Effects of a nicosulfuron-based herbicide on common carp (Cyprinus carpio) under laboratory conditions: pathophysiological and histopathological evaluation

Parameter	Control group	TAM1	TAM2
Temp. (°C)	19.75 ± 0.21	19.73 ± 0.22	19.70 ± 0.21
O₂ (mg/L)	5.52 ± 0.32	5.33 ± 0.42	5.24 ± 0.61
pH	7.31 ± 0.05	7.29 ± 0.05	7.31 ± 0.06
NH₃ (mg/L)	0.02 ± 0.01	0.02 ± 0.01	0.01 ± 0.01
NO₂− (mg/L)	0.11 ± 0.15	0.09 ± 0.13	0.07 ± 0.08
NO₃− (mg/L)	12.41 ± 5.45	10.69 ± 5.30	9.83 ± 5.65
GH (dGH)	5.10 ± 0.31	5.14 ± 0.35	5.21 ± 0.41
KH (dKH)	3.00 ± 0.00	3.00 ± 0.00	3.00 ± 0.00

1 TAM1 – group intoxicated with Tamizan 040 OD nicosulfuron herbicide at 1 mg/L of the active substance; TAM2 – group intoxicated with the herbicide at 5 mg/L of the active substance; GH – general hardness; KH – carbonate hardness

Abnormal RBC of common carp intoxicated with Tamizan 040 OD nicosulfuron herbicide for 1 day. Erythrocytes showing changed cell shape

Table 2.

Haematological changes in common carp after 1 day of exposure to Tamizan 040 OD nicosulfuron herbicide

Parameter	Control group	TAM1	TAM2
RBC (10⁶/μL)	1.53 ± 0.24	1.42 ± 0.17	1.71 ± 0.24
HCT (%)	27.54 ± 2.22	25.90 ± 1.31	29.33 ± 2.49
HGB (g/dL)	6.90 ± 0.64	6.64 ± 0.62	7.36 ± 0.79
MCV (fL)	184.14 ± 32.93	186.04 ± 28.98	174.85 ± 26.50
MCH (pg)	45.93 ± 7.34	47.76 ± 8.94	43.90 ± 7.12
MCHC (g/dL)	25.07 ± 1.82	25.61 ± 1.72	25.11 ± 1.74
MNE (%)	98.06 ± 1.19	97.69 ± 1.33	95.44 ± 3.19
EAS (%)	0.17 ± 0.27	0.14 ± 0.22	0.78 ± 0.69*
EAN (%)	0.14 ± 0.22	0.36 ± 0.44	0.19 ± 0.17
HE (%)	0.33 ± 0.40	0.67 ± 0.70	1.58 ± 1.88
EB (%)	1.31 ± 1.13	1.14 ± 0.92	2.00 ± 2.09
WBC (10³/μL)	30.63 ± 7.52	26.04 ± 4.87	27.69 ± 9.52
LYM (%)	95.33 ± 4.38	93.92 ± 3.58	96.33 ± 2.77
Seg (%)	1.67 ± 2.74	2.92 ± 2.11	1.83 ± 1.80
ImNeu (%)	2.58 ± 2.35	2.83 ± 1.95	1.75 ± 1.29
Mono (%)	0.42 ± 0.51	0.33 ± 0.49	0.08 ± 0.29

1 TAM1 – group intoxicated with Tamizan 040 OD nicosulfuron herbicide at 1 mg/L of the active substance; TAM2 – group intoxicated with the herbicide at 5 mg/L of the active substance;

1 MNE – mature normal erythrocytes; EAS – erythrocytes of altered cell shape; EAN – erythrocytes of altered nucleus shape; HE – haemolysed erythrocytes; EB – erythroblasts; Seg – segmented neutrophils; ImNeu – immature neutrophils; Mono – monocytes. Data are presented as means ± SD;

1* – significant difference from control group value (0.01 ≤ adjusted P-value < 0.05)

Table 3.

Haematological changes in common carp after 3 days of exposure to Tamizan 040 OD nicosulfuron herbicide

Parameter	Control group	TAM1	TAM2
RBC (10⁶/μL)	1.08 ± 0.10	1.17 ± 0.18	1.21 ± 0.20
HCT (%)	26.00 ± 1.78	27.46 ± 1.84	25.96 ± 2.38
HGB (g/dL)	7.03 ± 0.66	7.18 ± 0.41	6.69 ± 0.76
MCV (fL)	243.02 ± 27.93	239.04 ± 39.24	218.95 ± 30.80
MCH (pg)	65.56 ± 7.51	62.38 ± 9.01	56.40 ± 8.61*
MCHC (g/dL)	27.02 ± 1.77	26.20 ± 1.38	25.78 ± 1.78
MNE (%)	97.67 ± 1.65	97.58 ± 1.46	97.08 ± 1.88
EAS (%)	0.78 ± 0.69	0.92 ± 0.81	0.81 ± 0.63
EAN (%)	0.17 ± 0.22	0.75 ± 0.75	0.94 ± 1.42
HE (%)	0.69 ± 1.04	0.11 ± 0.16	0.08 ± 0.21
EB (%)	0.69 ± 0.85	0.64 ± 0.48	1.08 ± 1.20
WBC (10³/μL)	25.23 ± 4.81	26.04 ± 5.17	27.04 ± 3.80
LYM (%)	94.50 ± 3.90	93.67 ± 4.48	96.50 ± 1.68
Seg (%)	2.67 ± 1.78	2.25 ± 2.09	1.25 ± 1.14
ImNeu (%)	2.75 ± 2.73	4.08 ± 3.15	2.25 ± 1.29
Mono (%)	0.08 ± 0.29	0.00 ± 0.00	0.00 ± 0.00

1 TAM1 – group intoxicated with Tamizan 040 OD nicosulfuron herbicide at 1 mg/L of the active substance; TAM2 – group intoxicated with the herbicide at 5 mg/L of the active substance;

1* – significant difference from control group value (0.01 ≤ adjusted P-value < 0.05)

Abnormal RBC of common carp intoxicated with Tamizan 040 OD nicosulfuron herbicide for 10 days. Erythrocytes showing changed nucleus shape

Table 4.

Haematological changes in common carp after 10 days of exposure to Tamizan 040 OD nicosulfuron herbicide

Parameter	Control group	TAM1	TAM2
RBC (10⁶/μL)	1.23 ± 0.23	1.29 ± 0.24	1.48 ± 0.24*
HCT (%)	26.17 ± 2.25	27.38 ± 2.56	26.77 ± 2.37
HGB (g/dL)	6.93 ± 0.48	6.97 ± 0.71	6.74 ± 0.85
MCV (fL)	220.74 ± 50.79	217.45 ± 39.96	183.34 ± 19.72
MCH (pg)	58.13 ± 11.05	55.44 ± 10.83	45.99 ± 4.56**
MCHC (g/dL)	26.54 ± 1.37	25.51 ± 2.18	25.14 ± 1.54
MNE (%)	96.89 ± 1.44	96.17 ± 1.36	94.03 ± 2.28**
EAS (%)	1.00 ± 0.86	1.36 ± 0.98	2.19 ± 1.54
EAN (%)	0.92 ± 0.89	0.47 ± 0.36	0.25 ± 0.25*
HE (%)	0.22 ± 0.30	0.53 ± 0.61	0.72 ± 1.24
EB (%)	0.97 ± 0.73	1.47 ± 0.95	2.81 ± 0.97***
WBC (10³/μL)	26.60 ± 6.92	22.29 ± 4.68	29.40 ± 9.03
LYM (%)	93.83 ± 3.61	93.92 ± 2.31	95.25 ± 2.56
Seg (%)	3.58 ± 2.71	2.83 ± 0.94	2.58 ± 1.88
ImNeu (%)	2.50 ± 1.45	3.25 ± 2.14	2.08 ± 1.56
Mono (%)	0.08 ± 0.29	0.00 ± 0.00	0.08 ± 0.29

1 TAM1 – group intoxicated with Tamizan 040 OD nicosulfuron herbicide at 1 mg/L of the active substance; TAM2 – group intoxicated with the herbicide at 5 mg/L of the active substance;

1*/**/*** – significant difference from control group value (0.01 ≤ adjusted P-value < 0.05 / 0.001 ≤ adjusted P-value < 0.010 / 0.000 ≤ adjusted P-value < 0.001)

Changes in non-enzymatic plasma biochemical parameters of common carp after 1, 3 and 10 days of exposure to Tamizan 040 OD nicosulfuron herbicide. TAM1 – group intoxicated with Tamizan 040 OD nicosulfuron herbicide at 1 mg/L of the active substance; TAM2 – group intoxicated with the herbicide at 5 mg/L of the active substance. Data are presented as means ± SD; significant differences compared to the control values are marked with asterisks; */*** – significant difference from control group value (0.01 ≤ adjusted P-value < 0.05 / 0.000 ≤ adjusted P-value < 0.001)

Table 5.

ALT activity in blood plasma of common carp after 1, 3 and 10 days of exposure to Tamizan 040 OD nicosulfuron herbicide

Exposure duration	Control group	TAM1	TAM2
1 day	16.43 ± 4.43	18.31 ± 15.63	17.55 ± 6.37
3 days	10.95 ± 6.56	16.44 ± 11.47	20.68 ± 10.03
10 days	12.07 ± 6.57	18.40 ± 12.99	11.24 ± 9.46

1 TAM1 – group intoxicated with Tamizan 040 OD nicosulfuron herbicide at 1 mg/L of the active substance; TAM2 – group intoxicated with the herbicide at 5 mg/L of the active substance. Data are presented as mean ± SD; no statistically significant differences between individual groups

Photomicrographs of the trunk kidney of common carp in the control and experimental groups. TAM1 – group intoxicated with Tamizan 040 OD nicosulfuron herbicide at 1 mg/L of the active substance; TAM2 – group intoxicated with the herbicide at 5 mg/L of the active substance; RC – renal corpuscle; RT – renal tubule. Arrows indicate degeneration of renal tubules. Haematoxylin and eosin staining. Scale bars = 100 μm

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2026-0027 | Journal eISSN: 2450-8608 (formerly 2300-3235)

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Language: English

Page range: 257 - 268

Submitted on: Oct 6, 2025

Accepted on: May 6, 2026

Published on: May 12, 2026

Published by: National Veterinary Research Institute in Pulawy

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Keywords:

fish,

herbicide,

blood parameters,

organ microstructure,

toxicity

Related subjects:

Life sciences,

Molecular biology,

Microbiology and virology,

Life sciences, other,

Medicine,

Veterinary medicine

© 2026 Bartosz Bojarski, Artur Osikowski, Sebastian Hofman, Leszek Szała, Patrycja Jurecka, Agnieszka Rombel-Bryzek, published by National Veterinary Research Institute in Pulawy
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 70 (2026): Issue 2 (June 2026)

Effects of a nicosulfuron-based herbicide on common carp (Cyprinus carpio) under laboratory conditions: pathophysiological and histopathological evaluation

Figures & Tables

Table 1.

Fig. 1.

Table 2.

Table 3.

Fig. 2.

Table 4.

Fig. 3.

Table 5.

Fig. 4.

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