STUDY OF DIMETHOATE BIOACCUMULATION IN LIVER AND MUSCLE TISSUES OF CLARIAS-BATRACHUS AND ITS ELIMINATION FOLLOWING CESSATION OF EXPOSURE

Dimethoate accumulation in liver and muscle tissues of a fresh-water fish, Clarias bactrachus L., was measured by gas liquid chromatography. Fish were exposed to a sub-lethal concentration of the pesticide in the laboratory water tank for a period of eight days. The accumulation increased up to two days, followed by decrease on the 4th and 8th days of exposure in both liver and muscle tissues. Maximum accumulation was found in liver. After eight days of exposure, fish were released into pesticide-free water to study the rate of loss of the pesticide. It was found that liver and muscle tissues were cleared of dimethoate after four and eight days respectively.