Current Research Journal of Biological Sciences 2(3): 201-209, 2010
ISSN: 2041-0778
© M axwell Scientific Organization, 2010
Submitted Date: April 07, 2010
Accepted Date: April 22, 2010
Published Date: May 20, 2010
Impact of Common Mixed Effluent of Sipcot Industrial Estate on Histopathological
and Biochemical Changes in Estuarine Fish Lates calcarifer
1
A. C hezhian, 2 N. K abilan , 2 T. Suresh Kumar, 2 D. Senthamilselvan and 3 K. Sivakum ari
1
Centre of Advanced Stud y in Marine Biology , Annam alai University,
Parangip ettai - 60 8 502, Tamil Nadu- India
2
Centre of Advanced Stud y in Marine Biology , Annam alai University,
Parangip ettai - 60 8 502, Tamil Nadu- India
3
Reader in Zoolo gy, Presid ency College, Chennai - 600 005, Ind ia
Abstract: The present study dea ls with the toxicity of common mixed effluent of SIPCOT Industrial Estate on
histopathological chan ges of gills and bioch emical changes in gills, hepatop ancre as and mu scle of an important
estuarine fish Lates calcarifer. When fish was expose d to 10, 15 and 20% effluent concentrations, alteration
in the struc ture of gills was observed. In fish exposed to 10% concentration, swelling, hyperplasia, hypertrophy
and proliferation of chloride cells of gills were observed, but in 15% effluent, lifting up of the epithelium and
lamellar fusions were seen. In 20% effluent treated fishes, disintegration of epithelial cells, desquamated
epithelium, haemorrhage and comp lete damage of epithelial cells of both primary and secondary lamellae w ere
observed. Overall reduc tion in total protein, total DNA , total RNA, glycogen content, protein bound sugars and
total lipid of gills, hepatopancreas, and mu scle was observed. The bioc hemical changes were highe r in 20%
effluent treated fish than that of 15 and 10% effluent treated fish. The result of the present study recommends
proper dilution of the effluent before its d ischarge.
Key w ords: Biochemical changes, effluent, fish, histopathology
INTRODUCTION
Rapid industrialization in India has resulted in the
substantial increase in the liquid w aste (spent wash or
effluent), which is traditionally discharged into open land
or into nearby natural water, causing a number of
environmental problems including threat to plants and
animal lives and also crea ting problems such as surface
water logging, ground water contamination and salinizing
good quality land due to presence of high quality salt
contents (Ramona et al., 2001). The adverse input of
diverse industrial wastes has aggravated the problem of
contamination, and sewage and industrial disposal has
greatly enhanced the addition of heavy metals into the
aquatic ecosystem. These pollutants alter the natural
condition of aquatic medium that causes behavioural
changes as well as morphological imbalance of aquatic
organisms (Yadav et al., 2005).
According to Sivak uma ri et al. (2005), the estuarine
pollution may lead to marine pollution, which may enter
to the deep o cean, thus affecting the marine organisms,
which are consumed b y hum an beings. Thus careful
management of estuary is the ma nagem ent of ocean and
its resources. The authors further added that it is evident
that a continued and systematic monitoring of the
chemical environment in estuaries is nece ssary to
understand the responses of the organisms to various
stresses and to assess the degree of pollution and its
variation.
Any change in water quality is rapidly reflected in
fish gill structure and function, since gills are
continuously exposed to ambient water. Gills are the
primary sites of gas exchange, acid-base regulation and
ion transfer (Randall, 1990). The gill epithelium consists
mainly of three types of cells: pavemen t or respiratory
cells, mucus cells, and chloride cells as pointed out by
Laurent and Perry (1995). Paw ert et al. (1998) stated that
gills represent major sites for respiration; they are always
in contact with water, which makes them important
targets for water pollutants. The authors further stated that
fish gills comprise more than half of the body surface,
with an epithelial layer of only a few microns separating
the interior of the fish from the external environmen t. As
a result of this, a close association between water and
blood occurs, so that the gills are strongly affected
by enviro nme ntal
co ntam inants
(Rombough
and G arside, 1977).
According to Christensen et al. (1972), any kind of
stress not resulting in gross changes and mortality
produces certain chan ges in fish blood characteristics.
Corresponding Author: N. Kabilan, Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Annamalai University, Parangipettai - 608
502, Tamil Nadu- India
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Curr. Res. J. Biol. Sci., 2(3): 201-209, 2010
Early detection of specific physiological abnormalities
provides an indication of exp osure to solutions prior to
manifestation of any gross damage as opined by Gill and
Pant (1981). The above authors used the biochemical
changes in tissues and b lood o f fish to assess the chro nic
effects of toxicants. The impact of industrial effluents on
the physiology and biochemistry of fishes has been well
documented by several authors. Before the drastic cellular
and systematic dysfunction manifest themselves,
appropriate biochemical parameters could be used
effectively as sensitive indicators (Aldrige, 1983).
Therefore it appears useful to examine changes in the
biochem istry of fish intoxicated w ith effluents to eva luate
its toxicity.
In view of the above, it was felt that it would be
worthwhile to study the changes in structural and
biochemical changes in fish exposed to common mixed
effluent f ro m pesticide , pain t, fertilizer and
pharmaceutical man ufactu ring co mpa nies situated in
SIPCOT Industrial Estate, Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India,
that is discharged into Uppanar (Paravanar) Estuary,
which would throw a clear light on the extent of changes
and damage that is caused. Hence in the present work, we
studied the toxic effects of common mixed effluent on
histopathology of gills and biochemical changes in gills,
hepatopancreas and m uscle of an important estuarine fish
Lates calcarifer.
the method of Wuhrmann (1950). Based on the above
studies, 10, 15 and 20% effluent concentration were
selected for experimental purpose. Fish w ere expose d to
the above said concentrations along w ith com mon contro l;
each group had ten fish in each and the experimental
setup had five replicates. At the end of one hour of
effluent exposure, fish were rinsed with filtered seawater
and sacrificed without anaesthesia. The organs/tissue such
as gills, hepatopancreas and muscle were subsequently
dissected using a sterile scalpel, and were rinsed w ith
distilled water in order to remove the adhering body fluid.
For histopathological studies, gills were fixed in Bouin’s
fixative and later processed following the methods of
Pearse (1968), Roberts (1978) and Humason (1979). The
protein content of the samples was determined according
to the method of Lowry et al. (1951) using crystalline
Bovine Serum A lbum in (BS A) as stand ard. N ucleic acid
was extracted according to the method of Schneider
(1957). Deoxy Ribo nucleic Acid (D NA ) was estimated by
the following the protocol of Burton (19 56) using highly
polymerized Calf-Thymus DN A as stand ard. R ibonu clic
Acid (RNA) was estimated according to the method of
Rawal et al. (1977) by using yeast RNA as standard. The
carbohydrates viz., protein bound sugars and glycogen
was estimated by the method of Caro ll et al. (1956) using
glucose standard. Total lipids were extracted and
estimated based on the procedures of Folch et al. (1995).
The statistical significance of the samples was tested by
Two W ay Analysis of Variance (A NO VA ) using
Randomize d Block Design (RBD).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Specimens of Lates calcarifer were collected from
Rajiv Gandhi Cen tre for Aquaculture (RG CA ),
Thirumullaivasal, Sirkali, Tamil Nadu, India, and
acclimatized to laboratory conditions at Centre of
Advanced Study in M arine Biology, Annamalai
University, Parangipettai for fifteen days. Water was
changed daily and fish were fed adlibitum with flour
pellets and grou nd dried shrimp twice a day. For
experimental studies, fish rang ing from 7-10 cm in length
and weighing 10-12 g were selected. The common mixed
effluent from S IPCOT Industrial state, Cuddalore, was
collected in a polythene container and stored in a
refrigerator until use. Temperature and pH were noted at
the point of collection itself. The physico-chemical
parame ters of the common mixed effluent was estimated
according to APHA et al. (1976) and are as follows:
Colou r- Brown; Odour- Pungent; Dissolved Oxygen3.2±0.02 mg 1G 1 ; BOD- 13.7±2.0 mg 1G 1 ; pH- 5.7±0.2;
Temperature- 30.0±2.0ºC; Salinity- 1.3±0.30 ppm; Total
Hardness-4.0±2.0
mg lG 1 ; and
Total Alkalinity1
40±2.0 mg 1G .
Five groups co ntaining ten healthy fish in each w ere
selected and introduced into the plastic tubs containing
100, 75, 50, 25, 10 and 5% effluent. The manifestation
time and survival time of fish were observed following
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
In the present study, fish survived for 1, 2 and 3 h. in
10, 15 and 20% effluent concentration, respectively,
whe reas in effluent concentrations of 30, 50, 75 and
100%, the fish survived for 55, 50, 40 and 30 min,
respectively. Based on this observation, 10, 15 and 20%
effluent concentrations were selected for experimental
purpose.
Histopathological studies revealed that in control
fish, primary lamellae ap peare d normal and mucus free
with well-defined secondary lamellae branched from them
(Fig. 1a). In 10% effluent concentration, swelling,
hyperplasia, hypertrophy and proliferation of chloride
cells were observed (Fig. 1b). In 15% effluent, lifting up
of the epithelium, swelling, hyperplasia, hypertrophy and
proliferation of chloride cells, degenerative changes of
epithelial cells and fused lamellar filaments were noticed
(Fig. 1c). In 20% effluent, the gills showed necrosis,
disintegration of epithelial cells, desquamated epithelium,
haemorrhage and comp lete dam age o f epithelial cells of
both p rimary and secon dary lamellae (Fig. 1d).
The results of the present investigation revealed that
DNA and R NA content redu ced significantly in the gills,
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Curr. Res. J. Biol. Sci., 2(3): 201-209, 2010
a Control
b (10 % Effluent treated fish gill)
c (15 % Effluent treated fish gill)
d (20 % Effluent treated fish gill)
Fig. 1: Photographs showing the transverse section of gills of fish Lates calcarifer exposed to different effluent concentration
(magnification 400X)
hepatopancreas, and muscle of L. calcarifer exposed to
effluent conc entrations. The observed decrease in the
levels of DNA and RNA content can be best correlated
with protein reduction in the muscles exposed to different
effluent concentration. Since DN A and R NA synthesis
precedes protein synthesis, the reduction in their levels is
very well reflected in the protein levels. The binding of
metals to phenylalanine and lysine tRNA should have
inhibited their propagation to ribosomes, which caused
reduction in the protein content as suggested by Tulasi
et al. (199 2). In this study also decreased level of DNA
and RNA were observed this may be due to the abovementioned reason.
In the present study, gly cogen co ntent decreased in
gills, hepatopancreas and muscle when exposed to various
effluent concen trations. Stored glycogen content in tissues
is also released by an aerob ic glycolysis and utilized to
meet the energy requirement under pollutant stress as
stated by Heath (1987). Hinson et al. (1973) remarked
that maximum glycogen depletion corresponds to a
dram atic increase in blood glucose level in the fish
Channa punctatus exposed to industrial pollutants. They
suggested that it might be due to some of the hepatic
glycogen getting converted to glucose via. the
intermediate glucose-1-phosphate getting and entering the
circulation. The decreased glycogen content recorded in
the present study may be du e to the induced activation of
adrenal pituitary glucocorticoid hormones which stimulate
the hepatic glucose production thereby elevating the blood
glucose level or it may be a physical response to meet the
critical need of energy under effluent stress as suggested
by the others. (Table 1).
Likewise, protein bound sugar also recorded a decline
in its level in all the three tissues. C arbohydrates are
considered to be the first degraded under the stress
condition of animals. According to Dhavale and
Masurekar, (1986), decreased level of carbohydrate
constituents in tissues of toxicant exposed animals may be
due to the prevalence of hypoxic condition in the tissues
as a result of po llutant stress. During the hypo xic
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Curr. Res. J. Biol. Sci., 2(3): 201-209, 2010
Tab le 1: Biochemical changes in organs/tissue of estuarine fish Lates calcarifer when exposed to different concentrations of common mixed effluent
of SIPCOT Industrial Estate.
Param eters
To xica nts
Gills
Hepatopancreas
Muscles
Protein(:g M gG 1 wet tissue)
Control
273.30±0.709 a,b
457.62±0.761 a,b
381.40±0.675 a,b
10 %
167.66±0.212 a,b
217.54±0.673 a,b
286.50±0.636 a,b
(-38.65)
(-52.46)
(-24.88)
15%
141.44±0.743 a,b
182.70±0.644 a,b
227.60±0.129 a,b
(-48.25)
(-60.08)
(-40.33)
20%
117.44±0.615 a,b
121.50±0.644 a,b
188.50±0.667 a,b
(-57.03)
(-73.45)
(-50.58)
D N A (:g Mg G 1 wet tissue)
Control
83.34±0.615 a,b
103.30±0.731 a,b
95.72±0.708 a,b
10 %
73.30±0.644 a,b
83.30±0.660 a,b
83.30±0.660 a,b
(-12.05)
(-19.36)
(-12.98)
15%
65.30±0.745 a,b
75.40±0.718 a,b
77.30±0.682 a,b
(-21.65)
(-27.01)
(-19.20)
20%
40.40±0.636 a,b
54.30±0.644 a,b
51.40±0.644 a,b
(-51.52)
(-47.43)
(-46.30)
R N A (:g Mg G 1 wet tissue)
Control
94.20±0.687 a,b
124.40±0.771 a,b
109.30±0.708 a,b
10 %
85.40±0.709 a,b
113.20±0.729 a,b
94.12±0.712 a,b
(-9.38)
(-8.97)
(-13.87)
15%
73.40±0.765 a,b
92.10±0.702 a,b
81.20±0.708 a,b
(-22.11)
(-25.93)
(-25.62)
20%
65.40±0.718 a,b
82.30±0.745 a,b
73.30±0.793 a,b
(-30.60)
(-33.83)
(-32.87)
Glycogen (:g Mg G 1 wet tissue)
Control
31.40±0.787 b
58.50±0.752 b
58.50±0.809 b
10 %
28.50±0.742 b
28.30±0.787 b
51.30±0.687 b
(-9.35)
(-51.56)
(-12.47)
15%
25.40±0.642 b
42.20±0.665 b
39.20±0.682 b
(-19.19)
(-27.79)
(-32.92)
20%
23.40±0.667 b
42.20±0.665 b
39.20±0.682 b
(-25.57)
(-27.79)
(-32.92)
Protein bound sugar
Control
12.50±0.705 a,b
36.30±0.751 a,b
27.2±0.694 a,b
(:g Mg G 1 wet tissue)
10 %
13.30±0.702 a,b
23.30±0.723 a,b
28.60±0.814 a,b
(-6.60)
(-35.96)
(-5.15)
15%
9.30±0.702 a,b
19.60±0.793 a,b
12.50±0.708 a,b
(-25.52)
(-45.93)
(-54.12)
20%
7.70±0.793 a,b
15.40±0.702 a,b
7.30±0.729 a,b
(-38.79)
(-57.54)
(-73.24)
To tal Lip id
Control
156.80±0.511 a,b
253.30±0.687 a,b
337.20±0.702 a,b
(:g Mg G 1 wet tissue)
10 %
147.30±0.702 a,b
253.30±0.687 a,b
312.30±0.708 a,b
(-6.06)
(0)
(-7.38)
15%
131.40±0.681 a,b
190.40±0.771 a,b
297.20±0.687 a,b
(-16.23)
(-24.82)
(-11.86)
20%
127.30±0.708 a,b
173.20±0.708 a,b
285.30±0.708 a,b
(-18.82)
(-31.62)
(-15.39)
Values are expressed as mean±S.E. of five individual observations, Values in parantheses are per cent change over control, -: indicates per cent
decrease over control, Values are significan t at p <0 .05 lev el, a : va lue s are sig nifi can tly d iffe ren t am on g o rga ns/ tissu e, b : valu es are sign ifican tly
differently among effluent concentrations
conditions, there is increased carbo hydrate metabo lism to
release energy resulting in the extra expenditure of
carbohydrate constituents. The observed result in the
present study is in accordance w ith the findings of
Valarmathi and A zariah (2002 ), who have suggested that
the decreased level of tissue carbohydrates in the toxicant
exposed animals seemed to induce the glycogenolysis,
possibly by increasing the activity of glycogen
phosphorylase to meet the energy demand under stress
condition or the toxicant may have an effect of
glyco genesis by inhibiting the activity o f carbo hydrate
metabo lism. (Table 1).
Carbohydrates in the tissues of animals exist as
protein bound sugars and glycogen. Protein bound sugar
is the best energy producers of the body of the living
organism. Polysaccharide s occur both in free-state as well
as bound state along with proteins. Even thou gh, pro tein
is the major source of energy in animals, chemical stress
causes rapid depletion of stored carbohydrates primarily
in hepa topan creas and in other tissues (Vijayavel and
Balasubrama nian, 2006).
Lipid content is an essential organic con stituent of the
tissues of all animals, and plays a key role in energy
metabolism. Lipids are the be st energy producers of the
body next to carbohydrates. The lipid content of gills,
hepatopancreas, and muscle sho wed dec reased levels in
the fish exposed for 10, 15 and 20 effluent exposure. The
decreased level of tissue lipid content in the present study
may also be due to liver dysfunction or mobilization of
glycerol or inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation. The
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Curr. Res. J. Biol. Sci., 2(3): 201-209, 2010
above results revealed that the fluctuations of biochemical
constituents were higher in the tissues of fish ex pose d to
effluent conce ntrations (Table 1).
Gilbert and O’Connor (1970) reported that lipids are
vital to embryogenesis, providing two third of energy by
oxidation. Agarwal (1992) observed that an elevated level
of serum cholesterol in Channa punctatus expo sed to
merc uric chloride effluent might be an indication of liver
damage, which normally esterifies cholesterol, and
excre te a part of it with the bile. Janderko and Kossman
(1965) demonstrated that blood cholesterol elevation
might be due to the inhibition of the activity of enzymes
of lipid me tabolism such as lipop rotein lipa se by toxic
effluents leading to a retarded clearance of lipids from
blood. In the present study also, the decreased total lipid
content might be due to liver damage and/or inhibiton of
activity o f enzy mes of lipid m etabo lism.
Examination of tissues after death from fish and other
aquatic organisms may serve to identify the cause of death
and possibly the causative agent as opined by Meyers and
Hendricks (1985). Gill lesions can be divided into two
groups i.e., the direc t deleterious effects of the irritants
(Temmink et al., 1983) and the defence responses of the
fish (Morgan and Tovell, 1973). Separation of epithelial
cells and n ecrosis were reported in broo k trout, Salvelinus
fontinalis exposed to acute toxic levels of toxicant (Daye
and Garside, 1976). Jagoe and Haines (1983) noted
shortened and thicken ed secondary lamellae, primary
lamellar swelling, droplets of mucus and fused adjacent
second ary lamellae in Su napee trout, Salvelinus alpinus
oquassa subjected to pH 4.0 H yperplasia, shortened and
thickened respiratory lamellae, fused adjacent primary
lamellae were observed by Leino et al. (1987) in peal
dace,
Sem otilus m arga rita and fathead minnows,
Pimephales promleas exposed to low acid pH of 5.16.
Scherl and Hoffmann (1988) found fused sec ondary
lamellae and h yperplasia in fish, brown trout, Salm o trutta
exposed to pH 3.0 and 4.9.
In the present study, rupture and n ecrosis of gill
epithelium of fish may be due to direct deleterious effect
of the effluent. However, hyperplasia, hypertrophy,
lamellar fusion and mucus secretion and sloughing of gills
may be defenc e responses of the fish to the effluent
toxicity. The above findings may recall the work of
Mallatt (1985), who reported that rupture and necrosis of
the gill epithelial cells occur in acute toxic conditions
caused by low pH. The intimate contact of gill w ith
polluted water may lead to alterations in the norm al gill
epithelium (Jayanatha et al., 1984). Lloyd (1960), Brown
(1968) and Skidmore and Tovell (1972) reported that
many noxious compounds and ions have been shown to
damage the respiratory epithelium of gills.
Lamellar fusion could be protective as it diminishes
the amo unt of v ulnera ble gill surface area in fish (Mallatt,
1985). Fusion of secondary lamellae and swelling of
primary and secondary lamellae increases the diffusion
distance (Tietge et al., 1988) and reduced surface area
(Smith and Haines, 1995). Fusion of primary lamellae at
the distal end and thickened and shortened secondary
lamellae observed in the present study may be involved in
reducing the impact of effluent toxicity in the present case
supp orting the observation of the abov e authors.
Munshi and Singh (1971) and Jagoe and Haines
(1983) sugg ested that the mecha nism by w hich cells
recognize and aggregate with one another at the cell
surface is still unknown. The authors further stated that
the term ‘mutua l recognition’ in a cell population,
‘surface coding’ and ‘preferential affinities’ have been
used to explain suc h me chan isms; it could be explained
that alterations in the charge of glycoproteins coating the
lamellae due to the presence of sialic acid residues of
muc in at low pH, favour attraction between the cells of
adjacent lamellae causing fusion. A similar reason may be
attributed for the fusion of prima ry and secondary
lamellae in the present study too.
Jagoe and H aines (1983) found sw elling of primary
and secondary lamellae, fusion of adjacent seco ndary
lamellae, increased mucus production, progressive loss of
micro-ridge pattern, secondary lamellae appeared
thickened and shortened with extremely rough surface and
considerable mucus in brook trou t, Salve linus fon tinalis
exposed to pH 4.5 and 5.0 for 456 hr. A similar
observation was m ade by T andjung (1982) and Segner
et al. (1988) in brown trout, Salm o trutta. Daye and
Garside (1976) observed hypertrophy and separation of
epithelial cells from the supporting pillar cells in brook
trout, Salve linus fon tinalis in chronic acid pH (pH 5.5)
treatment and this condition greatly increased the
diffusion distanc e (water-blood distance ). Skidmore and
Towel (1972) observed that toxicants appear to cause loss
of adhesion between the epithelial cell and the underlying
pillar cell system accompanied by a collapse of the
structural integrity of the secondary lamella. Wood et al.
(1988) reported that thickening of the lamellar epithelium
increased diffusive distance of the gill. The thickening of
the gill epithelium
(via. cell hyp ertroph y) is
sometimes considered to be an indicator of cell
degeneration and even tually necrosis (Tietge et al., 1988;
Peuranen et al., 1993). The lifting and hypertrophy of
cells greatly increases the diffusion distance (water-blood
distance) (Ingersoll et al., 1990). Schm idt et al. (1999)
observed epithelial cell lifting, eosinophilic granular
cytoplasm, epithelial hypertrophy, mild curvatures of the
primary and secondary lamellae, and occasionally
epithelial hyperplasia and leuko cyte infiltration of gill
epithelium changes and also showed elevated gill indices
in brow n trout, Salm o trutta in diluted sewage plant
effluents (62 to 205%) exposure.
Brown et al. (1990) and Peuranen et al. (1993)
observed that hyp ertroph ied gill tissue exhibited an
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Curr. Res. J. Biol. Sci., 2(3): 201-209, 2010
adaptive response and reduced the ion perme ability
through gills of fish exposed to low pH. Hypertrop hy in
the gills is a common response when fish are exposed to
low pH (Tietge et al., 1988; Evans et al., 1988 ). Ingersoll
et al. (1984) reported that gill damages were accompanied
by either mucu s cell hypertrophy or hype rplasia and w ere
most pronounced at pH 4.3. In the present study,
hypertrophy noticed might be in response to prevention of
diffusion across gill epithelium, which finds support from
the above autho rs.
W ood (1960) reported that a layer of edema has the
primary effect of increasing the diffusion distance
between blood and water and thus reducing the affected
area to an essentially dysfunctional state. Gill epithelial
swelling, complete desquamated lamellae and blood
capillary pillar cells w ould account for the impairment of
oxygen, carbon-di-oxide exchange, and for the hypoxia as
reported by W edemeyer (1971). Swelling and
desquamated epithelium of gills were observed in the
present study, which might have caused impairment of
oxygen or carbon-di-oxide exch ange. Morgan and Tovell
(1973) stated that lifting up of epithelium is a protective
effect, resulting in increased water blood diffusing
distance and hindered toxicant uptake. Ramesh (1994)
reported that separation and lifting up of the epithelium
might be a defence response of the fish in response to
toxicants. A sim ilar situation may preva il in fish from
treatment in the present study thus finding the support
from the observations of the above autho rs.
Tox icants at lower levels given for a prolonged time
causes severe damage to the branchial system of fish than
to short term treatme nt (Ra mesh, 199 4), which finds
support from the w ork of Klaassen and D oull (1980). In
the present study also, extensive ce llular hyperplasia
filling the entire inter-lamellar spaces, haemorrhage and
com plete damage of epithelium were more in 20%
concentration when compared to that of the 15 and 10%
ones.
Proteins occur in the body in the form of amino acids
and other metabolites, which serve as building blocks of
the body. Hence, protein content of the cell is considered
to be an important tools for evaluation the physiological
standards. Several authors have rep orted alterations in
total proteins and their metabolites in aquatic organisms
exposed to toxicants (Ahmed et al., 1997). During the
process of gluconeogenesis, protein is metabolized to
yield glucose, which is utilized for energy synthesis in the
form of ATP d uring stress co nditions (Ghosh and
Chaterjee, 1985). In the present investigation , the protein
content of the gill, hepatopancreas and muscle decreased
significa ntly when fish were exposed to all effluent
concentrations.
The reduc tion in protein content under effluent stress
noticed in the present study may be attributed to the
utilization of amino acids in various catabolic reactions.
By the process of transamination and deamination,
ketoacids are synthesized, which serve as precursors for
the maintenance of carbohydrate metabolism to meet the
energy requirements during pollutant stress. The reduction
in protein content might be due to the blocking o f protein
synthesis or protein den aturation or interruption in the
amino acid synthesis by metals (Jha, 1991). The food
utilization decreases when the animals are under stress
condition, which leads to the depletion of protein content
in tissues. The reduc tion in protein content indicates that
the tissue protein undergoes proteolysis, which resu lts in
the production of free amino ac ids and used in the TCA
cycle for energy production during stress condition.
Considering the above facts, the present study
concludes that the effect of common mixed effluent of
SIPCOT Industrial Estate has heavy impact on the
histopathological and biochemical parame ters of the fish.
Hence the present study recommends proper dilution of
the effluent before its discharg e.
CONCLUSION
Since the Lates calcarifer is considered to be one of
the chief edible fishes in this region, a continuous
assessment with respect to the discharge o f effluents into
the water bodies are need of the hour. If not treated
properly, it will therefore affect the food chain including
human. It is of interest to note that a chang e in severe
gill alteration was observed in all treatments but the
alteration was less in 1 0% conc entration com pared to
25%. That the fish gills show various chan ges in the gills
this may be due to stress cum toxic responses of the
exposed fish. In the present study recommends to avo id
such impact in the aquatic environment, a proper dilution
management is needed before they are discharged.
Significant of the study: Since the Lates calcarifer is
considered to be one of the chief edible fish es in all over
the world, a continuous assessment with respect to the
discharge of effluents into the water bodies are need of
the hour. If not treated properly, it will therefore affect the
food chain including hum an. It is of interest to note that
the reduction in protein content under effluent stress
noticed in the present study may be attributed to the
utilization of amino acids in various catabolic reactions.
The reduction in protein content might be due to the
blocking of protein synthesis or protein denaturation or
interruption in the amino acid synthesis by metals
(Jha, 1991). 5.The results of the present investigation
revealed that DNA and RNA content reduced
significa ntly in the gills, hepatopa ncrea s, and muscle of L.
calcarifer exposed to effluent concentrations. The binding
of metals to phenylalanine and lysine tRNA should have
inhibited
their propagation to ribosomes, which
caused reduc tion in the protein content as suggested by
206
Curr. Res. J. Biol. Sci., 2(3): 201-209, 2010
Tulasi et al. (1992). In this study also decreased level of
DNA and R NA were observed this might be due to the
above-mentioned reason. The decreased glycogen content
recorded in the present study may be due to the induced
activation of adrenal pituitary glucocorticoid hormones
which stimulate the hepatic glucose production thereby
elevating the blood glucose level or it may be a physical
response to meet the critical need of energy under effluent
stress as sug gested by the others. During the hypoxic
conditions, there is increased carbohydrate metabolism to
release energy resulting in the extra expenditure of
carbo hydrate constituents. In the present study also, the
decreased total lipid content might be due to liver damage
and/or inhibiton of activity of en zym es of lipid
metabolism. In the present study, rupture and necrosis of
gill epithelium of fish may be due to direct deleterious
effect of the effluent. A change in severe gill alteration
was observed in all treatments but the alteration was less
in 10% conc entration com pared to 20% . That the fish gills
show various changes in the gills this may be due to stress
cum toxic responses of the exposed fish. In the present
study recom men ds to avoid such impact in the aquatic
environment, a proper dilution management is needed
before they are discharged.
Caroll, W .V., R.W. Longly and J.H. Roe., 1956. The
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