Ninawe A.S.¹ , Shakir C.² , Subhash S.K.³ , Delisho F.D.⁴

1 Ex-Scientist”G”Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, New Delhi-110 003, India 2 Department of Biochemistry and Industrial Microbiology, PMSA PTM Arts and Science College, (affiliated to Kerala University), Kottappuram, Kuttikkadu. P.O, Kadakkal, Kollam, Kerala, India 3 Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Sree Narayana College for Women, (affiliated to Kerala University), Kollam, India 4 Department of Biology, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia
Author    Correspondence author
International Journal of Aquaculture, 2026, Vol. 16, No. 3   doi: 10.5376/ija.2026.16.0011
Received: 08 Mar., 2026    Accepted: 30 Apr., 2026    Published: 15 May, 2026

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Ninawe A.S., Shakir C., Subhash S.K., and Delisho F.D., 2026, Ecotoxicological impacts and biotransformation of xenobiotic pollutants in aquatic ecosystems: implications for fish bioindicators and environmental remediation, International Journal of Aquaculture, 16(3): 141-148 (doi: 10.5376/ija.2026.16.0011)

The persistence of biologically active xenobiotic compounds in aquatic environments poses a significant threat to ecosystem health and human safety. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the interactions and ecological impacts of xenobiotics in aquatic systems, with particular emphasis on fish as sensitive bioindicators of environmental contamination. Xenobiotics, including heavy metals and synthetic chemicals, induce a wide spectrum of biological responses in fish, ranging from synergistic or antagonistic interactions to alterations in mortality, behaviour, physiology, and cellular integrity. Bioaccumulation of these contaminants in fish tissues not only disrupts aquatic biodiversity but also facilitates their transfer through trophic levels into the human food chain, thereby posing serious public health concerns. Recent investigations highlight the significance of cellular-level xenobiotic interactions in processes such as carcinogenesis and chronic toxicity. Freshwater fish species are therefore increasingly employed as ecological sentinels for early detection of environmental contamination. In addition, this review discusses emerging remediation strategies, including bacterial bioremediation and phytoremediation, which utilize natural biological processes to degrade xenobiotic compounds. Advancements in the understanding of xenobiotic biotransformation pathways provide promising opportunities for mitigating environmental pollution and protecting aquatic ecosystems.

Xenobiotic contamination; Biotransformation pathways; Aquatic biomarkers; Fish ecotoxicology; Pollution remediation