Pesticide Pollution in Aquatic Ecosystem

Aquatic ecosystem including freshwater-, estuarine- and marine-ecosystem provides shelter, food, nursery and breeding places to a vast number of animals ranging from protozoa to mammals. This ecosystem also influences the life of terrestrial animals through food chain and direct consumption of water. Pesticide pollution is a case of concern for aquatic ecosystem as well as aquatic life. The use of pesticides mainly for increasing crop production and for preventing insect-borne diseases has been increased dramatically. In fact, Indian economy is now largely dependent on use of pesticides in sectors like public health, forestry and agriculture. Effect of such pesticides has been studied on various groups of vertebrates and to some extent on invertebrates. Presence of pesticides in the body of penguin and the breast milk of human has warned us about the magnitude of the problem.

However, pesticides are not target specific. Toxicity develops in non-target organisms due to constant exposure to pesticides. Major portion of pesticide finally reaches aquatic ecosystem and gets accumulated in other organisms through food chain. Significant level of pesticide in fresh water system is reported from various parts of India. The present communication attempts to review the threats of pesticides, viz., chlorofluorocarbons, organophosphates and carbonates on aquatic resources and its consequences on animal life particularly of fish, birds and mammals including human in India. It also highlights the impact of pesticide pollution on human civilization and human welfare.