Pesticide Residues in Fish - Pesticides: Evaluation of Environmental Pollution - page 361

13
Pesticide R esidues in Fish
Prem Dureja and Hamir Singh Rathore
CONTENTS
13.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 361
13.1.1 Pesticides and the Environment .......................................................................... 361
13.1.2 Adverse Effects of Pesticides................................................................................ 362
13.2 Movement of Pesticides in Water..................................................................................... 363
13.2.1 Hazards of Pesticide Residues in Water ............................................................. 364
13.3 Fish Exposed to Pesticides................................................................................................ 364
13.3.1 Bioavailability......................................................................................................... 365
13.3.2 Biomagnification .................................................................................................... 365
13.3.3 Bioaccumulation..................................................................................................... 366
13.4 Monitoring Pesticide Residues in Fish and Fish Products........................................... 366
13.5 Effects of Pesticide Residues on Fish Population .......................................................... 381
13.5.1 Pesticide Residues in Edible Parts of Fish .......................................................... 383
13.5.1.1 Fish and Endocrine Disruption............................................................. 383
13.6 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 384
References..................................................................................................................................... 385
13.1 Introduction
The synthetic pesticides had a glorious past and did a yeoman's service to mankind in
increasing agricultural production and improving food and health quality. Before World
War II, pesticides in common use were predominantly inorganic materials, such as sulfur,
lead, copper, arsenic, boron, and mercury, as well as botanical ones, such as nicotine, pyre-
thrum, and rotenone. The advent of organic insecticides really began with the discovery
of DDT's insecticidal properties (1939-1942) by Paul Muller. The use of DDT in controlling
mosquito vectors saved millions of lives in the Indian subcontinent by preventing malaria.
Its astonishing efficacy led to the development of a variety of other synthetic organic pes-
ticides such as aldrin, dieldrin, toxaphene, and endosulfan followed by organophosphates
(malathion, diazinon, and chlorpyrifos), carbamates (carbaryl, carbofuran, and Baygon),
and synthetic pyrethroids, the second most significant group after organophosphorus
compounds.
13.1.1 Pesticides and the Environment
If the credits of pesticides include enhanced economic potential in terms of increased pro-
duction of food and fiber and amelioration of vector-borne diseases, then their debits have
361