Abstract
The study was carried out to determine the effects of sub lethal concentrations of vestaline® (pendimethalin) herbicide to haematological and serum biochemistry of juveniles of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) using static bioassays. The toxicity was carried out using 180 healthy and active fish of mean weight of 27.97±0.03 g which were divided into six treatments with each treatment having ten fish and the setup was in triplicate. The fish were exposed to (1.89 mg/l, 3.79 mg/l, 5.68mg/l, 7.57mg/l. 9.46mg/l and 0.00 mg/l)) concentrations of Vestaline® (Pendimethalin) herbicide for a period of eight weeks during which the fish were fed at 5% of their body weight twice daily. Data obtained were analyzed for descriptive statistics (mean and standard error of means).The data were further subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) at P< 0.05 using Minitab. Results showed that Haematological parameters reduced significantly (P<0.05) in amount of HCT, Hb and RBC with increase in concentration an indication of Anaemia. While WBC increased significantly (P<0.05) with increase in concentration. All were dose dependant. The results of Serum Biochemistry showed significant difference (P<0.05) in all the parameters determined. There was significant (P<0.05) decrease in Total protein and Albumin while Cholesterol, Alanine aminoTransferase, Aspartate aminoTransferase and Creatine all increased significantly (P<0.05) with increase in concentration. Vestaline® (Pendimethalin) herbicide from this study is toxic on Clarias gariepinus juveniles so its use around aquatic environment should be done with care.
Highlights
The use of pesticides through agricultural practice can find its way into aquatic ecosystem and affect non target organisms
Haematological parameters observed during the sub-lethal studies includes, Red Blood counts (RBC), White Blood Counts (WBC), Haemoglobin (Hb), Haematocrit (HCT), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), Neutrophils, Lymphocytes, Eosinophils, Basophils and Monocytes and Heterophil. this were done because Haematological and profiles of blood can provide important information about the internal environment of organisms [18]
This does not agree with findings of [6] who reported a significant increase in RBC count of C. gariepinus when subjected to Zn treatment, The attributed the red blood cell elevation to blood cell reserve combined with cell shrinkage as a result of osmotic alterations of blood by the action of the metal
Summary
The use of pesticides through agricultural practice can find its way into aquatic ecosystem and affect non target organisms. This can be possible through indiscriminate use, careless handling, accidental spillage, or discharges of this herbicide from farm lands by rain into natural waterways which can have harmful effects on fish population and other forms of aquatic life and may contribute long term effects in the environment [8]. Vestaline® is liquid herbicide of the group of of dinitroaniline, its active ingredient is Pendimethalin. It is a class of herbicides used in premergence and postemergence applications to control annual grasses and certain broadleaf weeds. Pendimethalin is approved in Europe, North America, South America, Africa, and Asia for different crops including cereals (wheat, barley etc), corn, soybeans, rice, potato, legumes, fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants [12]
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