Amin Oujifard

The concern over detrimental effects of chemical pesticide residues on the environment has enhanced the use of bio-pesticides that may also negatively impact aquatic ecosystems. The present study determined the 96‐h 50% lethal concentration (LC50) of the NeemAzal (containing 10 gL-1 azadirachtin) bio-pesticide and evaluated the sub-chronic effects of its sublethal doses (0.12, 0.24 and 0.36 mgL -1 ) on blood and biochemistry of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) with an average weight of 14.20±2.07 g. The 96-h LC50 was found to be 1.19 mgL-1 of the pesticide. As NeemAzal content increased, the leukocyte count (WBC) and the level of creatinine (Cr), urea (BUN), cholesterol, glucose (GLU), neutrophils and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) elevated (p<0.05). Also, total proteins (TP), triglyceride (TG), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), hemoglobin (Hb), erythrocyte count (RBC), lymphocytes and hematocrit (Hct) decreased (p<0.05) with increasing toxin doses. Insignificant difference was found between the mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC). Levels of eosinophils, basophils, monocytes, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and albumin (ALP) of the exposed and controlled fish were also insignificant (p>0.05). The present investigation suggests that long-term exposure to NeemAzal can affect the hematological and biochemical parameters and can be harmful to C. carpio