Abstract

EFFECTS OF HERBICIDES ON PHYSIOLOGY OF FRESH WATER FISHES AND SOIL ANIMALS

Archana Rao, Sunil Kumar Srivastav and Ravi Kant Upadhyay

ABSTRACT

Present review article describes major effects of most common herbicides on fresh water and soil animals. These chemicals are most commonly used by farmers because of their economic feasibility but without knowing their side effects. These are one of the harmful substances to water and soil animals in different ecosystems. Synthetic herbicides impart physiological, biochemical, genetic consequences as these might have hard to metabolize and persist as residues for longer periods in the environment. These toxic residues put adverse impacts on non-targeted creatures, and pose severe health risks for both humans and animals. These are absorbed in the skin and reach to blood stream where they affect blood parameters and do significant changes in the values of white blood cell count (WBC) and mean cell volume (MCV), packed cell volume (PCV) red blood cell count (RBC) and decreases in hemoglobin (Hb), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and mean cell hemoglobin (MCH). These also affect levels of certain metabolic enzymes AST, ALT, ALP and AChE level in exposed animals. In fishes these herbicides affect muscle tissue, causing necrosis and atrophy of hepatocytes. This article suggests deprivation of synthetic herbicides and replaces them with biological and non chemical methods for control of weeds and grasses. 

Keywords: Herbicides, Organophosphates, Toxicity, Biomagnifications and Effects on fresh water animals.