Profenofos is one of the most widely used toxic organophosphate insecticides used in crop fields against various insect pests. The pesticide may spread into the environment through various sources, such as air, water, soil, etc. Therefore, there is a high risk of ingestion for animals and aquatic fauna. The present study aimed to assess the profenofos-induced hepatotoxicity, genotoxicity, and haematological abnormalities of the freshwater fish Channa punctatus, which can indicate the probable threat of this pesticide to other species, including humans. Freshwater fish Channa punctatus were exposed to two sub-lethal concentrations of Profenofos (0.078 and 0.157 mg/L). After 7 days of consecutive exposure, changes in haematological parameters, hepatic tissue histology, and genotoxic effects were evaluated. The total count of red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), and haemoglobin (Hb) % was done. Along with the histological changes in hepatic tissues, genotoxic studies were also carried out. The study showed that profenofos induces different changes in the liver's haematology and histology and nuclear abnormalities in the erythrocytes of treated fish. The results indicate significant differences in RBC and Hb%, whereas marked elevations in WBC count were recorded. The histopathological study of the liver in the treated fish revealed some substantial changes like cell damage, distorted cell shape, vacuolations, etc. Some significant genotoxic effects of profenofos in the erythrocytes were observed, such as the induction of micronuclei, lobed nuclei, irregular-shaped nuclei, notched nuclei, and distorted nuclei. The results were statistically significant at the p < 0.05 level. The study explores the toxic effects of pesticides on the overall health of the fish species. Moreover, the study tried to focus on making decisions about using a tolerable prescribed dose of chemicals to minimize the risk of pesticides. People will also learn that the contamination of the insecticide profenofos is harmful to the aquatic ecosystem, and therefore indiscriminate measures should be avoided.
Seaweed extracts from Sargassum cristaefolium at 10% concentrations, effectively inhibited the mycelial growth of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. According to the available literatures, the GC-MS analysis identified various compounds in these extracts that had a antifungal, antibacterial and antioxidant properties as per previous report. In both pot culture trials and field settings, the application of seaweed extracts via bulb treatment, soil drench, and foliar spray resulted in a notable decrease in the occurrence of twister blight disease. Among the treatments, treatment three, involving bulb treatment with S. cristaefolium at a 10% concentration, soil drench with the same seaweed at a 10% concentration and foliar application of S. cristaefolium at a 10% concentration, demonstrated a remarkable 69.39% reduction in twister blight, showcasing efficacy comparable to biocontrol agents and chemical fungicides. In pot culture conditions, increased levels of peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, and phenylalanine ammonia lyase were observed, suggesting their involvement in enhancing resistance against disease. Histopathological examinations further revealed reduced tissue damage in treated plants. Additionally, protein content in both leaves and bulbs exhibited an increase in treated plants. This comprehensive study not only underscores the potential of seaweed extracts as effective biostimulants for disease management but also highlights their positive influence on overall plant health and productivity.
Nanoplastics may adsorb other pollutants in the environment due to their high specific surface area and small size. We used earthworms as experimental organisms to evaluate the ecotoxicity of NPs and Ni combined pollution at the individual and cellular levels. The results showed that when only 20 mg/L Ni2+ was added to the combined pollution system, the antioxidant system of earthworm coelomocytes was destroyed to a certain extent, the ROS level increased, the cell viability decreased significantly, and the redox balance was destroyed. With the introduction of PS-NPs and the increase of concentration, the oxidative damage in the coelomocytes of earthworms gradually increased, and finally tended to be stable when the maximum concentration of 50 mg/L PS-NPs and Ni were exposed together. At the animal level, the activities of CAT and SOD decreased within 28 days of exposure, and the combined pollution showed a synergistic effect. At the same time, it promoted the synthesis of GST in earthworms, improved their detoxification ability and reduced oxidative damage. The changes of T-AOC and MDA showed that the combined pollution caused the accumulation of ROS and caused more serious toxicological effects. With the increase of exposure time, the antioxidant system of earthworms was continuously destroyed, and the oxidative damage was serious, which induced more serious lipid peroxidation and caused the damage of earthworm body wall structure.