Author(s)

Madhura D. Mukadam, Arvind S. Kulkarni

Department of Zoology, R. P. Gogate College of Arts & Science and R. V. Jogalekar College of Commerce, Ratnagiri, India.

The indiscriminate use of insecticide has caused serious pollution problems of aquatic ecosystems. Imidacloprid is mainly used to control sucking insects such as rice hoppers, aphids, thrips and some species of beetles. Further it is known to cause apathy, myatonia, tremor and myospasms in humans. Toxic effects of imidacloprid were estimated by selecting Katelysia opima as an animal model. Effect of imidacloprid on total protein content of gill, mantle, hepatopancreas, foot, male gonad and female gonad of estuarine clam, Katelysia opima was studied. The clams were exposed to 86.6 ppm of imidacloprid or acute treatment; it was found that there was decrease in protein content in various tissues in LC₅₀ as compared to control. In LC₅₀ group protein content was decreased in mantle hepatopancreas, foot male and female gonad as compared to the control. This decrease was more in foot, male gonad and female gonad in LC₅₀ group as compared to LC₀ group. Gill, mantle and hepatopancreas showed increase in protein content in LC₅₀ group as compared to LC₀ group. Decrease in protein content was more in foot, male gonad and female gonad in LC₅₀ group due to the higher concentrations of imidacloprid.

Imidacloprid, Protein Content, Katelysia opima

Mukadam, M. and Kulkarni, A. (2014) Toxic Effect of Imidacloprid on Protein Content in Estuarine Clam, Katelysia opima (Gmelin). Open Access Library Journal, 1, 1-4. doi: 10.4236/oalib.1100407.