Abstract
The objectives of the present study were to determine the concentrations of heavy metals and metalloids in water, sediment and Osteochilus vittatus fish, and to assess chromosome aberrations, serum biochemical changes and histopathological alterations in O. vittatus from the Nam Kok river near the Sepon gold-copper mine, Lao People’s Democratic Republic compared with the reference area. The results showed that Fe, Mn and Ni in water, As and Cd in sediment as well as As, Cd, Cr, Mn and Ni in O. vittatus muscle samples near the gold-copper mine exceeded standard values. Furthermore, the chromosome assessment in O. vittatus revealed seven types of chromosome aberrations, and the highest total number of chromosome aberrations was a centromere gap. The total number of chromosome aberrations, cell number with chromosome aberrations and percentage of chromosome aberrations in O. vittatus as well as serum liver enzymes between the studied areas were significantly different (p < 0.05). The liver histopathological alterations of the fish near the gold-copper mine revealed atypical cellular structures as nuclear membrane degeneration, rough endoplasmic reticulum disintegration and abnormal cytoplasmic mitochondria. The results of this study suggested that heavy metal and metalloid contaminations from the Sepon gold-copper mine area negatively affect O. vittatus fish in terms of chromosomal defects, serum biochemical changes and liver histopathological appearances.
Highlights
Laos has abundant mountainous landscapes with many important mineral resources, and presently the Lao government promotes mineral resources as the engine to develop the country through concessions to foreign companies [1,2]
The study area located at the Namkok river near a Sepon gold-copper mine, Viraboury District, Savannakhet Province, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, at GPS location 16◦ 550 34.37” N 105◦ 590 58.16” E, and the reference area without surrounding industrial, mining and electronic activities located at the Nam Souang river in Naxaythong District, Vientiane Capital, at GPS location 18◦ 140 52.88” N
The results found seven types of chromosome aberrations from O. vittatus in the Sepon gold-copper mine area as fragmentation (F), single chromatid gap (SCG), iso-chromatid gap (ISCG), centric gap (CG), deletion (D), single chromatid break (SCB) and centric fragmentation (CF) with number of chromosome aberrations as 13, 41, 9, 253, 53, 5 and 51, respectively
Summary
Laos has abundant mountainous landscapes with many important mineral resources, and presently the Lao government promotes mineral resources as the engine to develop the country through concessions to foreign companies [1,2]. By 2020, Lao mining production will account for 30% of total metal export value, and contribute approximately 10% to Lao gross domestic product. The two largest gold mines in Laos accounting for 90% of country’s mining production were Phu Kham gold mine in Vientiane Province and Sepon gold-copper mine in Savannakhet Province. The Lao gold export is mainly to neighbouring countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, China and Malaysia [1,3].
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