Effects of agro-chemicals on fishes: With reference to changes in circulating biochemical parameters in Clarias gariepinus induced with Paraquat dichloride

Document Type : Original Research Papers

Author

Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University Otuoke, Nigeria

Abstract

The response of Clarias gariepinus to Paraquat dichloride, a herbicide that is in high demand in the fragile Niger Delta ecological zone was investigated. The herbicide had been detected in most of the water bodies in the region. The fishes were exposed to the range of concentrations observed in the field (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8) µg/L for 28 days, conducted under the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) test guidelines. Signs of stress were monitored and blood samples were taken from the caudal vein located behind the backbone for biochemical study. Biochemical parameters were measured spectrophotometrically. There were moderate changes in cortisol secretion, glucose levels and fluctuation in protein levels. No mortalities occurred during the test. These findings indicate that Paraquat dichloride can be tolerated by the tropical fish. Nevertheless, it should be used with care as incessant usage can increase its concentrations in the environment. The herbicide binds rapidly and tightly to clay materials and can easily leach into water, which could be lethal to aquatic and terrestrial flora and fauna. It can also magnify along the trophic level, which could be detrimental to humans.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

  1. Tomlin, Clive (ed). (1994) The Pesticide Manual, incorporating The Agrochemicals Handbook, Tenth Edition, British Crop Protection Council and the Royal Society of Chemistry, Farnham UK.
  2. Amdur, M.O., Doull, J. and Klaassen, C.D. (1991) Toxicology, the basic science of poisons. 4th ed Pergamon Press, New York, pp 602-603.
    1. Bauer, C. and Dial, N. (1995) Lethal effects of the consumption of field levels of Paraquat-contaminated plants on frog tadpoles. Bull. Environ. Contam. Tox., 55,870-877.
    2. Yuan, Y.C., Chen, H.C. and Yuan, Y.K. (2004) Sublethal Effects of Paraquat and Malathion on the Freshwater Shrimp, Macrobrachium nipponense. Acta Zoologica. Taiwanica., 14, 87-95.
    3. Campbell, S. (1968) Paraquat poisoning. Clin. Toxicol., 1, 245-249.
    4. Tanner, C.M., Freya, K.G., Webster, R., Jane, A., Hoppin, S.M., Goldman, M., Korell, C., Marras, G.S., Bhudhikanok, M., Kasten, A.R. et al. (2011) "Rotenone, Paraquat and Parkinson’s Disease". Environmental Health Perspectives, 119, 866–72.
      1. WHO. (1991) International Programme on Chemical Safety, Paraquat Health and Safety Guide No. 51 Geneva.
      2. Idodo, U.G. (2003) Fresh water fishes of Nigeria (Taxonomy, Ecological notes, Diet  and Utilization). Idodo Umeh publications, Benin City, Nigeria. pp.250.
      3. Leblond, V.S., Bisson, M. and Hontela, A. (2001) Inhibition of cortisol secretion in dispersed head kidney cells of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) by endosulfan, an organochlorine pesticide.Gen. Comp. Endocrinol., 121,48–56.
      4. Lorenzen, A., Moon, T.W., Kennedy, S.W. and Fox, G.A. (1999) Relationships between environmental organochlorine contaminant residues, plasma corticosterone concentrations, and intermediary metabolic enzyme activities in Great Lakes herring gull embryos. Environ. Health Perspect., 107,179–186.
      5. Hontela, A. (1998) Interrenal dysfunction in fish from contaminated sites: In vivo and in vitro assessment. Environ. Toxicol. Chem., 17, 44–48.
      6. Bisson, M. and Hontela, A. (2002) Cytotoxic and endocrine-disrupting potential of atrazine, diazinon, endosulfan, and mancozeb in adrenocortical steroidogenic cells of rainbow trout exposed in vitro. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol., 180,110–117.
      7. Congleton, J.L. and LaVoie, W.J. (2001) Comparison of blood chemistry values for samples collected from juvenile Chinook salmon by three methods. J. of Aquatic. Animal Health, 13, 168–172.
      8. Barseghian, G., Rachmiel, L. and Epps, P. (1982) “Direct Effect of Cortisol and Cortisone on Insulin and Glucagon Secretion”. Endocrinology, 111, 1648.
      9. Chiu, S.K., Collier, C.P., Clark, A.F. and Wynn-Edwards, K.E. (2003) Salivary cortisol on ROCHE Elecsys immunoassay system: pilot biological variation studies. Clin. Biochem., 36,211–214.
      10. Schmidt, F.H. (1961) Enzymatic determination of glucose and fructose simultaneously. Klin Wochenschr, 39, 1244–1250.
      11. Lowry, O.H., Rosebrough, N.J., Farr, A.L. and Randall, R.J. (1951) Protein measurement with folin phenol reagent. J. of Biol. Chem., 193,265-267.
      12. Fisher, R.A. (1950) Statistical methods for research workers. 11th edition. Oliver and Boyd, London 75 pp.
      13. Standard Organisation of Nigeria (2007) Drinking water quality guidelines, Nigeria. Department of Petroleum Resouces, Federal Ministry of Environment, Nigeria.
      14. Erewa, O. (2013) Occurrence and distribution of pestides residue in major river, Niger Delta, Nigeria, M.Sc. thesis submitted to the Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, University of Benin Nigeria,109pp.
      15. Reid, S.G., Bernier, N.J. and Perry, S.F. (1998) The adrenergic stress response in fish: Control of catecholamine storage and release. Comp. Biochem. Physiol., 120, 1–27.
      16. Chrousos, G.P. (1998) Stressors, stress, and neuroendocrine integration of the adaptive response. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 851, 311–335.
      17. Mommsen, T.P., Vijayan, M.M. and Moon, T.W. (1999) Cortisol in teleosts, dynamics, mechanisms of action, and metabolic regulation. Rev. Fish Biol. Fish., 9,211–268.
      18. Dorval, J., Leblond, V.S. and Hontela, A. (2003) Oxidative stress and loss of cortisol secretion in adrenocortical cells of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exposed in vitro to endosulfan, an organochlorine pesticide. Aquat Toxicol., 63,229–241.
      19. Dorval, J. and Hontela, A. (2003) Role of glutathione redox cycle and catalase in defense against oxidative stress induced by endosulfan in adrenocortical cells of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).Toxicol Appl Pharmacol., 192,191–200.
      20. Luskova, V., Svoboda, M. and Kolarova, C. (2002) The effects of diazinon on blood plasma  Biochemistry in carp, Cyprinus carpio. Acta Vet.Brno., 71, 117–123.
      21. Sepici-Dinçel, A. Benli, A.Ç., Selvi, M., Sarıkaya, R., Şahin, D., Özkul, I.A. and Erkoç, F. (2009) Sublethal cyfluthrin toxicity to carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) fingerlings: biochemical, hematological, histopathological alterations. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf., 72,1433–1439.
      22. Vosyliene, M.Z. (1999) The effects of heavy metals on haematological indices of fish. Act Zool. Lit. Hydro., 9,76–82.
      23. Kalender, Y., Kalender, S., Uzunhisarcikli, M., Ogutcu, A., Acikgoz, F. and Durak, D. (2004) Effects of endosulfan on B cells of Langerhans islets in rat pancreas. Toxicology., 200, 201–205.
      24. Cicik, B. and Engin, K. (2005) The effects of cadmium on levels of glucose in serum and glycogen reserves in the liver and muscle tissues of Cyprinus carpio (L., 1758). Turk. J. Vet. Anim. Sci., 29,113–117.
      25. Raja, M., Al-Fatah, A., Ali, M., Afzal, M., Hassan, R.A., Menon, M. and Dhami, M.S. (1992) Modification of liver and serum enzymes by Paraquat treatment in rabbits. Drug Metab. Drug Inter.,10,279–291
      26. Omoregie,E.,Ufodike,E.B.and Keke, I.R. (1990) Tissue chemistry of O. niloticus exposed to sublethal concentrations of Gammalin 20 and Actellic 25EC. J. of Aquatic Science. 5,33-36.
      27. Das, B.K. and Mukherjee, S.C. (2003) Toxicity of cypermethrin in Labeo rohita fingerlings: biochemical, enzymatic and haematological consequences. Comp. Biochem. Physiol., 134, 109–121.
        1. Jee, J.H., Masroor, F. and Kang, J.C. (2005) Responses of cypermethrin-induced stress in haematological parameters of Korean rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli (Hilgendorf). Aquac. Res., 36, 898–905.
        2. Yang, J.L. and Chen, H.C. (2003) Effects of gallium on common carp (Cyprinus carpio): acute test, serum biochemistry, and erythrocyte morphology. Chemosphere, 53,877–882.
        3. Jenkins, F. and Smith, J. (2003) Effects of sublethal concentration of endosulfan on haematological and serum biochemical parameters in the carp, Cyprinus carpio. Bull. Environ.Contam. Toxicol., 70, 993–947.
        4. Neff, J.M. (1985). Use of biochemical measurements to detect pollutant– mediated damage to fish. In Carwel, R.D., Purdy, R. Bahner, R.C. Eds. Aquatic toxicology and hazard assessment: Philadelphia: America Society for Testing Material, 155–181.
Progress in Biological Sciences
Volume 5, Issue 1 - Serial Number 1
Winter & Spring
June 2015
Pages 111-120

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics