Toxicity assessment of effluent from a potato-processing industry in Cyprinus carpio

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) cultivation faces the challenge of excessive pesticide use. During processing, the disposal of large volumes of contaminated water into water bodies can result in severe environmental damage, such as fish deaths. This study aimed to evaluate the toxicological effects of chemical compounds present in the effluent from a potato-processing industry using the test organism Cyprinus carpio. The liver, gills, muscles, and brain were analyzed for biochemical parameters such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and lipid peroxidation (TBARS). The highest quantities of pesticides found in the effluent were atrazine, azoxystrobin, fipronil, flutolanil, imidacloprid, tebuconazole, and thiamethoxam. Fish were exposed to the effluent for 7, 14, and 28 days in the laboratory. The CAT enzyme increased activity in the gills at 7 (p-value=0.000) and 14 days (p-value=0.003). Lipid peroxidation showed an increase in the gills at seven days (p-value=0.0281) and in the liver at 7 (p-value=0.000) and 14 days (p-value=0.000). There was also a significant increase (p-value=0.000) in AChE activity in the muscle at all periods. This result highlights the environmental risk and toxicity of potato effluent containing pesticide residues, which can cause biochemical damage to C. carpio and other living organisms.