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Effect of organophosphorus pesticide malathion on fish in laboratory condition was studied. The
level of toxicity and stress was observed with protein and lipid peroxides as probe parameters.
Healthy matured specimens of H. fossilis were exposed with malathion in two sub-lethal
concentrations (0.1 and 0.2 ppm) for 30 days. Lipid and protein peroxides contents were estimated
in five different tissues- muscle, gill, brain, liver and kidney. Malathion was observed to be effective
in producing oxidative stress in the fishes even in very low doses. Lipid peroxide (LPO) and protein
peroxides (PPO) levels were significantly higher in all the tissues of pesticide-exposed groups with
different exposure time compared to control group.
Keywords: Malathion, Fish, Lipid peroxide, Protein peroxide