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Fish erythrocytes are very sensitive to environmental pollution because they exhibit pathological alterations before appearance of other external symptoms, may be used as reliable toxicity bioindicators. Microscopic analysis can be a useful tool in early detection of alterations in erythrocyte morphology due to different environmental stressors, and in predicting organism's possible response ways. This study aims to evaluate the toxicity of a polluted freshwater lake on the erythrocytes of crucian carp fish, Carassius carassius, using digital light microscopy (DLM). Scanning DLM micrographs revealed the presence of nuclear and cytoplasmic abnormalities like micronucleus, nuclear buds, lobed nucleus, deformed nucleus, vacuolated cytoplasm, and echinocyte in the erythrocytes of crucian carp fish from a polluted lake. The obtained results substantiate that computation of erythrocyte morphological damages as biomarkers of exposure, through digital light microscopy software, can be effectively used as a toxicological tool.

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The use of pesticides in agriculture has always had a strong impact on environmental contamination. Since the 1990s, neonicotinoids have grown increasingly more popular, targeting specific receptors for insects, especially bees, which is why the use of some neonicotinoids has been banned. Much is known about the effects they have on insects, but very little about the effect they can have on non-target organisms. Several studies have shown how these neonicotinoids interact negatively with the normal physiology of aquatic organisms. For the genus Mytilus, even though the neonicotinoids did not show an interaction with specific receptors, a chronic and acute exposure to them causes damage. In these animals, a reduced production of byssus, alteration of the normal antioxidant systems and tissue damage have been found. Therefore, an analysis of the entire ecosystem in which the pollutant enters is of great importance in evaluating any possible alterations.