Acute and subacute toxicity of atrazine to carp (Cyprinus carpio L.).

Investigations of acute and subacute atrazine toxicity in carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) were carried out. Acute toxicity was investigated in a semi-static test during a 96-hr exposition. The estimated LC-50 value was 18.8 mg/l. Subacute toxicity was investigated by exposing fish (carp) to different atrazine concentrations (1.5, 3.0, and 6.0 mg/l) for 14 days. Biochemical and histopathological changes in certain organs and tissues were investigated. The results show that atrazine leads to changes of varying intensity depending on the parameter tested, the organs and tissues examined, as well as the atrazine concentration. Biochemical changes were most prominent in the alkaline phosphatase, glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase activities whereas the most severe histopathological changes were observed in the gills.