rate. The
stabilized respiratory rate results as consequence of
prolonged exposure of the animal to the pollution stress
(Bashamohideen and Kunnemann, 1978) which provides
information on the nature and the completion of adaptation
of the animal to the stress medium, with changes that are
generally recoverable in their nature.
Alternations in the rate of oxygen consumption serve as a
very good indicator of pollution stress. Fish has the
capacity to adapt to the pollution's, this is supported by
various evidences in literature available in that a
conceptional model of the possible effects of pesticides and
other poisonous substances as proposed by John Couch as
biological systems (Duke and Dumas, 1974). The capacity
of a fish population to compensate for the effect of a
pesticide malathion were demonstrated by Coppage and
Duke (1972). The detoxifying enzymes of the microsomes
from liver and gills in the air breathing cat fish Clarias
batrachus were enhanced during sublethal exposure of
malathion after 30 days (Mukhopadyay and Dehadri,
1978). Increased resistance to lethal ammonia level was
shown by the Salmo gairdneri were demonstrated by Llyed
and Orr (1969). The rate of oxygen consumption is a very
sensitive indicator of pesticide pollution. Great deal of
work has been turned out on these lines of approach during
the past few years with reference to lethal and sublethal
concentrations of pesticides in marine organisms including
fishes (Vernberg and Vernberg, 1972; Vernberg et al.,
1978). Much work has been carried out on time course
studies with reference to Pesticides (Indira, 1985; Obilesu,
1985; Prasad, 1986; Ramanadevi, 1987; Nisar Ahamed,
1994; Giridhar, 1997). No further attempt has been made in
economically important edible fish Labeo rohita on time
course studies of sublethal of exposure of Deltamethrin
which indicate events leading to compensatory
mechanisms. Studies should be carried out to determine
acceptable levels of water pollution that would facilitate
long term exposure of the fish fauna which accounts major
aquatic population.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Animal Selected
The Indian major carp, Labeo rohita (Hamilton) is an
economically important edible fish having great
commercial value. It is abundantly available in the fresh
water tanks in and around Ananthapuramu. Besides its
wide availability and commercial importance, this carp is
known to have adaptability to laboratory conditions and
appear to be suitable experimental animal for toxicity
studies (Sreenivasan and Swaminath, 1967; Nair and
Sherief, 1998). Hence, this fish has been selected as the
ideal animal for the present investigation of toxicity
studies.
Pesticide Selected
The pesticide selected for the present investigation is
synthetic pyrethroid Deltamethrin, belonging to "third
generation pesticides". widely used in and around
Anantapur district on diverse agriculture crops to control
pests of crops, flies and mosquitoes. It has been widely
used because of its high photostability, degradability, non-
persistent nature and low mammalian toxicity.
Deltamethrin has commercial name Decis. The commercial
grade Deltamethrin (EC 2.8%) of liquid formulation was
procured from local agrochemical stores.
Experimental design
Fresh water fish Labeo rohita, weighing 10±2 gm were
procured from local fisheries department and stored in
spacious aquaria. The temperature in aquaria was 28 ± 2 °C
and the same is maintained as normal temperature
throughout the course of this investigation. The fish were
fed daily with groundnut cake as well as with rice bran.
Before the experiments have been executed the fish were
adapted to the laboratory conditions for a period of one
week. After determination of LC 50/96 hrs (00.1µg/lt), the
fish were exposed to sublethal concentration of
Deltamethrin (1/10th of LC50/96hrs i.e. 0.01 µg/lt) for five
exposure periods i.e 1, 7, 15, 20 and 30 day.
Pesticide Exposure-Time Course of Oxygen
Consumption
The time course in the rate of oxygen consumption
(O2/ml/hr) was measured by the improved Winkler's
method as developed by Bashamohideen and Kunnemann
(1978).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The data for time course in the rate of the oxygen
consumption of individuals of Labeo rohita during
exposure to the sublethal concentration of Deltamethrin
besides control are presented (table 1). For comparison, the
differences in the rate of oxygen consumption obtained
between the controls and experimentals were converted as
percentages of the corresponding control and these percent
values are also presented in the same table and plotted
against exposure periods in figure. The percent recovery in
the rate of oxygen consumption is calculated in relation to
the rate of oxygen consumption in the control medium
which is fixed at 100%. In the major carp, Labeo rohita in
relation to control the time course in rate of oxygen
consumption initially elevated at 24hrs and declined
thereafter at 7 and 15 days of exposure periods. Hence, the
percent suppression in oxygen consumption was
progressive at 7th day and reached maximum percent
Giridhar and Neeraja Int. J. Zool. Appl. Biosci., 11(1), 27-31, 2026
www.ijzab.com 29
suppression (P<0.001) at 15-day exposure period. Further
towards the end of the 30th day exposure there was a rise in
oxygen consumption from its early maximum suppression
and came nearer to the control, thus this major carp
exhibited a fairly good amount of recovery in its oxygen
consumption at the end of 30 days’ exposure period. The
vital physiological parameter that is generally used for
assessing the metabolism of an animal is respiration. The
physiological status of an animal would appropriately
assess by the rate of oxygen consumption. The first
physiological activity to be affected is oxygen consumption
in the aquatic animals. The variations in the oxygen
consumption can be accounted for the modulation in the
metabolic status of animal (Natrajan, 1981;
Bashamohideen, 1985). The uptake of oxygen rate is
invariably considered as a good index for overall
physiological activity and an indicator of physiological
stress of the animal.
In the present investigation, the time course in the rate of
oxygen consumption of Labeo rohita during sublethal 30-
day exposure period of Deltamethrin has been studied. The
rate of oxygen consumption initially elevated at 24 hr
period from its level in the control during sublethal
exposure in Labeo rohita. The suppression in oxygen
consumption of the fish in further sublethal exposure was
seen through 7-day period and it reached maximal percent
suppression at 15-day exposure of total 30-day exposure
period. The inhibition of oxygen consumption is seen from
7-day sublethal exposure period onwards. The initial
elevation in the oxygen consumption at 24 hr exposure
period is due to increased locomotor activity arising out of
the animal tendency to escape from the new medium which
is a stress medium and this situation is called "Escape
reaction" of the animal as suggested by Potts (1954), Grass
(1957), Bashamohideen and Parvatheswara Rao (1972).
Similar trend in the time course in the rate of oxygen
consumption reported in Catla catla exposed to sublethal
concentration of Deltamethrin (Nisar Ahmed, 1994), in
Catla catla exposed to sublethal concentration of
fenvalerate (Shah Nawaz, 1996), in Labeo rohita exposed
to sublethal concentration of Nuvan (Giridhar, 1997), in
Cyprinus carpio exposed to malathion (Latha Charles,
2000), were coincides with the present trend in the rate of
oxygen consumption. Inhibition of oxygen consumption
was seen in Labeo rohita through 7-day exposure period,
thus recorded maximum percent suppression at 15-day
exposure period. But, during the 30-day exposure period
the oxygen consumption gradually elevated from its earlier
maximal percent inhibition at 15-day period. Hence, the
suppression in oxygen consumption was removed and the
fish has recovered from the toxic effects of Deltamethrin
towards the end of 30 day period and the oxygen
consumption came nearer to the control medium, indicating
that these fishes have the capacity to compensate to
pollution stress, resulting due to sublethal Deltamethrin
exposure, most probably by enhancing the activation of
detoxifying enzymes which bring about the biodegradation
of synthetic pyrethroid Deltamethrin on the whole, these
findings on the time course of oxygen consumption i.e., the
rate of oxygen consumption of the fish during sublethal
exposure of Deltamethrin could be attributed ultimately to
the compensating mechanisms proposed by John Cough in
his conceptional model (Duke and Dumas, 1974), where a
pesticide could be considered to have an adverse effect if it
temporarilyor permanently altered the normal steady state of a
particular biological system to such a degree as to render
the homeostatic (compensatory mechanisms) incapable of
maintaining an acceptable altered steady state. Thus in the
present study, Deltamethrin could cause a physiological
system, oxygen consumption of Labeo rohita oscillate
outside its normal range of variations mostly suppressive,
yet with time, the oxygen consumption could return near to
normal state without suffering lasting effects of a pesticide
in a fish population and this was suggested by Coppage and
Duke (1972) where, the AChE activity returned to normal
within 40 days after application of pesticide.
Table 1. Time Course of the rate of Oxygen consumption (Oml/gm/hr) in Labeo rohita exposed to sublethal concentration
of Deltamethrin for a period of 30 days besides in control medium (fresh water without Deltamethrin). Each point
is a mean of six individual measurements.
Control
Exposure Period in Days
1
3
4
5
Mean
0.3212
0.4510
0.4418
0.4188
0.3812
SD±
0.0512
0.0170
0.0812
0.0420
6
8
9
10
0.3614
0.3166
0.3102
0.3093
0.0452
0.0170
0.0312
0.0231
11
13
14
15
0.2908
0.2612
0.2568
0.2468
0.0714
0.0654
0.0516
0.0482
16
18
19
20
0.2516
0.2610
0.2626
0.2662
0.0402
0.0652
0.0608
0.0466
21
23
24
25
Giridhar and Neeraja Int. J. Zool. Appl. Biosci., 11(1), 27-31, 2026
www.ijzab.com 30
0.2670
0.2764
0.2660
0.2612
0.0820
0.0758
0.0720
0.0470
26
28
29
30
0.2692
0.2758
0.2770
0.2782
0.0374
0.0712
0.0428
0.0466
CONCLUSION
The vital physiological parameter that is generally used for
assessing the metabolism of an animal is respiration. The
first physiological activity to be affected is oxygen
consumption in the aquatic animals. The uptake of oxygen
rate is invariably considered as a good index for overall
physiological activity and an indicator of physiological
stress of the animal to the imposed toxicity. The variation
in oxygen consumption can be accounted for the
modulation in the metabolic status of animal.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The author express sincere thanks to the Principal and
Department of Zoology Govt. College(A) Ananthapuramu,
A.P, India 515001 for the facilities provided to carry out
this research work.
CONFLICT OF INTERESTS
The authors declare no conflict of interest
ETHICS APPROVAL
Not applicable
FUNDING
This study received no specific funding from public,
commercial, or not-for-profit funding agencies.
AI TOOL DECLARATION
The authors declares that no AI and related tools are used to
write the scientific content of this manuscript.
DATA AVAILABILITY
Data will be available on request
REFERENCES
Bashamohideen, M., & Kunnemann, H. (1978). A quick
and modified Winkler’s method for measuring oxygen
consumption of aquatic animals. Experientia, 34, 1214–
1243.
Bashamohideen, M. (1985). Physiological mechanisms and
behavioral pattern during environmental stress and
adaptation (Review article). Bulletin of the Ethological
Society of India, 14, 147–152.
Bashamohideen, M., & Parvatheswara Rao, V. (1972).
Adaptation to osmotic stress in freshwater euryhaline
teleost, Tilapia mossambica. IV. Changes in blood
glucose, liver glycogen and muscle glycogen levels.
Marine Biology, 10, 68–74.
Bodnar, O., Horyn, O., Soroka, O., Nimko, K., &
Falfushynska, H. (2022). Pesticide pollution of aquatic
ecosystems: Environmental risks and mechanisms of
impact on aquatic organisms (A review). Hydrobiological
Journal, 58, 62–78.
Coppage, D. L., & Duke, T. W. (1972). Effects of
pesticides in estuaries along Gulf and South-East Atlantic
coasts. In Proceedings of the 22nd Gulf Coast Conference
on Mosquito Control and Wildlife Management (pp. xx–
xx). New Orleans, LA.
Duke, T. W., & Dumas, P. (1974). Implications of pesticide
residues in the coastal environment. In F. J. Vernberg
(Ed.), Pollution and physiology of marine organisms (pp.
xx–xx). New York, NY: Academic Press.
Elliott, M., Farnham, A. W., Janes, N. F., Needham, P. H.,
& Pulman, D. A. (1974). Synthetic insecticide with a new
order of activity. Nature, 248, 710–711.
Elliott, M., & Janes, N. F. (1978). Synthetic pyrethroids—
A new class of insecticides. Chemical Society Reviews, 7,
473–505.
Falfushynska, H., Gnatyshyna, L., Turta, O., Stoliar, O.,
Mitina, N., Zaichenko, A., & Stoika, R. (2014).
Responses of hepatic metallothioneins and apoptotic
activity in Carassius auratus gibelio witness a release of
cobalt and zinc from waterborne nanoscale composites.
Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C:
Toxicology & Pharmacology, 160, 66–74.
Falfushynska, H., Horyn, O., Brzozowska, A., Fedoruk, O.,
Buyak, B., Poznansky, D., Poniedziałek, B., Kokociński,
M., & Rzymski, P. (2019). Is the presence of Central
European strains of Raphidiopsis raciborskii a threat to a
freshwater fish? An in vitro toxicological study in
common carp cells. Aquatic Toxicology, 206, 105–113.
Giridhar, P. (1997). Lipid metabolism in freshwater teleost
Labeo rohita (Ham) when exposed to an
organophosphorus pesticide (Nuvan) (Unpublished
M.Phil. dissertation). Sri Krishnadevaraya University,
Anantapur, India.
Grass, G. (1957). A behavioral mechanism for terrestrial
crab. Biological Bulletin, 113, 268–273.
Hahn, M. E., & Sadler, K. C. (2020). Casting a wide net:
Use of diverse model organisms to advance toxicology.
Disease Models & Mechanisms, 13, 043844.
Giridhar and Neeraja Int. J. Zool. Appl. Biosci., 11(1), 27-31, 2026
www.ijzab.com 31
Indira, P. (1985). Differentiation of pollution stress from
pollution adaptation in common carp, Cyprinus carpio
(Unpublished Ph.D. thesis). Sri Krishnadevaraya
University, Anantapur, India.
Latha Charles. (2000). Cardiorespiratory and
haematological responses of common carp, Cyprinus
carpio subjected to malathion toxicity and environmental
impact assessment (Unpublished Ph.D. thesis). Sri
Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur, India.
Lloyd, R., & Orr, L. D. (1969). The diurnal oxygen
consumption of rainbow trout. Water Research, 3, 375–
344.
Lushchak, V. I., Matviishyn, T. M., Husak, V. V., Storey, J.
M., & Storey, K. B. (2018). Pesticide toxicity: A
mechanistic approach. EXCLI Journal, 17, 1101–1136.
Madara Ranatunga, K., & Vincent, P. (2023).
Toxicological impacts of synthetic pyrethroids on non-
target aquatic organisms: A review. Environmental
Advances, 12, 100388.
Mukhopadhyay, P. M., & Dehadri, P. V. (1978). Malathion
toxicity and impairment of drug metabolism in the liver
and gills of the catfish, Clarias batrachus (Linn.). Indian
Journal of Experimental Biology, 16, 688–689.
Nair, J. R., & Sherief, P. M. (1998). Acute toxicity of
phenol and long-term effects on food consumption and
growth of juvenile rohu, Labeo rohita, under tropical
conditions. Asian Fisheries Science, 10, 179–187.
Natarajan, G. M. (1981). Effect of lethal (LC₅₀/48 h)
concentration of metasystox on selected oxidative
enzymes, tissue respiration and histology of gills of
freshwater air-breathing fish Channa striatus. Current
Science, 50(22), 985–989.
Nisar Ahmed, G. (1994). Biochemical responses of Catla
catla subjected to deltamethrin toxicity in relation to size
(Unpublished Ph.D. thesis). Sri Krishnadevaraya
University, Anantapur, India.
Obilesu, K. (1985). Physiological responses of Tilapia
mossambica subjected to long-term exposure of
malathion and methyl parathion (Unpublished M.Phil.
dissertation). Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur,
India.
Okwuosa, O. B., Eyo, J. E., & Omovwohwovie, E. E.
(2019). Role of fish as bioindicators: A review. Iconic
Research and Engineering Journals, 2, 354–368.
Pandey, A. C., Pandey, A. K., & Das, P. (2000). Fish and
fisheries in relation to aquatic pollution. In S. R. Verma,
A. K. Gupta, & P. Das (Eds.), Environmental issues and
management (pp. 87–112). Muzaffarnagar, India: Nature
Conservators.
Potts, W. T. W. (1954). The energetics of osmoregulation
in brackish and freshwater animals. Journal of
Experimental Biology, 31, 619–630.
Prasad, K. S. S. V. (1986). Studies on the energetics of
Indian major carp, Labeo rohita subjected to malathion
exposure (Unpublished Ph.D. thesis). Sri
Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur, India.
Reddy, A. T., & Yellamma, K. (1991). Perturbations in
carbohydrate metabolism during cypermethrin toxicity in
fish Tilapia mossambica (Peters). Biochemistry
International, 23(4), 633–638.
Shah Nawaz. (1996). Biochemical adaptations in Catla
catla during sublethal exposure of fenvalerate and
environmental risk assessment (Unpublished Ph.D.
thesis). Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur, India.
Sreenivasan, A., & Swaminathan, G. K. (1967). Toxicity of
six organophosphorus insecticides to fish Labeo rohita.
Current Science, (15), 397–398.
Vernberg, F. J., Calabrese, A., Thurberg, F. P., &
Vernberg, W. B. (1978). Physiological responses of
marine biota to pollutants. New York, NY: Academic
Press.
Vernberg, W. B., & Vernberg, F. J. (1972). Pollution and
physiology of marine organisms. Fishery Bulletin, 70,
415–420.
World Health Organization. (1971). Official records of the
World Health Organization (No. 190, Appendix 14, pp.
174–181). Geneva, Switzerland: Author.