Effect of Dimethoate on the Activities of Acid and Alkaline Phosphatases in the Gilland Liver of Zebrafish, Danio rerio

Dimethoate, an organophosphate insecticide used against a broad range of insects in agriculture to increase the crop production. The present study was aimed to investigate the changes in the activities of acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in gill and liver of zebrafish after exposureto 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% of the 96-h LC₅₀ values of Dimethoate. It was found that the activities of ACP and ALP in treated fishes were significantly reduced (P<0.05) as compared to control. The activity of ACP was reduced to 93 and 92% of controls (100%) in gill and liver, respectively after 20% of 96-h LC₅₀ of Dimethoate exposure for 7 days. At highest concentrationof Dimethoate exposure for 21 days the ACP activity remained only 51% in the gill and 57% in the liver. Similarly, after 21 days exposure of 80% of 96-h LC₅₀ the activity of ALP reduced up to 51 and 52% in the gill and liver respectively. The results indicate that the effect of Dimethoate on the activities of ACP and ALP is concentration as well as time-dependent. Probablecause is discussed.