Assessment of adverse impacts of glyphosate-based herbicide, Excel Mera 71 by integrating multi-level biomarker responses in fishes

This work was aimed to investigate the adverse impacts of Excel Mera 71 on Anabas testudineus, Heteropneustes fossilis and Oreochromis niloticus under laboratory (17.2 mg/L) and field (750 g/acre) conditions based on multiple-level integrated biomarker responses. Haematological parameters were influenced significantly and showed species specificity after Excel Mera 71 exposure under both the conditions. Physiological indices (hepato-somatic index and condition factor) showed higher values; however, hepato-somatic index induced significantly under both the conditions (p < 0.05). Total nuclear abnormalities at molecular level revealed enhanced level. Responses were more adverse in laboratory (O. niloticus > H. fossilis > A. testudineus), while total nuclear abnormalities under field showed the order as: H. fossilis (0.49 +/- 0.08) > A. testudineus (0.46 +/- 0.10) > O. niloticus (0.27 +/- 0.05). Moreover, multi-level integrated biomarker responses displayed responses as: O. niloticus (6.97 fold) > H. fossilis (4.01 fold) > A. testudineus (2.33 fold) in laboratory; however, under field condition, responses were totally different [A. testudineus-H. fossilis (3.98 fold) > O. niloticus (3.01 fold)]. Additionally, glyphosate concentration was significantly correlated with several multi-level biomarker responses (p < 0.05). Moreover, multi-level integrated biomarker responses clearly indicated the higher impacts under laboratory experiment. Present investigation documented that multi-level integrative biomarker responses should be considered as reliable tool for assessment of herbicidal intoxication.