Chronic toxicity of propoxur on carbohydrate, protein and serum electrolyte levels in catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis.

Alterations in the biochemical parameters of the catfish treated with low sublethal concentration (2.15 mg.L-1; 1/3 of 96 h LC50) of a carbamate pesticide-propoxur under static laboratory conditions for 10, 20 and 30 days were assayed. The fish elicited consistent hyperglycemia, concomitant with liver and muscle glycogenolysis, and hypoproteinemia in muscle and liver except 10 day post exposure to the pesticide, where hyperproteinemia was noticed in the liver. Throughout the exposure period the fish exhibited hyperphosphatemia. Hypocalcemia were recorded after 20 and 30 days, and serum magnesium level increased significantly only at 30 day exposure to the pesticide.